Yup, global warming leads to more snow. The New York Times explains on their Op-Ed page: As global temperatures have warmed and as Arctic sea ice has melted over the past two and a half decades, more moisture has become available to fall as snow over the continents. So the snow cover across Siberia in

M. EdlowHappy Holidays from Grid—whether that means Christmas or just a couple days off work. We’ll be back Tuesday.

OK, so you could get your loved ones beer soap. Or you could get them beer. (Or both.) My current local, seasonal obsession is Dogfish Head’s Chicory Stout. (Maybe you could do a mixed six with some other stouts?) I first sampled these suds at Standard Tap, and I’ve been on the bandwagon ever since.

Apparently we run in the same circles as Philebrity—right around the time they were posting this endorsement for Duross and Langel‘s beer soaps, we were perusing the 13th Street shop for some standout suds. Ever since my visit to Spotted Hill Farm, I’ve been hooked on all-natural soaps. Donna Howard sent me off with a

It’s always nice to read something that makes you feel genuinely hopeful: This New York Times online column on homelessness did just that. Writer David Bornstein discusses the 100,000 Homes Campaign, a program that aims to place 100,000 chronically homeless people into permanent supportive housing by July 2013: It’s the human welfare equivalent of NASA’s race to put

Grid‘s own Marisa McClellan is deep into the annual Dark Days Challenge over at Foodinjars.com. Here’s how she describes it: Participants from all over the country (and world) prepare at least one intentionally local meal per week during the winter and blog about it. The goal is to prove that it’s possible to eat locally,

People all over the world join hands, start a love train, love train… Remember that adorable video of the Canadian couple getting engaged on one of Mural Arts’ Love Letter Tours? Inspired by that event, Mural Arts and SEPTA are now offering one lucky couple the chance to be married on the Love Train by Mayor

We’re in the final stretch of 2010—and with that comes a final look back before trudging forward into 2011. Both TreeHugger and Grist are re-capping the year, with a focus on the environment. The sites both acknowledge the BP oil disaster as the 2010 environmental event that will go down in history, but Grist takes

Shot Tower Coffee in Bella VistaThis past weekend, I checked a few things off my to-do list: visit 1 Shot Coffee‘s new No Libs location (and sample those baked eggs with tomato sauce); stop by my neighborhood’s new Shot Tower Coffee (6th and Christian); and watch the Eagles humiliate the Giants. Check, check and check.

We’re milking this year’s holiday cheer for all it’s worth—and that means we’re going to share as many local gift ideas as possible. Next up, a gift certificate from Harvest Local Foods. (You might remember them from last year’s Farmbook.) The cards range from $25 to $200, and can be used to purchase absolutely anything