Healthy and Green Living » Household Hints

Bring Your Living Space to Life

Megan, selected from Yoga+ Magazine — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:12:03 +0000

By Basia Hellwig, Yoga+ The most comfortable places in our homes and towns are expressions of the way people live in them, rather than of an architect’s master plan. So observes scholar and architect Christopher Alexander, who has studied and codified these patterns of living, as expressed in rooms, buildings, and towns over the centuries. To [...]

Start an Eco Tour In Your Neighborhood and Share Your Ideas

Dave Chameides — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:01:03 +0000

This past Sunday I was lucky enough to catch the East Side Eco Tour, an open house of sorts where visitors get the chance to tour “10 forward thinking homes” in my local area. The idea, set up by Farm Feliz, a local organization thats mission is “homegrown action for a better neighborhood” is [...]

10 Tips for Energy Efficient Baking

Megan, selected from Planet Green — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:03:17 +0000

I don’t use my oven an awful lot, and in fact I don’t even have one at my cottage. But there is something about the holidays that demands homemade baked goods. Before you start making all those wonderful Christmas cookies and mince pies, give some thought to how to use your oven in a more [...]

10 Stop-Shopping Tips

Annie B. Bond — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:01:25 +0000

Some people hate shopping, some love it&#151and the ones who love it seem to really love it. In a my-credit-card-is-through-the-roof-and-I-have-way-too-much-stuff kind of way. Too much stuff usually means clutter and clutter, for many, is the bane of the day.

15 Brilliant Uses for Toothpaste (slideshow)

Mel, selected from DivineCaroline — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:01:26 +0000

By Zana Faulkner, DivineCaroline Toothpaste: it whitens, brightens, deodorizes, removes stains, and restores and protects enamel. But toothpaste’s cleaning capabilities work wonders on many things besides our teeth. The same ingredients that help polish our pearly whites can also soothe some common ailments, make household items sparkle, and even get rid of stains and pungent smells. [...]

The Power of Paint and Color: DIY

Ronnie Citron-Fink — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:06:05 +0000

Imagine for a moment that you are standing in the paint department of your local home improvement store with paint chips and fabric swatches in hand. While contemplating the overwhelming color selection of eco-paint color choices, you start asking yourself “Do I want the room to feel soothing, energized, sexy, dramatic, calming, appetizing, healing, [...]

A Year’s Worth of Trash at the Museum of Trash

Dave Chameides — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:01:34 +0000

It’s not everyday that a guy like me has something of his installed in a museum. It’s an even rarer occasion when a guy like me has a year’s worth of his trash installed in a museum. But come Saturday, that’s exactly what will be happening at The Museum of Trash in Hartford, Ct. For those [...]

Carpets Can Stink. So, Make Your Own!

Ronnie Citron-Fink — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:15:34 +0000

Have you ever seen a tag on a carpet that said it contained “unknown man-made fibers.” Are you scared of the “unknown?” If it’s hanging off a carpet or rug, you should be. “Unknown” carpet or rug fibers are generally made from a cocktail of synthetic fibers such as nylon, acrylic, polyester, or polypropylene. [...]

7 Ways to Make Your Living Space Smell Nice

Megan, selected from Intent.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:20:19 +0000

Rather than spraying chemical-laden air fresheners, choose one of these seven natural ways to make your living space smell a little nicer. 1. Invest in houseplants. Have your favorite plants and herbs growing in your kitchen, living room and bathroom in small pots. The presence of green plants will help reduce indoor air pollution and keep [...]

50 Great Uses for Mason Jars

Megan, selected from Planet Green — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:18:32 +0000

I take Mason jars for granted. I grew up with them in the house and they have been part of my kitchen since I was married in 1980. So, I was surprised when someone saw my extensive collection and wondered why I had so many. It is a little obsessive, I admit. I have about 300 [...]