Refining something from nature that is rustic and organically decorative, into a piece of furniture or home decor is a high form of eco-flattery. While it can hardly be called a trend, using twigs can liven up any decor.
Using found natural objects brings the natural world and the interior world closer. This is especially true for the cool weather months ahead, when just a glace of nature can perk up a room, and an attitude.
I live in the woods and go on walks almost every day. Each season has a natural rhythm and I find myself seduced into collecting stuff -- natural stuff. In summer, I collect sea glass and shells, and in the fall it's whatever falls off trees, twigs, branches, acorns. My collecting sometimes ends up in seasonally evolving naturescapes, and sometimes the items get uprecycled into art, craft, and useful items.
The shapes of twigs entice me. Every one is different, and I find that if I stare at them long enough, they start to take on earthly forms. So, it is not hard to imagine making all sorts of projects with twigs.
Let's face it you don't have to be a super, sophisticated taste-maker, or the craftiest decorator to display good design sense when you use natural objects like twigs. So, it's only natural that these 10 twig projects will grow on you!
10 do-it-yourself twig projects:
This Twig Rack (image above) from the Aqui Pelo Campo blog from Portugal, can easily become the inspiration for a rustic rack.
Decorate a dining space with Hanging Branches from Home Sweet Home.
A large tree limb doubles as a Towel Rack. This image from Martha Stewart livens up a bathroom in a natural way.
Ronnie Citron-Fink is a writer and educator. Ronnie regularly writes
about sustainable living for online sites and magazines. Along with
being the creator of www.econesting.com,
Ronnie has contributed to numerous books about green home design, DIY,
children, and humor. Ronnie lives the Hudson Valley of New York with
her family.
Archaeologists say that digging through a civilization's garbage can reveal more about peoples' lifestyles than just about anything else.
Take a minute to look through your trash -- items you're recycling as well as sending to the landfill -- and learn how you can save money and the Earth's resources at the same time.
Dryer Lint Dryer lint represents the life of your expensive clothing being beaten and cooked out of them by an electric dryer. Save hundreds of dollars a year by drying your clothes on a clothesline instead; they'll last much longer, and you'll save on electricity and appliance costs, too.
Packaging Too much packaging in your trash can be a sign that you need a smart-shopping intervention. After all, packaging costs money, which consumers pay for in the end. Buying in bulk and larger sizes is usually cheaper and saves resources. Sometimes shopping at "big box" stores can even be a greener choice.
Vegetable Scraps Never in the trash: Compost them instead. Composting -- turning organic material into rich humus for the garden -- is the ultimate act of green frugality. And it's possible to compost even in urban areas.
Junk Mail The door-to-door salesmen of our times: uninvited advertisements for things we usually don't want or need. Reduce impulse purchases and save trees by cutting out the junk mail you receive. Contact www.41pounds.org for help (BTW, 41 pounds is the amount of junk mail the average American adult receives every year!).
Toilet Paper Rolls Sure, some empty TP rolls are in order. Like other cardboard they can be recycled. But a plethora of toilet paper rolls in your trash can serve notice that you're wasting all kinds of money in the bathroom. Check out these tips for water savings.
Light Bulbs For every 5 to 10 old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs you burn out and throw away, a single long-lasting compact florescent lamp or CFL -- those crazy corkscrew light bulbs -- could still be burning bright and saving you 75% on your electric bill. Do the math; it pays to replace burned out bulbs with CFLs, even though they cost more to purchase.
Magazines and Newspapers Sure, they can be recycled, but why not save some cash and paper by canceling your subscriptions and reading them online or borrowing them from the library instead?
Leftover Food The USDA says that nearly 25% of all food sold in America ends up in the trash. Reduce your grocery bill by a quarter simply by being smarter about food storage and portion control.
Aluminum Foil Don't recycle it until you've reused it several times. And even after that, there are plenty of other ways to creatively repurpose aluminum foil.
