How to Keep Drinking Water Safe for You and Your Family (Bottled Water is Not the Answer)
Being able to get clean, safe drinking water straight from the tap is a right we’re all entitled to. Yet today’s news stories report, once again, that the water we drink every day may contain dangerous chemicals that cause cancer,
What’s Been Your Biggest, Coolest, Eco-Friendliest Change This Year?
Did you finally give up using paper towels? Did you switch out all the incandescent bulbs in your house to LEDs? Maybe you gave away your car and bought a bike. Or planted a huge organic garden to grow more
One Way to Solve Climate Change: Clean Cookstoves
Can a simple stove help solve something as complex as climate change? The United Nations Foundation and its partners at the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other institutions and organizations think so – at least, in
Holiday Traditions that Mean the Most to Me: Family, Friends, Food!
This weekend begins a chain of holiday traditions I’ve been building with my family for twenty years. Early Saturday morning, I’ll climb up in the attic and pull down the holiday lights, bunting, evergreen trim, and ribbons and bows we use to
Ten “Buy/Don’t Buy” Rules for Green Shopping
Make green shopping easier this holiday season by following the ten straightforward rules below. 1) Don’t buy anything that requires a throwaway battery. Batteries leak cadmium, lead and other heavy metals when they’re thrown away. They usually come wrapped in plastic and
Turn ‘America Recycles Day’ into Zero Waste Day and Re-Use It Week
Recycling is great, but it’s not enough. We need to reduce the amount of stuff we buy even if it is recycled. And we need to stop feeling like throwing all that stuff away is ok, just because it can be
Recycle Holiday Lights and Replace with Discounted Energy-Saving LEDs
Holiday lights brighten up everything except your electricity bill. They’re so twinkly and tiny, you probably string them up without giving much if any thought to how much energy they use. Turns out, the energy they use is A LOT. That’s because
Here’s Your Chance to Learn About the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
There is so much plastic pollution in the oceans it’s created “islands” the size of Texas. Small pieces of plastic are killing tiny birds and huge whales. And plastic is polluting people, too. Babies and pregnant women are particularly susceptible. You
Politics Shmolitics. You Can Still Make a Difference Based on How You Live and What You Buy.
My apologies to any of you who are elated with the results of yesterday’s elections. And my condolences to any of you who think that the world has come to an end. I’m in neither camp. Though I still canvas,
Energy Tax Credits Expire 12/31 – Act Now to Save $$$ on Efficient Windows, Doors
Energy-efficient doors and windows save money by keeping cold air out in winter and warm air out in summer. The federal government and many states are encouraging homeowners to replace drafty old windows and doors with new, energy-saving models by
