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Outside InA spate of new finish materials is adding an elegant edge to the lodge-like feel of many Summit remodels. |
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Alpine Living |
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Trends in Home RenovationDesigns of the Times |
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What's Cooking?Hot New Trends in Kitchens |
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Building a Livable FutureGreen Building is the practice of creating energy efficient structures. There are many things that can be done in order to accomplish this feat — by builders and by homeowners, in new buildings... |
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Beauty in the Back YardCreating a colorful, sustainable landscape |
Homeowners and businesses can stem the tide of polluted runoff threatening our waterways by setting up a simple "rain garden," which is beautiful as well as beneficial.
It's National Pollinator Week, so lend a hand to these important creatures and bring flashes of brilliant color to your yard or garden.
Opt for homemade weed killers, like your own fingers, before resorting to chemical pesticides.
A wide array of common plants support bees, from annual flowers to popular perennials, garden vegetables, shrubs and even trees.
Save water, and make plants stronger and healthier, by watering in the morning.
Toaster ovens use much less energy than conventional ovens, and they have more applications than you may have thought of.
As actor and activist Ted Danson says, a simple political action can have an outsized impact – and make you feel good, too.
Spring is a good time to start using mulch, if you aren't already taking advantage of this natural, water- and chemical-saving staple of a healthy lawn and garden landscape.
For better health – for you, the animal and the Earth – meat-eaters should opt for grassfed beef.
At home and in the garden, integrated pest management provides an effective, alternative strategy to the use of toxic pesticides.
With spring setting in, thoughts turn to gardening and the return of wildlife, like birds, bees and butterflies. Here are four tips for keeping those colorful critters coming to your backyard.
Earth Hour, when millions of people around the world shut off the lights for an hour to recognize the reality of climate change and steps we can all take to make a difference, is Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
There's nothing quite like a unique heirloom varietal.
Save money, cut emissions and reduce wear on your engine.
Stop forking around with disposable plastic packaging and utensils and sit down for a real meal with real forks and knives.
$9
for 1 year
Whether you're looking for a traditional gift, or something more special, you'll find ideas here to please both Mom and Mother Earth.
In New York, Gov. Cuomo is setting a good example.
Last fall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $1.8-million grant to Scenic Hudson, a private regional land conservation organization in New York's Hudson River Valley, to permanently protect 10 farms, among them major suppliers to greenmarkets in one of America's fastest growing metropolitan areas. Under the federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP), farmers receive cash they can reinvest in their operations. In return, they relinquish the land's development rights, so it will always be available for agricultural purposes.
The fruits, vegetables, meats and other foods produced by America's small- and mid-sized farms have a major role to play in stemming the obesity epidemic and alleviating mounting concerns about food contamination and security. The food they supply is diverse, tasty, nutritious—and above all, local. With 97 percent of our agriculture based on these smaller farms, they are essential for sustaining the nation's $369-billion agricultural economy, bigger than the GDP of nearly 200 countries. Yet every year, the country loses 3 million acres of its best farmland—primarily on family-run farms—a victim both of sprawling development and high land costs that put it out of financial reach of young farmers.
Old habits die hard, and one of the oldest—still rigorously enforced by many drivers—is that "warming up" the car for a few minutes is necessary to avoid some kind of unspecified damage.
But idling is totally unnecessary, which is why many communities have enacted ordinances against the practice. Don't take my word about idling being ineffective, but do listen to my mechanic, Rob Maier, who runs Maier's Garage in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He says, "You don't really need to idle your car, because of the efficiency of modern fuel injection, which eliminated carburetors and chokes. The only reason to let the car idle at all is to get the oil circulating, but after 30 seconds that's a done deal. My truck has 150,000 miles on it, and I just throw it into gear and go."
Here are some quick facts and tips that should put the idling question to rest:
1. Driving Warms the Car Faster than Idling.
If your concern is not the health of the car, but simply your own creature comforts, Bob Aldrich of the California Energy Commission points out that "idling is not actually an effective way to warm up a car — it warms up faster if you just drive it." The coming electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf, will incorporate a wonderful feature that allows the owner to use a cellphone to tell the car (which is plugged into the grid) to pre-warm or pre-cool the interior. No idling necessary.
Santa Monica, California drew the stars and cars early on Sunday, Oct. 16 to help celebrate National Plug In Day. The event, a joint effort between Plug In America, the Sierra Club, and the Electric Auto Association, was held in 21 cities, with electric vehicle owners participating in parades, tailpipe-free tailgate parties, and other festive grassroots events. "It's wonderful to see all these cars with plugs," raved actor and eco-activist Ed Begley, Jr. at the Santa Monica parade. "I've had a Rav4 electric for ten years come February and [it has] 94,000 miles."
