A note to non-Christian readers: Please don't think this article is not for you! The benefits of a free trial period for a lifestyle change can be yours, too, even without the religious significance. You can fast along with us for these 40 days, or choose a different time period. UPDATE: In 2020, Lent is … Continue reading 40-Day Free Trial!
energy-saving
It’s 2010, and I still don’t need a cell phone!
Until last month, I had been carrying a 135-minute phone card in my wallet since October 2000. I didn't take it out because I'd used up the minutes. I took it out because the plastic is so old that it crumbled when I tried to transfer it to the new wallet I got for Christmas! … Continue reading It’s 2010, and I still don’t need a cell phone!
Silk Underlayers
I'm an easily chilled person who hates feeling cold; I live in a place where winter lasts at least 4 months; I commute by bus, which means standing around outdoors for a while each day; I have a desk job, so I sit mostly still all day, and my office isn't always as warm as … Continue reading Silk Underlayers
Line-drying Laundry
I already wrote about clotheslines, but that article is ancient now; I wrote it for a college class in magazine writing in 1995 and later put it online. Line-drying all my laundry is something that still works for me, and now that I have 20 years of experience, I have even more to say about … Continue reading Line-drying Laundry
Spam’s Spinach-ghetti
Don't worry, this recipe does not include that horrible canned meatlike product!! Way back in 2001 (whoa, I feel so old every time I say that!) when we bought a share in a CSA farm for the first time, we were baffled about what to do with so much spinach--the first few weeks, we received … Continue reading Spam’s Spinach-ghetti
7 Product Recommendations
Here are some things I really like that I don't think I've mentioned before (I'm not affiliated with nor paid off by any of these companies): 1. Maggie's Organics cotton crew socks. At first I bought a few pairs because organic cotton is better for the environment, but then I found them so comfortable that … Continue reading 7 Product Recommendations
Our pets protect us from identity theft!
Here's an idea that works for me this Earth Day: We have two pet gerbils. The conventional wisdom is that you're supposed to give your gerbils lots of wood-chips to nest in (I always want to say, "to munk in," but that's chipmunks, isn't it?) and you have to buy these wood-chips at the pet … Continue reading Our pets protect us from identity theft!
Tips from The Lightbulb Ninja
When I was about 12 years old, I became quite a stickler about shutting off unnecessary lights. Suddenly all the adult nagging and public-service announcements I'd ever heard got through to me (I can't recall why) and I began to see how amazingly wasteful it is to leave a bunch of extra lights on, just … Continue reading Tips from The Lightbulb Ninja
The TV Game
My brother and cousins and I came up with this game when we had been sent to play in an upstairs room at our grandparents' house and were wishing there was a television to watch... One person is the TV. Everybody else sits down facing TV, each holding an invisible remote control. TV stands there looking blank until … Continue reading The TV Game
Household Hints
Add a slosh of white vinegar--about a tablespoon--to the sinkful of hot soapy water when washing dishes. I started doing this last spring, when we'd all been sick, because vinegar kills germs. I found out that it also cuts grease and makes the dishes really squeaky clean! (Vinegar has many other uses, too!) Here's some … Continue reading Household Hints
Energy Independence Day
Recently, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced plans to get some environmental legislation through Congress before July 4 so that it will be "Energy Independence Day": http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=0038 Of course, there's no way the United States can eliminate the need to get energy (oil, etc.) from other countries in less than two months, so her … Continue reading Energy Independence Day
Laundry Drying Dilemmas? Pull a Solution Out of Thin Air!
Many Americans, misled by the term "labor-saving device," assume that air-drying their clothes would be a waste of time and effort. Actually, reducing or eliminating your automatic dryer usage will bring you only a little extra work and a number of benefits.
The Earthling's Handbook 