Family Travel Deals
Spring break is right around the corner… followed quickly by summer vacations. There no better time than now to start thinking about planning for vacation. With gas prices on the rise again, you’ll need every edge you can to cut corners on costs for a fun, yet frugal get-a-way. Here are ten tips for getting […]
Reasons Why You Should Consider Reducing the Size of Your Lawn
When you think about it, the concept of a perfectly neat, square, even, manicured lawn is really quite unnatural. For one thing, maintaining such a lawn is impossible without artificial intervention of some sort. Usually that intervention comes in the form of frequent clipping, application of weed killers and insecticides, watering, mulching, and fertilizing. The […]
Drip Irrigation Systems – Why You Should Have One in Your Garden
Keeping your garden watered is not only labor-intensive; it uses a lot of water as well. If you use municipal water, it can cost a lot of money. But with a drip irrigation system, you can keep your garden watered and still conserve water. A plant cannot make full use of water if it is […]
Should You Consider Switching to Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is considered a “green” fuel. It is made from plant-based oils such as sunflower, flax, and soybean oils or the ubiquitous “vegetable oil.” But you can’t just pour vegetable oil into your gas tank. Biodiesel is a mix of vegetable oil and alcohol (usually ethanol, which is derived from corn). The glycerin inherent in […]
Eco-Friendly Window Treatment Ideas
There are so many interesting things you can do with your windows to make them attractive and eco-friendly. A well-designed window treatment not only adds a decorative touch to a room, it also enhances energy conservation. A green window treatment lets in enough natural light to minimize the use of electric indoor lighting. It also […]
Potty Training Strategies That Work
Potty training can be a process of trial and error. It can be both exciting and quite frustrating. Rest assured, eventually your child will be potty trained. There are very few teenagers running around in diapers! That being said, there are proven potty training strategies that have worked for parents over the years. Let’s take […]
Sustainable Homestead: Indoor Composting
You may not have realized you could have a composting system indoors. If a lack of outdoor space has been keeping you from making your own compost, then it need not inhibit you any longer. Here are some options for making and maintaining compost in your home. The Bin You will need some kind of […]
How to Keep Your Kids Safe from Toxic Art Supplies
Because manufacturers of art supplies are not required to list ingredients on their products, it’s hard for the consumer to know what is toxic and what isn’t. The “non-toxic” label can’t necessarily be trusted. For example, certain brands of crayons labeled “non-toxic” were found to contain asbestos in 2000 (asbestos was part of the talc […]
Pets Can Keep Your Children Healthy
When your kids are begging for a dog, cat, hamster, goldfish, or to keep whatever followed them home, think before you automatically say no. Pets can actually help keep children healthy. Here are some ways how and reasons why pets can be good for your kids. Physical Health These days, there is a lot of […]
School Carpooling Tips and Innovative Ideas
Carpooling makes a lot of sense. Putting more people in fewer cars saves a great deal of time and gasoline. Carpooling is especially helpful if you have children who attend different schools or if your children attend the same social activities such as basketball or choir. Saving Time It takes a great deal of time […]
Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe
Vegan chocolate cream pie is a delectable treat perfect for Valentines Day celebrations. Quick and easy to make, it’s a great last-minute dessert addition, too. Note: If you can locate a pre-prepared, vegan graham cracker crust, by all means use it! This recipe includes directions for a simple, vegan graham cracker crust you can make yourself, if you […]
Why Traditional Shower Curtains Are Often Eco-Unfriendly
There is a certain smell that fills your bathroom when you unwrap a conventional shower curtain from its package. Most of us just take that as part of the shower curtain experience. However, recent information has come out regarding the toxic nature of this smell. It seems that vinyl shower curtains contain some nasty chemicals […]