Begley—joined by "Revenge of the Electric Car" producer Chris Paine, former "Baywatch" actress Alexandra Paul, model pitchman Fabio, Los Angeles Congresswoman Janice Hahn, and Air Force veteran Tim Goodrich—snapped photos and spoke to a crowd at Santa Monica's city hall before sending 188 eco-friendly vehicles down the road.
"It was so quiet as we drove that we could talk to people along the route," says parade participant Deb LaCusta, who steered her new bright blue Nissan LEAF alongside her husband, actor Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer on "The Simpsons"). "It was fun to be involved and get the message out."
Iraq war vet Goodrich delivered an exceptionally poignant message. "While serving in the Middle East, I quickly realized that America's involvement had a lot to do with our need for gas and fossil fuels." Eventually Goodrich grew opposed to the war and returned to America after his tour to champion electric vehicles.
Not that driving electric makes for an easy cause. Critics are quick to point out the obstacles: they often lack power and run on expensive lithium batteries that only last for several years. Batteries need to be constantly recharged, and the cars aren't great for long distances. "We talk about range anxiety and plugging in, and what happens to batteries," admits producer Paine, "but what really changes people is the experience of driving an electric car."
As you might have heard, it's a controversial element the NCPP ("National Cheapskate Profiling Program"). Many, but not all, cheapskates like me love box wine.
In fact, I'm fond of "recanting"—as opposed to "decanting"—the wine I serve our dinner guests. "Recanting: Secretly funneling inexpensive box wines into empty, premium brand bottles kept on hand for the express purpose of impressing guests who care about such superficial stuff."
I've done this for years, and no one has ever questioned the authenticity of the wine I serve. Not even wine snobs have enough confidence in their taste buds to question what the label on the fancy bottle is telling them. If you don't believe me, this study by the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the California Institute of Technology essentially proved the same thing.
> Related: 8 Boxed Wines and Meals to Pair With Them
Not only is box wine a terrific value when it comes to saving money, but there's more and more research showing that—compared to most bottled wines—it's saving Mother Nature, too. According to the American Association of Wine Economists and other industry sources, boxed wine (a.k.a. "bag-in-box" packaging) decreases landfill waste by roughly 85 percent and is more than 50 percent more carbon efficient when compared to wine packaged in traditional glass bottles.
Just as watersheds provide drinking water for thirsty cities, "foodsheds" provide safe, secure food.
Sure, everybody's green thumb seems to blossom with the first warmish day of spring, just about the same day the green blades of the daffodils pop up in the flowerbed. But by autumn, most fair weather gardeners have long ago hung up their hoes for the season and planted their butts firmly in front of the TV to watch football.
That's a shame, because in most parts of the country the Fall is the best time of year for all kinds of garden activities, including planting and transplanting my types of plants. It's also the time of year when you can save a bushel of cash on gardening equipment and nursery stock, and save even more by properly tucking in your garden and equipment for its long winter's nap. Here's how:
Great deals on end of season nursery stock:
In most climate zones, Fall is actually a better time of year than even spring to plant or transplant trees, shrubs, and many other perennial plants. The soil tends to be warmer which promotes root growth, and — unlike with spring planting — there's not the potential of a long, hot, dry summer facing the young upstarts. And, even though I'm an anti-lawnite, if you're going to put down sod, Fall is also generally the best – and cheapest – time to do it. Many nurseries dramatically discount their remaining container-grown plants and other nursery stock, both to avoid over-wintering them and to make room for the soon-to-arrive Halloween pumpkins and Christmas trees. I've found it's a great time to negotiate an even better deal by simply asking for an additional reduction on already discounted nursery stock.
Tips for buying the right sustainable or organic cotton jeans for you.
For sensitive skin around the eyes, natural and organic eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara offer an alternative to traditional eye makeup.
Made with organic cotton, canvas, rubber and other eco friendly materials, these kids' shoes wear well.
I've always been fascinated with the Amish
Everything you need for a safe, fun Halloween, from creative homemade costumes and organic candy to scary facts about bats to impress little ghouls and boys.
From notebooks made with recycled paper to backpacks made from recycled plastic, we've got your back-to-school shopping list covered.
Follow the 50% rule and these four other rules for determining when it pays to repair an item, rather than replace it.
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