Plastic Water Bottles What a waste! An estimated 1.5 million barrels of oil are used every year to produce plastic water bottles for the U.S. market, and if you drink only bottled water you'll spend more than $1,000 annually to get your recommended daily amount of H2O, as opposed to about 49 cents for a year's supply of just-as-healthy tap water. Stop drinking bottled water, and get creative repurposing any plastic bottles you do have lying around.
Brand Names If your trash looks like the logo lineup from the commercials at Super Bowl halftime, you might be wasting money on brand-name products when many generic items are often just as good (or even better ) and cost less. At least give them a try.
Telephone Books If you look up phone numbers online and don't need to receive a phone book, contact your phone company or visit YellowPagesGoesGreen.org to be taken off distribution lists. Otherwise, phonebooks can be recycled or creatively repurposed.
Things You Think Can't Be Recycled Think again. From worn-out dentures to dirty diapers, human hair to adult novelties, if you're thinking about throwing it out, you may be able to recycle it instead. Of course, there are few things too odd to recycle.
Many of us have done a detox in order to eliminate internal toxins from our body, but how many of us do anything about the toxins in our own homes? Common household and body-care products are increasingly being found to have negative health effects on the nervous and immune systems, on our reproductive systems and on our endocrine, cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
The average home contains 500 to 1,000 chemicals, many of which we are unable to see, smell ,or taste. While these chemicals may be tolerated individually and in small doses, problems can arise when one is exposed to them in combination or in larger doses. Everyone's tolerance level is different depending on genetics, nutritional status and previous contacts with many chemicals, but the negative effects of household toxins are often compounded by the use of other drugs especially the habitual use of alcohol or prescription or recreational drugs.
Indoor air is typically 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Home insulation, so wonderful for keeping our homes warm in winter and cool in summer, doesn't allow fresh air in, so we're constantly breathing in the same stale air. Wall-to-wall carpeting keeps us cozy, but can introduce a myriad of toxins to our well insulated homes. It can also trap dirt, fleas, dust, dust mites, and lead.
Many of the cleaning products we use to clean our furniture, bathrooms, windows etc. are full of toxic chemicals, some of which do not even appear on the labels. Similarly with the many personal-care care products we put on our skin and the pet-care products we use on our pets. Most tick and flea products contain active ingredients and solvents that might cause cancer in animals. Also, substantial human exposure is possible by absorption through the skin, while playing with and handling the pet.
The pesticides we use on our gardens eliminate not only plant pests but also most of the insects that are beneficial to help control these pests. Of the 30 most commonly used lawn chemicals, 19 have studies pointing toward cancer and 15 are known to cause nervous system poisoning.
This is not to say that we should not keep our houses comfortable and clean and our yards looking good. What's important is to understand that how we do this can have an important impact on our health. Abundant toxins can and do lead to health problems.
Taking more care to reduce our exposure to both internal and external toxins, by detoxing our bodies and our living space allows the body's own detoxification to function more efficiently. This strengthens our resilience to the daily onslaught of factors impacting our health.
There are many things you can do to "detox" your home, some more practical than others. Here are my 20 suggestions:
No shoes in the house. Most household dirt, pesticides, and lead come in on your shoes. Go barefoot or wear slippers. Place floor mats vertically by your entryways to wipe your shoes. This way more dirt and residue from your shoes stays outside on the mat.
Keep the air clean. Keep your windows and doors open as much as possible to ventilate. Use green plants as natural air detoxifiers. Remove odors with baking soda. Use fresh flowers or bowls of herbs like rosemary and sage to add a pleasant fragrance to rooms. Have your air ducts and vents cleaned with nontoxic cleaners. Get a portable air cleaner/purifier, especially for the bedrooms.
