Like last year, this was a year in which The Earthling's Handbook drew more readers to the articles that have been here a long time (and therefore have been linked to more often, on other sites as well as in my own articles) than to new articles. The list of overall most-popular articles is so … Continue reading Top 18 Articles of 2018
energy-saving
Go Green in 2018: Get Out of the Car!
One of the most effective things you can do to reduce your environmental impact is to drive less. Every gallon of gasoline burned puts 24 pounds of pollution into our air! Of course we should work toward powering more cars with cleanly generated electricity or other alternative fuels, but we also need to move away … Continue reading Go Green in 2018: Get Out of the Car!
Would decluttering save you from buying a new appliance?
Life here on Earth presents an astonishing array of abundance. There's so much stuff that we can gather to fulfill not only our basic needs but also our more frivolous desires and, perhaps, our need to feel prepared for meeting future needs. Many years during Lent, I've given up some category of material things in … Continue reading Would decluttering save you from buying a new appliance?
Eco-Friendly Kitchen Renovations
We Earthlings are planning to renovate and slightly expand our small, shabby, 1950s kitchen, so I'm very interested in this guest post by Sofia Lockett, a freelance writer based in Auckland, who is passionate about travel, technology and innovation. Sofia has written for New Zealand businesses such as seacontainers.co.nz. Kitchens are the heart of the … Continue reading Eco-Friendly Kitchen Renovations
How to Reduce Your Home’s Carbon Footprint
This is a guest post by Justin Havre, a Calgary native and owner of Justin Havre & Associates. A home's carbon footprint is its impact on the environment, measured in the amount of carbon dioxide released in the process of operating that home. Excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere traps heat, accelerating the process of global climate … Continue reading How to Reduce Your Home’s Carbon Footprint
Why My 12-year-old Is Riding Public Transit Alone
I'm nervous posting this because of the freakout when Lenore Skenazy let her 9-year-old ride public transit alone. I don't want to be the next "America's Worst Mom"! But I think it's important to talk about how to approach children's independence safely and gradually so that they learn the skills they'll need as adults. Nicholas is … Continue reading Why My 12-year-old Is Riding Public Transit Alone
A Look At Climate Change And The Questions That Surround It
This is a guest post by Neil Stawski of ClimateWise.co . Mr. Stawski believes we aren’t doing enough to protect our planet. He created ClimateWise.co to educate the public and encourage people to take action. Global warming, climate change, fossil fuels, and greenhouse gases: all things you’ve probably heard about in the news in recent years, … Continue reading A Look At Climate Change And The Questions That Surround It
Public Transit and Convenient Commuting
It's getting harder and harder for me to believe that the majority of Americans who work outside the home commute by car. I understand that many small towns and suburban and rural areas have no public transit at all, and that many cities have inadequate public transit providing infrequent service to just a few neighborhoods. … Continue reading Public Transit and Convenient Commuting
6 book reviews and Peyton Place GIVEAWAY!!!
I thought it was time to reread Peyton Place because I hadn't read it in years--I couldn't remember how long. But I found that I remembered it too well to thoroughly enjoy it again, and that's why I decided to give away this book, which I read 3 or 4 times years ago. This is … Continue reading 6 book reviews and Peyton Place GIVEAWAY!!!
10 Links for Greening Your Lifestyle
This is a guest post by Michelle Peng, who collected these resources on realistic ways to go green in everyday life. Save About $600 per Year by Switching to Solar Energy Financial Incentives for Green Home Improvements 18 Green Business Ideas for Eco-Minded Entrepreneurs Home Energy Conservation for Kids 5 Unique Ways to Go Green … Continue reading 10 Links for Greening Your Lifestyle
Houses Built from Plastic Water Bottles!
This guy in Panama is building a village of houses whose walls are insulated with empty plastic beverage bottles! Click through to watch the video. This is a really great idea for making use of garbage, reducing construction costs, and building well-insulated homes that will require less energy to cool or heat. BUT! This is … Continue reading Houses Built from Plastic Water Bottles!
HVAC Hacks: Energy-Saving Improvements You Can Make Yourself
HVAC=Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning--the system of ducts that brings hot and/or cold air to the rooms of a building. The advice here applies to systems that deliver only heat or only AC, as well as those that do both. This is a guest post by Ryan Martin at Home Improvement Leads, who connects quality contractors … Continue reading HVAC Hacks: Energy-Saving Improvements You Can Make Yourself
4 Eco-Friendly Modifications for Your Foreclosed Home Purchase
This is a guest post by Paul Denikin, author of DadKnowsDIY.com. Paul began learning the ins and outs of do-it-yourself home repair while making his home better fit and more accessible for his daughter, Maggie, who has special needs. Paul wants to continue to help special needs parents like himself, and offer them a source for … Continue reading 4 Eco-Friendly Modifications for Your Foreclosed Home Purchase
National Drive Electric Week: Events Around the Country!
This is a guest post by Maria Ramos. Maria is a freelance writer currently living in Chicago. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a minor in Communication. She blogs about environmentally friendly tips, technological advancements, and healthy active lifestyles. National Drive Electric Week is … Continue reading National Drive Electric Week: Events Around the Country!
Technology to Help You Be Energy Efficient and Environmentally Friendly This Summer
This is a guest post by Maria Ramos, who offered to share her research on these new technologies with my readers. I'm not a smartphone user myself and don't carry any other high-tech device routinely, which is one way to conserve energy...but if you're already carrying a device or you're considering getting one for other … Continue reading Technology to Help You Be Energy Efficient and Environmentally Friendly This Summer
The 4-Day Laundry Plan (How to use cloth diapers and have a job without losing your mind)
Welcome to the January 2015 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Household Chores This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared stories, tips, and tricks on tackling household chores. Please read to the end to find a list … Continue reading The 4-Day Laundry Plan (How to use cloth diapers and have a job without losing your mind)
Flexican Cornbread Pizza
This recipe has a history. It started with my mom's trusty recipe for Mexican Pizza. Then came my serendipitous discoveries that (a) it can be adapted to a non-Mexican-flavored version, which my family loves just as much as the Mexican version, and (b) it can be baked in a toaster-oven. More than a year ago, … Continue reading Flexican Cornbread Pizza
Is email better for the environment?
Paperless systems are very popular these days. Paper is made from trees, and although trees are a renewable resource, they take a long time to grow compared to the amount of time we might use a sheet of paper. Recycling paper uses a lot of chemicals, energy, and water, although it is still less wasteful … Continue reading Is email better for the environment?
Humidify Your Home the Cheap and Easy Way!
Our house has forced-air heat: The furnace blows warm air through the ducts and out through vents in most of the rooms. Our vents are in the baseboards, so they push out the air horizontally at floor level. This tip also would work with a wall vent that is just above a shelf or table, … Continue reading Humidify Your Home the Cheap and Easy Way!
My Top 3 Kitchen Time-Saving Tips
Katie at Kitchen Stewardship is asking everyone to share our top 3 kitchen time-savers this week! I work full-time outside the home, and although my partner Daniel has been doing more than half the cooking in the past few years, I do most of the planning, shopping, and preliminary preparations. He works from home and … Continue reading My Top 3 Kitchen Time-Saving Tips