Roaring flames, rare meat, and inebriation is how many Americans show their patriotism on 4th of July. Before the fireworks, be sure your backyard fire works in an ecological way. 1.) Grill gear Best to worst: solar, electric, propane, wood, charcoal Wood and carbonized wood (aka charcoal) are the worst fuel options for air quality […]
A woman is suing a tampon company after losing her leg. The amputation was the result of Toxic Shock Syndrome, aka. TSS, a complicated bacterial infection. It’s not a female-only condition, but there’s been a link between TSS and tampon usage that has gone on for decades. A tampon alone cannot cause TSS; it occurs […]
Have you heard the latest news? The Department of Treasury announced that by 2020, a new $10 bill is going to be issued and it will feature a woman. This will be the first time that a woman is featured on paper currency in the United States. It has not yet been confirmed what woman […]
Baking Soda Most people already know the benefits of using baking soda in the kitchen – it’s great for scrubbing stubborn foods and stains off of dishes and cookware and provides that extra shine and sparkle – but did you know that baking soda is also a great alternative to shampoo? Yup! Whether you’re going […]
Now that you have the horticultural know-how, it’s time to apply it and get dirty! Here are easy 1-2-3 steps to getting your garden growing. Lay the Groundwork Yes, it’s as simple as digging a hole for the plant and plopping it in, but not that smart. Take the first steps to preparing your terrain. […]
By hopping from South to North America, my geographic sense of what is “local” produce has gone topsy-turvy. Now that I’m out of the tropics, my suggestion for homemade Hawaiian ice with coconuts, banana, papaya, and mango is suddenly no longer homegrown. Now a very-berry ice, made with Maine blueberries, Iowan juneberries, or Washingtonian raspberries, […]
Have you heard of the 100 Mile Diet? For once, it’s nice not to hear the word “diet” associated with the latest weight loss craze. Instead, the 100 Mile Diet, or Challenge, is all about the environment and the importance of eating locally. The challenge is to include only foods grown within 100 miles of […]
How might the world change if everyone were to consume 14% less meat? That’s the idea behind Meatless Mondays. Not only is going meatless one day a week helpful in reducing your risk of chronic preventable diseases, it also helps you to reduce your global footprint. The meat industry uses up a vast amount of […]
Lobsters and martinis ordered to impress but left untouched. Bourbon-drenched brunches, cross-country flights, and lavish luncheon spreads, all to land a client. Such are the excesses of the glamorous 1960s world of advertising in “Mad Men”. From our modern perspective of emailed office memos and online ads replacing direct mail, the reams of paper tossed […]
Our new neighborhood’s informal recycler piled a load of flattened cardboard boxes and crumpled newspaper on his wheelbarrow and hobbled off. He relieved us of our packaging after an exhausting series of moves between small towns and the big city. It was such a relief to discard those boxes that had held everything while we […]