Switch from the standard household cleaning products to cleaner and greener ones. These don't damage your health or the environment's as much and work as well as the mass marketed ones. You can also use basic ingredients you have around the house, for instance, vinegar in place of bleach, baking soda to scrub your tiles, and hydrogen peroxide to remove stains. According to Annie Bond, the author of "Better Basics for the Home," she can clean anything with water and these five basic ingredients: Baking soda, washing soda, distilled white vinegar, vegetable-based liquid Soap (e.g., Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap), and tea tree oil.
Replace your skin care and personal products with less toxic and chemical-free options. Deodorant, toothpaste, cosmetics, hair products, nail polish, and perfumes are often loaded with toxins. Learn how to identify them and avoid them.
Use plastics wisely Some plastics contain Bisphenol A (BPA), which is linked to cancer, and phtalates, which are linked to endocrine and developmental problems. Avoid plastic food packaging (when you can). Don't wrap food in plastic. Don't microwave food in plastic containers. Choose baby bottles made from glass or BPA-free plastic. Avoid vinyl teethers for your baby. Stay away from children's toys marked with a "3" or "PVC." Avoid plastic shower curtains.
Avoid nonstick pans, pots, bakeware and utensils. Teflon contains perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) which have been linked to cancer and developmental problems.
Keep house dust to a minimum. More dust means more toxins. Mop all surfaces at least once a week. Use a vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter, preferably) for your carpets. HEPA-filter vacuums capture the widest range of particles and get rid of allergens.
Avoid excess moisture. It encourages the growth of mold and mildew. Check areas for moisture accumulation or leaks (particularly basements). Regularly clean surfaces where mold usually grows - around showers and tubs and beneath sinks.
Get a shower filter. Many of the contaminants in tap water become gases at room temperature. A shower filter can help keep these toxins from becoming airborne.
Get a water filter. More than 700 chemicals have been identified in drinking water. Filtering your tap water is better than drinking bottled water.
Avoid stain-guarded clothing, furniture and carpets. These may contain PFCs. Wrinkle free and permanent press fabrics used for clothing and bedding commonly contain formaldehyde -- use untreated fabrics where possible.
Be conscious of toxins in carpeting. Avoid products made from synthetic materials. Use natural fiber wool & cotton rugs. If possible, replace wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors, all natural linoleum or ceramic tiles. Use nontoxic glues, adhesives, stains, or sealers for installation.
Seal (with a nontoxic sealer) or replace particleboard walls, floors or cabinets. These often contain formaldehyde, which can emit irritating and unhealthy fumes for decades. Avoid plywood, fiberglass, fiberboard and paneling.
Avoid harmful pet-care products. Avoid toxic pest control (including traditional termite exterminators).
Replace toxic lawn and garden pesticides and herbicides. Use with less harmful natural ones.
Tell the dry cleaner not to use the plastic wrap. Or remove it as soon as possible because the plastic traps the dry cleaning chemicals on clothes and in your closet. Let your dry cleaning air out (preferably outside) before storing it. Use "wet cleaning" if you are lucky enough to have it in your area.
Use low VOC, low-odor latex (water-based) paint. Open all windows to ventilate properly when painting indoors.
Have your house checked for carbon monoxide leaks. These are most commonly found in leaking gas stoves, gas fireplaces, furnaces and chimneys and gas water heaters).
Check Radon levels. Inspect poorly ventilated basements that have cracked walls and or floors. Radon is an odorless gas that forms as uranium in rocks and soil breaks down. Radon is linked to lung cancer.
We can reduce our risk of chronic illness. Limit exposure to these toxins but don't let this become an obsession which can cause so much stress that it creates more of a negative impact on your health than the toxins themselves.
And finally, no amount of environmental toxins are as important as emotional toxicity. You can do all the above, but if your house is full of anger, resentment, jealousy, unhappiness and a lack of love, compassion, and forgiveness, the house will remain toxic.
Seventeen percent of the population will experience migraine headaches at some point in their life. These debilitating headaches can last for days and are often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
About three times more common in women than in men, these headaches are generally described as unilateral, however this is only true in six out of ten cases.
