At some point in their life, nearly everyone will take a step back to admire a newly painted or carpeted room in their home or that brand new car in their driveway. In fact, according to a recent survey, three-quarters of respondents admit that they love that “new car” smell, and more than...

More Americans might be driving hybrid cars and recycling, but their hardwood kitchen and living room floors can be just as critical to climate change. No one knows exactly how much illegal hardwood enters the United States, but estimates range from $250 million to $375 million worth per year —...

Each year, consumers use between 500 billion and 1 trillion single-use plastic bags worldwide. While some do reuse plastic bags, most end up in landfills, if not in the world’s oceans, causing over 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths each year. Each reusable grocery bag can...

While some people see gardening as simply playing in the dirt, the physical and mental benefits are well-documented. In addition to being good for your mind and body, sustainable gardening is a great way to be kind to the planet, and to connect you to nature and the food you eat. Gardening is Good for...

Recreational fishermen are helping the government reel in information on the health of the ocean and its ecosystems. This role is likely to become even more important as efforts increase to restore and protect our oceans. A new initiative, called the Marine Recreational Information Program, or MRIP,...

Cleaning up an oil stain in your driveway forces most people to use noxious chemicals that only make the problem worse. Oil Gone Easy – a natural, bio-remediation product is now available by the quart for homeowners to safely clean oil-stained driveways, concrete, garages, and even soil. Oil Gone...

The ‘Tappening’ campaign has been instrumental in helping forge a national movement that encourages people to make tap their water of choice, whenever possible.  The campaign (which Adweek has called “a form of business philanthropy — founded to right a perceived wrong”) and its website–...

From the availability of cleaner air and water to support for tourism and rural economies, the public benefits from private family forests in a variety of ways. Yet some people are surprised to learn that family forest owners make up the largest group of owners of our nation’s forestlands. That’s...

Homeowners are happy to discover that a wide color palette is now available in environmentally sensitive zero-VOC paints. Being green has never been so colorful. That’s because one paint manufacturer now creates a zero-VOC paint in a rainbow of colors. VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are solvents...

You conserved energy in 2007 by installing programmable thermostats in your home. In 2008, you replaced your home’s incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights. If you’re wondering what you can do in 2009 to further reduce your carbon footprint, just take a look...