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Can Wal-Mart save the world? Does San Francisco really want to trash plastic bags? And are scientists truly at work on a machine that "zaps" trash, converting it to pellets and fuel through "plasma gasification"? Dig in to these questions and others on American Public Media's Sustainability page. Dedicated to following "the national and global dialogue over how we use Earth's resources," this treasure trove collects green-related reports from across the radio network's wide berth of programming.

If you only have a moment, we recommend leaping in with "Consumed." This newly hatched, in-depth report traces the history of buying and selling—and dares to wonder whether this consumer society of ours has a limited life span. As we race through the biggest shopping days of the year, that question may be the most critical of all.

Find the original review for this site—and other highlights from the earth-friendly side of the Internet—on Yahoo! Green.

It's impossible to measure true fandom. The Web is rife with obsessed fans. But on the spectrum of fandom, few measure up to the devotion displayed by Mark Mercer.

Mark's a super fan of Howard Stern. While that's not unique in and of itself, Mr. Mercer takes his love of the Stern show to a higher ground. His detailed daily recaps of the show cover the minutiae for Stern fans who can't listen to the entire 5 hour show every day. No stripper, joke, or bodily function passes through the studio without remark—and Mark's been typing up his recaps on the Web for over 10 years.

Stern is a polarizing figure, but even if you don't care for Howard's humor, you should appreciate Mark's dedication to the show that has taken over his life. We chatted with Mark in the evening, long after his day started before sunrise—as it does each and every weekday morning when he flips on his radio...

Hey Mark, walk us through your daily routine—what do you do to bring Stern fans the recaps day in, day out?

I get up at 5:20 a.m., shower, and start up the Sirius radio. Read the full profile...

1. Al Franken's racquetball smackdown with KISS bass player Gene Simmons.
2. "My So-Called Lungs," in which 21-year-old Laura Rothenberg records her battle with cystic fibrosis.
3. How "a freakin' potato" came into play in a minor league game between the Reading Phillies and the Williamsport Bills.
4. Excerpts of the tapes Captain Mike Banks and his wife Mary sent each other during the Vietnam War.
5. And, of course, the Santaland Diaries of Crumpet the Elf.