It is important to know what your migraine triggers are, as this can help mitigate the frequency and intensity of the attacks.
Triggers are different for everyone but can include:
Weather - Some people say they can predict a change in the weather by the onset of a migraine headache. Barometric pressure changes are a powerful trigger for some.
Missing a meal or a change in your eating pattern.
Alcohol - Most likely due to dehydration from drinking and the sulphites in wine.
Certain foods - Anything containing chocolate or foods preserved with nitrates.
Menstrual cycle - About 50 percent of migraine sufferers report that their menstrual cycle will trigger a migraine.
These intense headaches can be disabling and the possible triggers are elusive, causing migraine sufferers to feel overwhelmed and defeated. Many just give up trying to keep track and resign themselves to a life of unpredictable headaches. Some feel that the only option for controlling them is medication, which may have side-effects.
Elimination diet
An elimination diet can be a powerful tool to help discover hidden migraine triggers. It was once thought consuming chocolate, wine, or caffeine would trigger a migraine within minutes or hours.
However, elimination diets have shown that, certain foods, when eaten regularly, can increase the propensity for migraines and may even influence the frequency and severity of the attacks. Often, these foods are not the traditional ones that your doctor may be telling you about.
Wheat and dairy
At the top of the list are two major culprits, which are common in the American diet ? wheat and dairy. These two foods account for numerous sensitivities and their regular consumption can result in other food sensitivities. In this respect, an elimination diet can be quite simple. All foods containing these ingredients are removed from the diet for at least four to six weeks.
It is not uncommon to feel worse during the first week and to experience more intense headaches. This is normal in the detoxification process, however after this initial phase, you actually begin to feel much better. Migraines may still occur during week two, but the attacks should be less intense and respond more easily to medication (if required).
After the detoxification, you may confirm the suspected trigger by eating foods containing the eliminated ingredient for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while observing any reactions. These may include fatigue, mental fog, sleepiness, and headaches that may not seem like the typical migraine. After a period of elimination, these symptoms often occur immediately upon ingestion of the culprit food or within the first 24 hours.
An elimination diet is a valuable tool that can make the particular trigger much more obvious. However, not all triggers are so easy to identify and it is sometimes useful to have a food sensitivity blood test, which checks for IgG antibody reactions to specific foods. This is a simple blood test that is done at your doctor?s office.
Referencing the blood results, the foods with the strongest reactions should be eliminated from the diet as described above. This may seem like a long process, but for someone suffering from chronic migraines, it can offer new hope for controlling these cumbersome headaches.
Vincent Pedre, M.D. is an integrative, Holistic General Practitioner and Board-Certified Internist in private practice in New York City.
Texting while driving: Just the beginning of the distractions. (Flickr/Jason Weaver)
What high-tech feature would you want to see in your car that's not there now? Autobytel.com asked that question as part of its "What's Hot Now?" report, and the results indicate that people must get lost a lot -- 30 percent, by far the largest number, would like to have an in-dash GPS navigation device. Me, I can live without one.
In fact, just as cars are connecting big time, we're electrifying them, and many of the early EVs will be kind of skimpy on personal tech, trying to increase battery life and increase range.
In the old days, the advertised list price of an entry-level car got you a really bare-bones vehicle with a "blanking plate" where the radio would have been. In England, even the heater was optional, which makes no sense in a country with perpetual "pissing down rain."
But now everybody wants cars loaded (try to find one without air conditioning), and CD players and iPod connectivity are nearly standard. And that's why it's interesting that the second-most popular choice in the survey (24 percent) was "I can live without technology."
Spoken like true Luddites!
After "none of the above," people chose voice-controlled phone, radio and navigation (14 percent), rear-seat entertainment (eight percent), Bluetooth connectivity (six percent), an iPod/MP3 input (just six percent, I'm surprised), and "ability to surf the Internet" (five percent). With me, the iPod connector is tops -- it compares to the invention of the wheel.
