It was warm on the evening of April 26, 1986. Many of Pripyat's citizens flung their windows wide to cool down their homes as they slept. The next day, too, was unseasonably temperate and children were sent out to play in the sunshine.Had it been another time and another place, this might be a happy story. Unfortunately the citizens of Pripyat were uninformed about a silent, invisible killer in their midst.

At 1:23:40 a.m. on April 26, 1986, a steam explosion blew the roof off the fourth reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, just 18 km away from Pripyat. Massive amounts of radiation were released into the atmosphere and, though cleanup commenced immediately, no citizens were warned of the immediate dangers.

The explosion was caused by a test gone wrong. Originally scheduled for the previous afternoon, the test was pushed back due to some technical difficulties with another reactor on the grid. Rather than reschedule the test for the following day, it was carried out in haste early the next morning. This brash and unreasonable behavior was the cause of the worst nuclear accident in human history. The first - and hopefully the last - number "7" on the International Nuclear Event Scale.

Though human error was certainly an accomplice, poor reactor design is largely to blame for the catastrophe. Reactor Four was of the Soviet RBMK (reaktor bolshoy moshchnosti kanalniy or, for those of you not fluent in Russian, "reactor (of) high power (of the) channel (type).") variety. Without losing you with a response to thick in physics, I will attempt to explain how the RBMK design works and why, in this case, it didn't work.

The RBMK uses natural uranium for fuel, water as a coolant and graphite to moderate. When power to the reactor fails, temperatures can become uncontrollable. The RBMK has manual graphite control rods that can be lowered to bring temperature down almost immediately. Almost. The problem is that, before the temperature drops, there is an immediate and intense temperature spike. In most situations, this does not cause any problems.

However, during the test in the early hours of April 26, 1986, reactor four was already running way too hot and the temperature spike resulted as a steam explosion, followed by a nuclear meltdown.

The aftermath of the accident was perhaps where the bulk of the real tragedies occurred. The USSR, still struggling to remain secretive and not wanting to admit their mistake, did not share the news with the outside world and waited three days to evacuate even those villages and towns closest to the plant. They sent firefighters in (called liquidators) to clean highly radioactive debris off the reactor roof in an attempt to reduce the danger.

Much of the harm to nearby citizens and those involved in the cleanup could have been avoided through safety measures and education. The only reason why the USSR fessed up to the accident at all was because they were forced to when the radiation was detected at a nuclear plant in Sweden. Yes, Sweden.

More than two decades later, many people in the West have forgotten about the accident, but those living in Ukraine and Belarus face it anew nearly every day. Cancer ravages children and teens and thousands of men who helped with the cleanup suffer from various ailments as a result of their exposure to the radiation.

A circle 30 km in diameter marks the outline of the Exclusion Zone. The only way in is with a tour guide or a working permit. Workers can spend only two weeks at a time in the Zone and tourists are limited to certain areas and no more than a few days.

I was fortunate enough to interview Mark Resnicoff recently. Mark manages the English version of Pripyat.com, has expansive knowledge of the Chernobyl accident and has visited the Zone. The interview is the reason for this slap-dash summary of the catastrophe. I have studied it for many years and will discuss aspects of it in more depth at other times. This article is designed to give any of you who are not familiar with the catastrophe enough background to get the most from my interview with Mark. It will be published later this week so be sure you check back in to read it.

After a longer-than-planned hiatus, I have returned and will be once again publishing to Gosh That's Green on a regular basis. I have some exciting articles coming up in the next couple of weeks, but thought I'd start off by sharing this great new product perfect for green geeks.

Think fast: how many devices in your home currently use AA batteries? Here are a quick list of mine:

• Nintendo Wii remotes (2 AA batteries x 3 controllers)
• Television remote (2 AA)
• Cable remote (2 AA)
• XBox controllers (2 AA x 2 wireless remotes)
• Wireless Mouse (2 AA)
• Gameboy (2 AA)

That's nearly 20 batteries just off the top of my head. And I didn't include any kitchen gadgets.

