Consumer news

Ask an environmentalist: Driving vs. flying? Clothes compost? Wind-powered Safeway? Ozone anxiety?

Jon Mooallem, SF Public Press — Aug 24 2010 - 5:40pm

Which has a bigger carbon footprint, flying or driving from SF to LA? Can I compost my old clothing? Can a Safeway really be wind-powered? What’s the deal with the ozone layer? Writer Jon Mooallem digs into quandaries both weighty and lightheaded.

1 comment

Google and the question of ‘evil’: former allies question hometown company’s motives

Kevin Hume, SF Public Press — Aug 16 2010 - 3:09pm

Google, the Silicon Valley startup that quickly dominated the global search engine business, gained credibility early on with users by invoking its informal motto: “Don’t be evil.” But consumer groups last week turned the slogan against the company, saying the economics of the digital world have obscured its moral compass. Earlier last week, Google united with Verizon to bring before the Federal Communications Commission a list of proposals that consumer groups said seemed to water down the principle of network neutrality — the concept that all Internet traffic should be handled equally, regardless of who provides it or how much they can pay.

Macy’s sells rubies ‘filled’ with glass

David V. Johnson, SF Public Press — Jul 13 2010 - 10:39am

Despite two lawsuits and some media attention, Macy’s continues to sell gemstones that are composites of natural stones and leaded glass. The San Francisco Public Press conducted an independent investigation of Macy’s gems, and found that salespeople at all three San Francisco-area locations did not accurately describe its products and sold lead-ruby composites as bona fide rubies, without disclosing their true nature.

Underground farmers market finds home in Mission District

Gianmaria Franchini, SF Public Press — Dec 22 2009 - 5:19pm

Sorry, you need to install flash to see this content.

Acorn flour, wild fennel seeds and homemade sarsaparilla (that’s soda for all you non-foodies) are just some of the treats that have found their way into a new alternative farmers market. This underground bazaar sponsored by the founder of forageSF is a house party, dinner party and street fair rolled into one. Small vendors who can’t afford commercial kitchens or a booth at SF’s official farmers market are hawking their food on the second-floor flat of a Victorian.

2 comments

Supervisors save public access TV channels for one more year

Anna Walters, The Public Press — Jun 10 2009 - 11:29am

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors temporarily rescued public access television from the brink of extinction Tuesday, passing an ordinance that reimposes a city franchise fee on Comcast and other cable operators.

June 12 digital switch threatens TV 'lifeline' for thousands

Bethany Fleishman, The Public Press — Jun 9 2009 - 4:36pm

Tens of thousands of Bay Area residents could wake up to a blank television screen on June 12, when all broadcast television programs officially go digital and abandon their analog signals. Those most at risk of losing their TV signal are seniors, residential hotel tenants and non-English speakers.

Tracy Rosenberg, executive director of the Oakland-based Media Alliance, estimated that roughly one million people nationwide will lose their signals. In the Bay Area, that number could top 65,000, and many people are calling Media Alliance for help.

“Here it is three days before the changeover and we are inundated with phone calls,” Rosenberg said.