Thirty-five percent of drivers told Autobytel that they have either been in an accident or were close to one from using tech devices such as cell phones and iPods while at the wheel. According to Chris Allen, an associate website editor at Autobytel, those people who said they can live without technology "are saying they can live without technology, because they're concerned with not being distracted."
The GPS lovers, he added, "are sick of being lost, which is one of the biggest distractions there is. Navigation means you don't have to worry about keeping track of where you are." That's only with the good ones -- bad navigation is a distraction all its own.
By 2016, 90 percent of cars are expected to have some form of wireless connectivity, says the tech industry (which is rubbing its hands at the new market). Sixty-eight percent of the niche known as Echo Boomers say the ability to surf the net in the car is either "very important" or "nice to have." Right now, you can't surf when cars are moving, which sort of defeats the whole purpose. You're going to sit in the immobile car and look at the Web?
Interestingly enough, electric cars promise both to be more and less connected. EVs are likely to be "smart," which means you'll be using your cell phone to schedule charging sessions or to find an available station. The car will be able to interact with the utility on charging schedules, too, dialing in the electrons at low-stress times.
But, and it's a big but, EVs have no on-board alternator churning out electricity. All the juice comes from the batteries, which means that loads of power-hungry personal tech will drastically reduce their range. I was given pause in New York recently when a company that converts Chevy Equinoxes to EV said that customers will be able to order everything on GM's options list, including rear-seat TV monitors.
Well, don't expect to drive too far if you have Date Night cranking in the back and the stereo roaring in the front.
Larry Burns, a former General Motors VP, told me that in the near future electric cars will drive themselves, closely linking and responding to wireless congestion messages to avoid gridlock. By that time, battery packs will have unlimited capacity and we'll be able to click away with abandon as Big Brother drives.
From soothing sunburn and insect bites to deterring insects and cats, vinegar is a versatile, safe and effective solution for many household and pet problems.
A few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in your pet?s water bowl will prevent fleas and mange.
If you dog has been sprayed by a skunk, rub vinegar (any type) on his coat and rinse.
If your pet has hot spots, dab a little vinegar (any kind) on the spots.
To remove pet urine from carpets -- The best vinegar to get is one that has not been processed, look for vinegar that has been cold pressed.
Keep cut flowers blooming longer -- Add 2 tablespoons white vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water. Stems should sit at least 4 inches into the water.
Deter ants with vinegar. Either spray or place a vinegar soaked string in the areas ants frequent.
Vinegar is an herbicide when used in temperatures above 70°. However, it will also kill plants, so use vinegar carefully in the garden.
When slicing onions, rub hands with vinegar before and after handling them, to prevent odor.
Keep cats away by sprinkling vinegar in the areas you want them to avoid. Citrus peelings and soap will also deter cats.
Clean your dog?s ears with a soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is recommended.
Clean rust from garden tools and spigots by soaking in undiluted vinegar. Lay a cloth soaked in vinegar over the spigot overnight.
Dab vinegar on a mosquito bite (or any insect bite) to soothe.
After gardening, pour vinegar over your hands to soothe and prevent drying and flaking.
Remove fruit stains from hands by rinsing with vinegar.
Soak wilted vegetables in 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
Vinegar is an effective air freshener. Put out a bowl of vinegar to eliminate cigar, smoke or pet odors.
Soothe sunburn by rubbing vinegar on the affected area.
Soothe a bee sting by dabbing the affected area with vinegar.
As with any product, it?s best to check with your veterinarian or doctor before using.
It's hardly a secret that cooking fresh foods at home is better
for your health, waistline, pocket book, and the planet than choosing packaged
foods or eating take-out.
Does that mean you can eat anything you want as long as you
prepare it yourself? Unfortunately, most of us need to steer clear of high-calorie foods that contain too much fat and salt.