My point is that, like me, you probably go through a lot of batteries in a year. If you're trying to live green you have most likely purchased a battery charger and rechargeable batteries. But switching batteries in and out is not always the most convenient task.

That is why USBCELLs are one of the coolest green gadgets I have seen in a long time. They look just like a regular alkaline battery, but when you flip the top you find a USB connector. USBCELLs can be recharged using any USB port in your house. It is like buying the battery and the charger in one convenienent always-connected package.

USBCELLs can be used hundreds of times and will recharge for hours of use in just a few minutes. While they are certainly pricier than throw-away alkalines, the money you will save in the long run is well worth the investment.

You can buy a 2-pack of AA batteries for around $17 or a box of 10 2-packs (total of 20 batteries) for $160.00. Visit the USBCELL website for more information or to purchase.

Last month Aptera introduced the prototype of its electric three-wheeler, the Typ-1. Popular Mechanics was the lucky publication to get the first test drive outside the company. However, the video at the link lets you ride along.

The Typ-1 looks as though it is about two jetpacks away from being a hovercraft. Sitting low to the ground and seeming to coast along the road, this car is seriously sweet. Taking design queues from boats to airplanes and back again, the Typ-1 e is due for production next year. Aptera estimates a price tag just short of $30,000. That's pretty terrific considering you can go approximately 120 miles on a 4-6 hour charge.

The Typ-1 h, a hybrid with a nearly unbelievable 300 MPG, should hit sometime in 2009. Beyond that, Aptera has "Project X" in the works. According to Aptera, "Project X" will be more familiar with four wheels and seating for up to five.

Prior to Popular Mechanic's in-depth look at the Typ-1, there were concerns about the feasibility and safety of the vehicle. It might look a bit like a toy, but you can rest assured that the Typ-1 is anything but. In fact, with steel reinforcements at the roll hoop, windshield, doors and front, this vehicle actually surpasses current United States safety requirements for road-readiness.

If you think the Typ-1 looks cool on the outside, wait until you see the inside. Forget clunky speedometere, this auto sports three rear-view cameras. The screens will display car stats and the central screen - at lease in the prototype - is a touch screen with navigation system and audio control.

Rounding out the inherent eco-friendliness of an electric car, the Typ-1's interior is largely composed of EcoSpun materials. For those of you not familiar with it, Eco-Spun is a sustainable material made from recycled plastics. Aptera's Typ-1 looks like the whole package: eco-friendly, easy on the eyes and affordable.

In one of the year's biggest displays of dramatic irony, Christmas is the least green time of the year. We buy a bunch of foreign-made junk we don't need, eat processed food filled with unpronouncable chemicals and then there are the lights. Twinkling, bright, energy-sucking Christmas lights shout your Christmas cheer from the rooftops ... and roof-fronts.

In general, Christmas lights have never contributed to my Christmas spirit and, believe me, I have always had a ton of spirit. I am the annoying one who starts playing Christmas carols as soon as the Halloween candy is put away. Despite this, I have always felt that I could give or take all the decorations. I think I get that from my dad because I know the only reason he still decorates his home - the home I and all my siblings grew up in - is because my mom would if she was still alive.

And, boy, does he decorate. My mom was a nut when it came to decorating for holidays. She had decorations that went in each corner of the house and I can't remember her adding or subtracting anything in my whole lifetime aside from my little sister's "Baby's First Christmas" ornament. Seriously.

So my dad goes through the motions of wrapping garland around the banister, setting up the entire mini snow village and hanging all the stockings. Luckily, he has started skipping many of the outside lights in recent years because of his age. This is wonderful because he is way too old to be wrapping lights around the gutters.

I currently live in a neighborhood that, as I like to put it, looks like Christmas threw up all over it. There is one house that I believe to be using enough lights to power Seattle and another with a gigantic snow globe that has a ton of lights and a fan that must be run all the time to keep it inflated. While there is no hope for the snow globe, there is a replacement for those Christmas lights that could conserve a lot of energy: LED Christmas lights.

