ArcaMax

Here's one more reason to consider investing in energy-efficient LED lightbulbs for your home: They won't mess with your thermostat. Incandescent, halogen and even CFL bulbs emit heat when they are turned on. If you have a lamp with one of these bulbs near your thermostat, it will sense the heat and assume that's the temperature of the room. In ...Read more

Do you know which 10 fruits have the lowest carbon footprint? It's a stat that's measured by how much water is used to grow it; where the fruit is grown; how much is produced per acre; and how it fares when it’s transported from farm to store. According to a study done by the sustainability minded publication Green City Times, the top 10 most ...Read more

Shoes are an investment, and if taken care of properly, they can last a long time. Two ways to extend the life of your shoes involve very little action. First, shoes and moisture do not mix, because bacteria can grow on the shoe material and break it down. So reuse the silica packets you often find in vitamins or electronics purchases: Place ...Read more

Succulents have gained popularity as indoor and outdoor plants for their ease of care, beauty and ability to flourish and grow quickly. It’s easy to find succulents thriving in arid environments, and that’s where a problem is starting to occur: poaching. Removing succulents from the wild is easy, since they need little water to thrive, so ...Read more

It looks like good, healthy organic matter, so can’t you just sprinkle used coffee grounds onto your lawn to give it a little nutritional kick? Not exactly. The residual caffeine in those used grinds can be damaging to the micro fauna of your soil. Instead, coffee grinds should be added to a compost bin, where they will naturally break down ...Read more

Do you drive to a local gym every day when you could ride a bicycle to get there? A bicycle is 10 times more carbon-efficient than a car. But no matter the distance, we all know getting into a car to get to a workout is far less eco-friendly than at-home ways to sweat. Consider the alternatives, like running, walking, biking, hiking and swimming...Read more

Many of us have heard that soy wax candles are a healthier, more eco-friendly choice for burning at home, for myriad reasons. Whether because they emit less toxins, are made from a nonpetroleum and sustainable source or just burn more slowly, they are, in fact, a better choice. But like anything that burns inside the home, these candles STILL ...Read more

The active ingredients in your bottles of sunscreen need to be protected from harsh, hot and bright elements (just like your skin does). Avoid storing sunscreen in your car, golf bag or beach bag when not in use. Long-term exposure to heat and sun can turn them from a skin protector to a simple moisturizer in no time flat. Instead, keep them in ...Read more

When it’s time to wash your car, a professional car wash is the greenest choice. The Environmental Protection Agency says automated car washes not only are the most water- and energy-efficient method, but they also properly dispose of and recycle wastewater. If you want to wash your car at home, do it on gravel or grass; runoff water on ...Read more

After the load of laundry is washed or your dishwasher has finished getting your plates and glassware sparkling clean, be sure to keep the door open. Whether the wash used warm or cold water, the inside of the appliance is wet and needs to dry out. If you close the door immediately after use, you can lock in the moisture, which can create a ...Read more

Do you know where that tropical houseplant you’re eyeing was grown? Many were raised by a grower in a tropical region and could have a transportation carbon footprint that’s pretty significant. If you like the look of tropical houseplants but not the distance they have to travel to get to you, try this. First, look into local growers who ...Read more

You’re having a picnic or spending time outdoors and want to pour your excess soda, lemonade or sweetened iced tea onto the ground, or by a plant to give it a little extra treat. What’s the harm, right? Actually, you’re creating a lot of harm. Plants don’t metabolize sugar like humans do -- the sugar blocks their ability to absorb water....Read more

Ever see a sign on which a local dry cleaner identifies itself as an “organic cleaner”? It’s not the same thing as "organically grown" produce, and it’s not really a synonym for "eco-friendly," either. While self-described "organic" dry cleaners use a less toxic chemical called DF-2000 to get clothes clean, it's still a chemical ...Read more

When it’s time to replace an old kitchen sponge, don’t toss it. An old sponge is the perfect growing medium to use as a seed starter for flowers and vegetables. It’s easy: Just place seeds inside the natural holes of the sponge (or make small slices with the tip of a knife) and mist the sponge well with water. Place it in a dish with a ...Read more

For the most sustainable cup of coffee in the morning, try to make these steps part of your morning routine. Choose a reusable metal mesh coffee filter, which can be rinsed and used over and over again. Brew exactly the right amount of coffee to minimize waste; if you have leftover coffee, let it cool down and feed it to plants instead of ...Read more

Yes, old cardboard boxes can definitely be used as mulch in your garden; the key is to use the right kind of cardboard. Opt for boxes that don’t have any printing or slick coating on the outside. If there is some printing, black ink is OK, since most black inks are made from plant-based soybean oil. To use cardboard boxes, just flatten them ...Read more

According to the Sierra Club, reusable rags or towels are definitely a much greener choice than paper towels, even after factoring in the water usage to wash and care for them. A study found that it took about 2.5 gallons of water to produce a half-pound of paper towels. Washing rags in a conventional washing machine required only half a gallon....Read more

In 2022, global shipping contributed to nearly 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for nearly 700 million tons of carbon. While the majority of this is from commercial shipping operations, a lot of it is from purchases in which consumers had no idea they were buying something from another country. When shopping on popular ...Read more

Yes, you should be washing your dog’s water and food bowl every day. Just like your own dishes, a dirty bowl can be a breeding ground for illness-causing microbes. So use very hot, soapy water and scrub with a sponge to get the bowl clean. It’s also a good idea to invest in a bowl made from a nonporous material like stainless steel to ...Read more

To keep your home cool during the summer without turning on the AC, open the right windows in your home. There’s a strategic and smart way to do it. According to the Natural Resources Defense council, open low windows just a little bit on the windy side of the house and open the window wide on the opposite side. This will draw cool air through...Read more