How many times have I told myself to “take a deep breath” over the past four years? Actually, I do practice deep breathing to reduce stress and it often helps. But as the pandemic … more

When I was a kid, one of my mother’s close friends was hospitalized after accidentally mixing bleach and ammonia while cleaning a shower stall. It was such a horrific incident that I’ve … more

My husband manages to find the most extraordinary artists on Instagram. During these months when we have not been able to venture out as much as we would like, it’s been very refreshing to … more

In her extraordinary documentary, “Cooked: Survival by Zip Code,” filmmaker Judith Helfand tells the story of the July 1995 heatwave that killed 739 people in Chicago. Most of the victims … more

I woke up thinking about that old armchair again. With everything that’s going on, you’d think I could let it go, but it haunts me. It came with the house 23 years ago, was probably new … more

The metaphor of war has come to permeate the way we talk about the COVID-19 pandemic. It began with a justifiably heroic view of our medical personnel, underequipped and undersupplied on the front … more

Nineteen years ago, in the months following 9/11, many publications devoted space and ink to predictions about how the attacks would change us. A few prominent commenters foresaw “the end of … more

I have a lot of conversations about climate change, sometimes with scientists, educators or local officials but more often with engaged citizens who are just trying to figure out how we can invest … more

By now, most New Yorkers are aware that a ban on single-use plastic bags will go into effect on Sunday, March 1. While there has been some criticism of the bill’s numerous exemptions, … more

As one of its last and perhaps most irrational deregulatory actions of 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy announced last month that it would not proceed with implementation of efficiency standards … more

From the hilltop of Thanksgiving we toboggan through the wintry finale of the year—Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s an exhilarating journey for some, but for others it can … more

Every autumn, we button up the house in preparation for winter, trading out screens for storm-door inserts, checking for new drafts and leaky weather stripping and giving the woodstove its annual … more