More easily available than ever, LED Christmas lights save as much as 90% of the electricity, are more durable and shine even brighter than standard Christmas lights. You can find a huge assortment of LED lights at Environmental Lights Dot Com.

Perhaps the most outrageous and iconic example of Christmas lights is the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. Now, with the careful planning of Tishman Speyers, the tree is a shining example of going green. The usual Christmas lights were traded for 30,000 LEDs that cut electricity use by 60%. Then solar panels were installed on the top of 45 Rockefeller Plaza to fully take the tree off the grid. Finally, at the end of the season, Tishman Speyers will chop up the tree and give it to Habitat for Humanity to build houses.

If you want to cut out the energy use completely - like the tree at Rockefeller center - you can use solar-powered lights. The lights at the link cost a somewhat-steep $24.99 for a string of 50, but can run on one day's worth of light for about six to eight hours.

Though your tree is not likely to be big enough to build houses, treecycling is still an option. Trees are a reusable/renewable resource and there are many ways to properly dispose of your real tree. So be sure you buy an organically grown tree and find your local treecycling centers.

You could opt for an artificial tree, but most of them are made of non-biodegradable materials. Not only will they sit in landfills for centuries once they have worn out their welcome, artificial trees are mostly made in China and many contain lead-based anti-inflammatory substances. So, really, any benefits that come from going artificial (and there aren't many) are canceled out by all the eco-unfriendly factors.

Other options to consider when you are choosing a green tree include going treeless, creating a tree-like structure as a craft project or simply decorating a tree in your yard and admiring it from a distance.

The good news in all of this is that you can now celebrate Christmas with the same gusto and obnoxiousness you always have while still being eco-friendly. Though it might take a bit of research and investment, your new, greener Chrsitmas decorations will last longer and give you the chance to add someone else to your Christmas list: Mother Earth.

We all have at least one person in our lives for whom it is impossible to shop. Whether it is a coworker we don't know that well or a close friend who already has everything she needs, for one reason or another you just can't think of anything right. In this installment of the gift guide, I present a list of unique gifts for everyone on your list.

Bicycle Chain Picture Frame

Inexpensive and seriously cool, this bicycle chain picture frame is perfect for anyone who has everything.

Delforte Denim Jeans

Let the fashionista in your life know that she doesn't have to sacrifice fashion to be green. EcoCitizen Online has a catalog filled with beautiful clothing and accessories for both genders and all ages. If you haven't already heard of them, jeans from DelForte Denim are made with organic cotton, and produced ethically. Nearly 42% of pesticides are used on cotton fields. By choosing organic cotton clothing, you are greatly reducing this threat to the environment.

Flip and Tumble Shopping Bags

Forget feeling torn between paper or plastic, have your own reusable shopping bag ready with the Flip and Tumble shopping bag. The Flip and Tumble comes in four colors that add a bit of zing to shopping green. The best part is, they roll up into a little ball - about the size of a tennis ball - that can easily be stored in a purse, glove compartment or pocket.

Save Habitats with the Nature Conservancy

If you have someone to shop for who already has everything, why not help preserve something in their name. The Nature Conservancy lets you adopt areas in danger of disappearing. Choices include U.S. land and water, Costa Rican rainforest and coral reefs worldwide. Any eco-friendly and/or socially conscious friend would certainly appreciate a gift of conservation in his/her name.

Learning to Live Green

Teach your friends or family easy and stylish ways to be green by purchasing them a eco-friendly manual. Some of the hottest and newest including The Lazy Environmentalist, The Green Book or It's Easy Being Green.

Organic Cotton Socks

Don't laugh! As a kid you might have complained about getting socks, but what's better than a pair of brand new comfy cotton socks? Not much if you ask me. Good Humans Dot Com offer super-soft organic cotton socks in a variety of natural colors. It might seem a bit unorthodox, but this is a serious pampering gift.

It is easier than ever to find cool, original gifts for those hard-to-shop-for folks on your list. These suggestions are really just the tip of the iceberg. For a whole web's worth of ideas, check out Green Maven, the eco-friendly search engine.