But this doesn't mean that decadent foods are off limits.
Below are 10 classic comfort foods that have been tweaked to reduce calories, fat,
and/or salt. The best part is that they taste delicious, but you won't feel
guilty or overly stuffed afterwards.
Mac
and cheese: Pureed squash and low-fat milk create a creamy texture with
fewer calories and less fat than classic versions. Extra sharp cheddar,
Monterey Jack cheese, part-skim ricotta, and Parmesan round out the flavor.
Chicken Parmesan: Some really smart substitutions cut calories and fat without
sacrificing flavor, such as using egg white to coat pounded chicken instead of
whole egg and milk and using balsamic vinegar instead of red wine to flavor
sauce. The result? A dish that contains
435 calories and 14 grams of fat instead of one with 1095 calories and 66
grams of fat.
Pumpkin
bread: This recipe uses about 1 cup less sugar and about half the amount of
oil found in traditional recipes. Buttermilk is the secret ingredient used to
keep this lighter version moist. Eliminates 100
calories per slice and more than half the fat.
Decadent chocolate cake: There's no butter, fewer eggs, and less sugar and chocolate
in this made-over version of chocolate cake. Cocoa powder, espresso powder,
Greek yogurt, and canola oil are added for flavor and moisture.
Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.
University of Florida Researchers have been investigating how termites break down wood for food, in order to find an easier way to convert plant material to ethanol. So far they have identified two enzymes the insects use to soften tough molecules called lignin which envelope the sugar molecules.
These enzymes could be used for creating cellulosic ethanol, which is typically made from wood chips, switchgrass, or corn cobs.
Why is cellulosic ethanol important? According to a Department of Energy website, "...research shows CO2 emissions from cellulosic ethanol to be 85 percent lower than those from gasoline." Using it as a fuel for vehicles also can reduce air pollution.
If the Florida researchers can pinpoint the most effective enzymes, the process of breaking down wood waste materials for fuel conversion could be sped up and made cheaper. "This is definitive and original research that could realistically be a significant contribution to green energy," said University of Florida professor James Preston.
Enzymes are already in use for producing cellulosic ethanol, but the cost used to be a barrier. With more research and production, enzyme costs for a company called Novozymes have been reduced by 80 percent in the last two years.
The cost of production could now be as low as 2 dollars per gallon, which means it has parity with similar fuels already being used on the roads. Novozymes is working with a manufacturer to open a 25 million gallon plant in 2011 which will make fuel from corn husks and cobs.
The University of Florida's enzyme research could help improve cellulosic ethanol production and lower its cost. Both of those advances would be good for consumers and for the American economy, as it moves towards energy independence.
Everyone loves a deal when shopping, but what are the best deals for fall? The Daily Green talked to four experts to find out how to become a "discount druid," as Jeff Yeager, The Daily Green's Green Cheapskate, calls end-of-season bargain-hunting specialists.
"They're the folks in Sports Authority trying on 50%-off Speedos right now, as the full-price winter parkas are being put on display," Yeager says. But there's a lot more to fall bargain-hunting than teeny bikinis.
September is when automakers will be rolling out out the next (2011) model year cars, so it's among the best times to get a good deal on a new 2010 model year car, Yeager says.
Consumer Reports agrees that September is a great time to buy current year-model cars, if you're hunting for a deal: "You'll save money up front because dealers want to clear old inventory."
Yeager notes: "The same can be said for shopping for a new bicycle in the fall. Next years models are being released, and stores are anxious to get rid of excess summer inventory."
If you're in the market for a kayak or canoe, too, now's a good time for a deal on the last of this year's models, according to Bill Kennedy, owner of Kenco, a 28-year-old independent outdoor gear shop outside Kingston, N.Y. "You can buy them at cost or below cost this time of year," he says.
