Alternative Treatments to Control Termites If there"s wood in your house, chances are at some point you"ll have unwelcome houseguests: termites. Treatments to get rid of these trespassers can be environmentally nasty. Infestations in which the entire house is implicated are usually attacked with chemical fumigants. But concerns about ozone depletion and health risks associated […]
Sixteen million American homes use a total of some 11 billion gallons of heating oil a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That’s 700 gallons per year per household. And while many of those homes have their oil tanks tucked away in the basement, millions of others have them buried underground where, neglected, […]
The 10 Most Dangerous Toxins in Your Household It’s official: Staying home is hazardous to your health. Toxins found in the home injured 789,000 Americans between 1992 and 1995, and new research suggests that this figure is underestimated. Dan McCoy / Rainbow “Toxins in U.S. homes now account for 90 percent of all reported poisonings […]
Of course, there were times during the two years that it took to design and build our solar home, that I almost shared their "it can’t be done" sentiment. My husband, Duane, and I learned early on that when it comes to building an earth-friendly home, weighing alternatives and harmonizing dreams with reality is quite a challenge. And while I’m thrilled with the house we built, it is a modest version of the one we originally envisioned.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times—and occasionally more than 100 times—higher than outdoor levels.
Enliven Your Yard with Feeders and Baths A pair of acrobatic American gold-finches alight on a cylindrical hanging bird feeder, hungrily searching for thistle seeds. A shadow plays across them, and the goldfinches dive to the safety of a nearby shrub. A large hairy woodpecker lands on a nearby feeder filled with peanuts. Relieved, the […]
No doubt about it, home is where the danger is. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 50 percent of all our illnesses can be traced to indoor pollution, which is 10 times more toxic than its outdoor counterpart.
Roofs and solar energy can save money and the environment By Mark Harris
Homeowners can prevent pollutants from harming surface and groundwater by installing a rain garden, a pond-like recess shaped like a saucer or shallow bowl.
All Decked Out — Everything You Need To Know To Build A Barbecue-Ready Eco-Deck. As the thermometer begins to creep upward, there is a mass unfurling of deck umbrellas across the country. If the time has come to build a new deck or replace your worn one, you’ll be happy to know there are many ecologically sound materials with which to work.
