A lot of people have been working for a long time to try to head off global warming — and some progress is being made. Buildings are becoming more energy-efficient, fuel economy standards for vehicles are finally rising again, and use of renewable energy is burgeoning.

I had the great fortune two years ago to spend a couple weeks in Sweden. In late December 2007 I was visiting my daughter, who was studying at Lund University.

For energy conservation, 'where' you build could matter more than 'what' you build.

One of the things I like most about my seven-mile bicycle commute into work is the chance it affords me to just think about stuff in an unfocused way. When I drive to work (more often than I'd like) I usually have the radio on, letting the "Morning Edition" reporters direct my thoughts.

Regular readers might remember the toilet-flushing video from March that showed ridiculous quantities of carrots, chess pieces, Gummi bears, hot dogs, plastic letters and numbers, grapes, golf balls, and dog food getting flushed. Fun, but it didn't qualify for GreenSpec because it only met the federal minimum standard for water use. Well, here's one that does.

This year's expo hall in Phoenix boasts over 1,800 exhibit booths showcasing the latest in innovative products and services.

Last week, we took a look at practical, easy-to-implement strategies for keeping our buildings cool during hot weather. This week, I'll describe a fascinating way to cool buildings using electricity at night to make ice. This isn't something most of us can run out and implement in our houses, but it's highly practical and cost-effective for many commercial buildings.

Men should pee sitting down. Now before you call me a strident feminist, let me say that I'm backed up on this one by male colleagues and the reasons aren't what you think.