House & Home

Frugal Environmental Living

It’s not easy being green, but does it also have to be expensive? It’s a question I’ve frequently pondered as my husband and I have balanced our commitment to the environment with the realities of paying for graduate school, working in lower-paying nonprofit jobs, and suffering through periodic bouts of unemployment. Over the years I’ve evolved some basic strategies to walk more lightly on the Earth without breaking our budget.

Fabulous Feng Shui

It’s Certainly Popular, But is it Eco-Friendly? Feng shui is popping up all over popular culture, but is it environmentally friendly? At its core, experts say, feng shui (literally "wind and water") is a way of life that helps us live in harmony with the environment. With roots in ancient Chinese philosophy that saw human […]

Tree Power

Proper Landscaping Can Cut Utility Bills in Half Believe it or not, landscaping may be the best long-term investment for reducing home heating and cooling costs. An asset to your yard and community, proper tree, shrub and grass plantings can protect your home from the ravaging onslaught of winter wind and snow, as well as […]

Eco-Additions

Remodeling for a Healthier House You love your home, but it’s not perfect. Maybe it needs a bathroom on the ground floor, a bigger kitchen or another bedroom. Of course, you could move to bigger digs. Or you could do what millions of Americans do every year: stay put and remodel. Indeed, renovation is the […]

Wild Water

For some real whitewater rafting, give northern Maine a try, and you may get an environmental education as part of the bargain. This is one of the few places in the country still without back-to-back McDonalds and malls. If you want groceries, better pray they have what you want at the general store, because it’s a long haul to anywhere else.

Calling all Composters

Compost consists mainly of humus, a dark brown blend of biochemical compounds created when organic materials decompose. It is a complex creation—a living, breathing community of bacteria, fungi, insects and other microorganisms. Applying compost to your garden adds helpful nutrients to the soil, guards against diseases and pests, can enhance soil’s ability to hold water and air and may even extend plants" growing season. And processing your own materials keeps them out of landfills.

Sleeping Soundly

Organic Cotton May be the Key to a Good Night's Rest It's easy to feel virtuous using 100 percent cotton bed sheets. What could be more pure than bedding made from a natural product, with no artificial fibers? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Mothers & Others For a Livable Planet reports that cotton is the […]

So Sensitive!

Are you feeling tired most of the time? Does your spouse have a continuous cold and your child a mysterious rash? Chemical sensitivities could be responsible for these ailments. And your house—as well as the stuff in it—is likely to be the source of your discomforts. and its taste was reformulated in recent years to appeal to Americans.

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