Interestingly, now's not a bad time to shop for a snowboard, snowshoes, or cross-country skis, if you don't mind buying this year's model before next year's hits the store in a month or two, Kennedy said.
Trees, shrubs, and plants
Especially if they are varietals that won't flower until next spring or summer, fall is a perfect time to invest in some lawn and garden beautification. Retailers count on people losing interest in their yards as the warm weather wanes.
But fall is one of the two best times to plant trees and shrubs ? early spring is the other, but prices will be higher then. Perennials are always a better bargain than annuals, in the long run, because they will re-emerge year after year.
"A few years ago, I bought $900 worth of perennial plants for only $30 ? they were already marked down by 80%, but I offered to take everything they had left in order to help them make room for mums, pumpkins, and other fall fare," Yeager says. "It never hurts to ask."
Potting soil, pots, and other gardening equipment are typically discounted too, says, Diane MacEahern, author of Big Green Purse. If you need a new lawn mower, fall is the best time for a deal ? preferably on a less-polluting electric model. But any 2010 or 2011 mower should be a whole lot cleaner than the old model in the garage.
MacEahern also recommends checking for deals on drip irrigation systems, sprinkling timers, and other devices that can help you keep next year's lawn and garden thriving while using water efficiently.
Deck and patio furniture ? and the patios and decks
(Photo: Jupiterimages / Getty Images)
Deck and patio furniture, along with grills and grilling equipment, are often deeply discounted at this time of year as people turn away from their yards and back indoors.
For anyone planning ahead, though, this is the perfect time to buy. If you're buying wooden patio furniture, consult the National Wildlife Federation's annual sustainability scorecard, or shop at The Home Depot, Pottery Barn, Target, and Jensen Leisure Furniture, which now stock only wood furniture certified by the Forest Stewardship Council for sustainability.
If you're investing in a new patio, porch, or deck, now may be the best time to find a deal on a contractor, too, Yeager says ? just be sure to ask for an "off-season discount."
Same goes, at least during late summer and early fall, for home weatherization work, according to MacEahern. This makes things like insulation or a new storm door triply lucrative because of labor and materials discounts you can snag before the real cold weather hits, because of the energy you'll save on heating your home this winter, and because big federal tax credits that pay up to $1,500 for many projects are good only through December 31, 2010.
(Photo: New Leaf paper, 100 sheets - $7.19 at Office Depot.)
Back-to-school supplies and (some) clothes
Believe the hype! Back-to-school sales are generally the best time to stock up on things like pens, pencils, notebooks, and backpacks, according to Brooke Kalein, the deals editor for Wisebread.com. "They run the lowest prices right at the beginning of the school year," she notes.
For clothing too, Kalein recommends buying winter coats now because you can buy last year's styles cheap.
And MacEahern says that throughout the Northeast and much of the rest of the country, parents can wait for end-of-season discounts on fall clothing, since it hasn't been getting as cold as it once did in October and even November.
"In terms of clothing, 'green' clothes have a tendency to be more expensive than others," MacEahern says, "so buying them at the seasonal sales cycle is a great time to add them to your wardrobe."
Premium outdoor apparel is also on sale now, as Kennedy knows. His store's clothing, from designers like Patagonia, is discounted as much as 50%. "I go and buy my stuff this time of year," he says with a laugh.
(Photo: Gloria Dawson / The Daily Green)
Fresh food
Fall is a good time to find the best prices on locally grown, fresh foods, MacEahern points out, since harvest time means lots of farmers have lots of produce they're trying to sell at the same time.
"It's a great time to shop at farmers' markets," says MacEahern, who lives in Tacoma Park, MD, a suburb of Washington, D.C., where farmers' markets abound. "Now, there is so much food in farmers' markets that it's really cheap. I got these beautiful organic tomatoes for $3 a pound. It's more expensive than a grocery store, but it's a great price for organic tomatoes."
