A garden can be a sanctuary for humans and animals alike. You can make your garden into a habitat for wildlife in your area, and enjoy viewing your animal visitors all year round.

Like all of us, animals need food, water, and shelter. If you provide these, animals will move in. Here are some tips for getting wildlife to make your garden the habitat of choice. Read the rest of this entry

Tankless water heaters, also called on-demand water heaters, do not heat water in a tank and hold it in reserve. Instead, tankless water heaters use heating elements. When the hot water tap is turned on, the water passes over the heating elements and comes out hot.

There are pros and cons to these kinds of water heaters, the most notable pro being the energy savings. But there are other benefits of tankless water heaters, and some more negative considerations as well. Here are some of the things to consider about these types of water heaters. Read the rest of this entry

Alfalfa sprouts are a crunchy, fresh food with quite a nutritional profile. While they are very good tossed on top of your favorite salad, these little sprouts are good enough to deserve some recipes of their own. Here are some ideas for using this healthy plant in your diet, beginning with directions on how to sprout it. Read the rest of this entry

Did you know that those little sprouts in plastic boxes in the grocery store are a wonder food? Alfalfa sprouts are the form of this plant with which most of use are familiar, but the full-grown plant is also suitable for human consumption.

Typically, livestock eat dried alfalfa hay, but people can get in on the nutritional and medicinal benefits as well. Here are some of the healthful benefits of this plant. Read the rest of this entry

Bathroom cleaning may evoke images of bleach fumes, harsh scrubbers and sprays, and good ventilation against the nasty fumes. Many of us were raised with bathrooms being cleaned in this way, but the good news is there is a better, less toxic, more eco-friendly way to get your bathroom sparkling clean. Here are some ideas for environmentally-conscious bathroom cleaning. Read the rest of this entry

Cancer is a frightening illness, and even hearing the word can be scary. Thus, it’s comforting to know that there are spices and foods that can help prevent and fight cancer. Here are some of those foods. Read the rest of this entry

There seems to be a lot of confusion these days over what water is the most healthful, least harmful, and most eco-friendly to drink. Given some of the scary reports about tap water, bottled water seems like the cleaner, safer choice. But the source of some bottled water is tap water! And then there are the plastic bottles. So which is safer? How can we find the best and healthiest water to drink? Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of both kinds of water. Read the rest of this entry

PaperStone is a very smooth, dense countertop material that can be used in bathrooms or kitchens. It is non-toxic, and is made from natural and recycled materials. It is a composite material made from paper or cardboard and water-based resin that is free from petroleum products. The paper product is thoroughly saturated with this resin, and the material is then pressed and heated to form a durable surface.

It is often made from used paper, making it an eco-friendly option. The name, PaperStone, is apt – not only is it made from paper, but the feel of the resulting surface is said to resemble stone, particularly the silky texture of soapstone.

Here are some other characteristics of PaperStone. Read the rest of this entry

Driveways paved with concrete or asphalt do not absorb rainwater. Storm run-off therefore is channeled into creeks and rivers, increasing the risk of flooding. As more communities are becoming aware of this problem, alternative, permeable materials for driveway paving are being explored and used.

The key is paving driveways with water-absorbing materials that allow rain to soak into the ground, raising the ground water level rather than filling creeks and streams. An even more eco-friendly option is to pave your driveway with used of recycled materials that are permeable. Here are some of the materials being used as alternatives to driveway pavement. These often come under the general headings “porous pavement” or “pervious pavement.” Read the rest of this entry

“Marmoleum” is linoleum made by the Forbo company. Like all true linoleum, Marmoleum is made from natural, sustainable materials such as linseed oil, cork, resin, limestone, and natural pigments. Contrary to what some people think the name implies, Marmoleum contains no marble.

Linoleum itself is not a new idea. Victorian homes featured linoleum, and it was a popular flooring choice in the first half of the 20th century. It fell out of favor in the 1960s, when man-made vinyl flooring made its debut. As more people become eco-conscious, however, linoleum is making a comeback. Marmoleum is part of that rising demand for sustainable building materials. Read the rest of this entry