Improve Your Home and Garden
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Looking at the images of Haiti’s earthquake and the devastation that followed was a wake up call for me. It’s hard to stay worried about the surcharges on your cell phone bill while you watch a terrified but unwavering husband wait outside the rubble of his home for days to see if his wife will [...]
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“In order for sustainability to work, it has to work for everyone.” In the wake of corporate greed and unethical business practice, these words from green building visionary Terry Black are a much-needed breath of fresh air. Black’s company Green Way Supply, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, has been building sustainable homes for three years, but the company [...]
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Looking for a way to make the upcoming holiday festivities more sustainable? Whether it’s a quiet family Christmas dinner at home or a big New Year’s Eve party, a new crop of organic wines will give you more reasons to celebrate. When you look at the health benefits of a glass of wine, it’s easy [...]
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Millions of people are on the path to a greener lifestyle. It doesn’t matter where you are along your journey; the important thing is to keep taking steps forward… even baby steps count! What’s a green baby step? Changing out your light bulbs for CFLs, planting a tree, grabbing a sweatshirt instead of cranking up [...]
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Of all the baby steps you can take toward a greener lifestyle, this is one of my favorites: Never, ever use Styrofoam. Much like plastic, Styrofoam never biodegrades or breaks down. But unlike most plastics, Styrofoam is rarely ever recycled. It can be done, but it’s difficult and I’ve yet to come across a facility [...]
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“Man must go back to nature for information.” This sound advice from author Thomas Paine in the 1800s is still relevant today. Maybe we lost the connection to our planet, nature, and our food during the industrial revolution. But now, many of us are actively regaining it. For many people, the first step toward a [...]
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When you hear the term “green cleaning,” you probably don’t think about your vacuum cleaner. By now we’re all aware of the dangers of toxins in cleaning products and how they affect our family through direct contact or by breathing their fumes. But you probably don’t give much thought to how vacuuming your home affects [...]
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Think about the last time you relaxed. Did it come naturally to you? Or did you have to work at settling your mind? Was it nearly impossible to resist the urge to check your email or your Facebook account? In today’s hectic, wired, and always-connected world, it can be hard to just do nothing. Many [...]
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Finding a sustainable builder can be a challenge. It’s even tougher to find a builder who’s eager to consider the “human element” of building or renovating your home. If you’ve ever attempted a “green” remodel, you probably resigned yourself to choosing your battles with your builder. You made concessions because your contractor maybe wasn’t knowledgeable [...]
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These days, stress is hard to avoid. It comes at us in many different forms – from work, school, relationships, and just too many things to do and not enough time to do them. Stress causes sleepless nights. And that lack of sleep can lead to poor health – including stress-related pain and overall anxiety. [...]
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Ever stop to think about what it means to throw something away? Where is “away”? Just because you throw it away from where you are, does that mean it’s gone? What if there were no weekly garbage pick up? If we were responsible for our own waste disposal, would the average American family still throw [...]
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Green Building is growing in popularity, but the industry still faces plenty of challenges… mainly finding cost-effective solutions to energy efficiency and our dwindling natural resources. But new innovations in technology are creating options, and here’s one to watch: structural insulated panels. Hailed as one of the leading 21st century green building materials, SIPs conserve [...]
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“Love the home you’re in,” is the latest “homeowner trend.” Slow real estate sales of existing homes and frozen new home construction influence many families to upgrade or add on rather than buy new. Now that we’ve likely seen the worst of the downturn, homeowners may see what a smart choice their remodel was – [...]
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Are you ready to go beyond the “small steps” to go green? If you’re like many energy conscious consumers, you’ve already switched to CFL light bulbs or better yet, LED lights. You’ve installed a programmable thermostat. And your appliances are all Energy Star rated. It’s true… small steps really do add up. But maybe you’re [...]
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By now, most of us are aware that chemical lawn treatments are bad for our health and for the environment. But the importance of sustainable landscaping goes deeper than what we apply to our shrubs, gardens, and lawn. What you see when you look out your windows is as much a part of your home [...]
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Are you taking advantage of the current federal energy efficiency tax credits? If you watch the news, you’ve seen Cash for Caulkers and another $5 billion in renewable energy incentives just in the last few weeks. Chances are your neighbor or someone you know is letting the government pay them to improve their home’s efficiency [...]
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In a $2 million beachfront home on Oahu, a meticulously redesigned, nautical-themed home remodel was underway. Huge wooden beams were brought in from the mainland to complete the fresh, open-air appeal of this luxurious island getaway. The homeowner was thrilled to see his vision become a reality. When the remodel was finished, he moved in [...]
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A window is your home’s opening to the outside world. More than just providing light and “bringing the outdoors in,” windows are critical to the overall energy efficiency of your home. When your windows don’t seal properly, it can drastically increase your monthly power bill and your use of fossil fuels. One of the most [...]
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