How is the egg industry handling the recalls? (Egg Recall List)
Yesterday, major newspapers ran a full-page ad from ?America?s Egg Farmers? (I saw it in USA Today and in the New York Times). The ad displays an egg and text on a white background, nothing more.
The text is spare and notable more for what it does not say than for what it does. Here it is, with my translations in italics.
A message from America?s Egg Farmers. (We want you to think that we are down home farmers of small flocks of hens in a lovely bucolic settings. We think this sounds better than ?A message from egg agribusiness.?)
You?ve probably heard about the recent egg recall. (We wish you hadn?t.)
As egg farmers, we?re concerned, and continue to work closely with the FDA and USDA to help ensure the safest and highest quality eggs possible. (We don?t have to take any responsibility for this mess. We will let the FDA and USDA deal it.)
The potentially affected eggs, which make up less than 1% of all US eggs, have been removed from store shelves. (Whew. The problem is solved. We don?t need to do another thing except work on public relations.)
You may be wondering if eggs are safe to eat. (We wish you would just forget about this.)
Yes, they are. (Fingers crossed!)
Thoroughly cooked eggs are thoroughly safe eggs, according to the Center for Disease control and the FDA. Eggs should be cooked until the whites and yolks are firm. (We know we are producing unsafe eggs. It?s not our fault if you don?t know how to cook them.)
To find out more information on this recall and the safe handling of eggs, please visit eggsafety.org. (When you do, we will tell you how safe our eggs are and how well we treat our hens, and invite you to watch an FDA video on how to cook eggs properly.)
And remember, thoroughly cooked means thoroughly safe. (It?s not our fault if you don?t listen.)
I think the egg industry has a lot to answer for. It needs to do better than this. OK egg industry, how about placing an ad that says something like this:
We are devastated that this happened and our hearts go out to everyone who became ill and to their families.
We are taking every step to make sure that this never happens again.
We are deeply sorry that our industry did not voluntarily adopt safety procedures years ago, especially when the FDA first proposed egg safety rules in 2004.
We take full responsibility as an industry for the failure of one of our members to obey the law.
We will do everything possible to make sure that the victims of this incident are fully compensated for their medical costs and losses.
We fully support food safety legislation and urge the Senate to pass S.510 immediately. It will give the FDA the tools it needs to do its job and help us produce eggs under the safest possible conditions.
We apologize to the American public that our eggs are not safe enough and that we have not worked hard enough to make sure that they are safe.
AP - BP PLC said the blowout preventer that failed to stop oil from spewing into the Gulf of Mexico was removed from the company's well on Friday afternoon.
BP says failed blowout preventer off Gulf well Reuters - BP Plc removed a failed blowout preventer from atop its ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well on Friday afternoon, a company spokesman said.
AP Exclusive: Mariner opposed federal safety rule AP - The company whose Gulf of Mexico oil platform erupted in flames this week cited the industry's "excellent safety record" when it opposed a proposed federal rule last year that would require offshore oil and gas operators to have safety systems aimed at reducing workers' mistakes.
AFP - Shipowners are showing growing interest in a fabled trade route to Asia which climate change is beginning to open up at last as polar ice recedes.
Reuters - The BP oil spill that spewed millions of barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico is unlikely to deter travel to Florida and Louisiana for the rest of the year, a new poll showed.
AFP - Forty-six countries gained a clearer view on Friday of what it may take to secure a deal worth hundreds of billions of dollars in climate aid, an issue that threatens hopes for a treaty on global warming.
AFP - British oil giant BP revealed Friday it has so far spent eight billion dollars to battle the Gulf of Mexico disaster, as its crews retrieved key evidence from the seabed.
U.S. reiterates commitment to 2020 climate goal Reuters - The United States reiterated on Friday that it was committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 even though the Senate has failed to pass legislation.
AFP - Proposed US limits on offshore oil drilling could hurt BP's ability to pay for damages stemming from the huge Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a company executive said in an interview Friday.
