Homes & Gardening

There is something mystical and romantic about walking through a garden on a summer evening.

The moonlight casts a spotlight of shadows capturing and emphasizing moody white flowers and shimmery plants amongst the greenery. The sounds are quietly eerie. Day lilies are closed up tight and sleeping.

Nightfall brings entirely new and intoxicating fragrances that awaken the senses to a unique garden experience.

What is a night garden?
A night garden incorporates plantings whose, color, texture, sound, and scent can be appreciated in the evening. Sometimes night gardens are called "moon gardens".

Are night gardens new?
According to this Lifescript article, night gardens have been around for a long time: "A night garden is not new to the contemporary world. Moonlight gardens were planted in medieval Japan using white or pale-colored rocks and sand. Pools of water caught the shine of the moon and white chrysanthemums cast a ghostly profile. In the 1600s India's mogul emperor planted a stunning night blooming garden using fragrant and beautiful flowers like jasmine, narcissus, and lilies all in white."

Why plant a night garden?
People who work all day and have busy schedules that keep them away from home until the evening get to enjoy the beauty of the garden. For those who want to unplug and unwind in the evening to the sounds of nature, a night garden is the perfect place to relax.

Where to plant a night garden?
Plant it in a place where you will enjoy it most. Small container night gardens are perfect for those with limited space.

What plants to plant in a night garden?
These plants listed on the DoItYourself site are night bloomers and aromatic, making them perfect for night gardens:

• moonflower
• white sand verbena
• fragrant plantain lily
• evening campion
• yucca
• night-flowering catchfly
• thornapple
• scarlet gaura
• citron daylily
• lemon lily
• evening iris
• evening star
• gumbo lily
• soapwort
• vesper iris
• evening primrose
• night-blooming tropical waterlilies
• four o' clock
• desert lily
• white gaura
• evening stock

Do you have a night garden? Add some plants that you enjoy in the evening hours to the list above.

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. 

More from Care2:

• Snare those Slugs and Snails! 
• Full Moon Ritual 
• The Moon as a Symbol of Women – and Why 

 

(Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by moosicorn)

It is hot out there! We know that insulation helps us run that air conditioner a bit less, but what you might not know is that there are lots of different insulation options, and certain types are much more environmentally sound than others. Insulators like spray foam contain harsh chemicals and even emit greenhouse gases.

Here are some insulation options that get it right:

Blue jeans

In 2008, Levi's recycled over 200,000 pairs of discarded jeans into insulation for the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, and you can find recycled denim insulation for the home, too. Not only is denim insulation easier on the environment, you're keeping all of that discarded material out of the landfill!

For folks looking to score denim insulation for the home, Bonded Logic makes home insulation using post-consumer cotton and denim.

Sand

Sand is a renewable resource, and EcoBatt has sorted out a way to turn that into home insulation. They combine sand with post-consumer recycled glass to create natural insulation that's Greenguard certified. They even have a handy locator tool to help folks find it by state.

Straw bale construction

Straw bale is a totally natural insulator that's easy to source locally in many areas. It's a great addition to a natural building project, because it's easy to work with. A great insulator, straw is a renewable resource and contains none of the harsh chemicals you'd associate with conventional insulators.

A great way to learn more about natural materials like straw bale is to hunt down sustainable building courses in your area. The more you know how to do yourself, the more money you can save on construction costs.

Paper

Companies like Celbar offer insulation made from recycled paper. Like denim, this does double duty: Providing eco-friendly insulation while reducing landfill waste. Celbar even has spray insulation, a great alternative to conventional spray foam for insulating crawl spaces and attics.

Insulating from the outside in

Greensulate has a unique take on eco-insulation. Rather than focusing on what's inside your walls, they have options for creating green walls on your home. Talk about multiple benefits! Green walls help save energy, of course, but the greenery itself improves air quality and helps fight climate change.

Soy

While too much soy might not be the dietary ideal, it's a great alternative to conventional, toxic spray insulation. Perfect for attics and crawl spaces, soy-based foam helps improve air quality. If you want to find soy insulation for your home, you might check out companies like BioBased.

Did I miss any alternative insulation options here? Let me know in the comments.

Becky Striepe is a green blogger and independent crafter with a passion for vintage fabrics. She runs a crafty business, Glue and Glitter, where her mission is to use existing materials in products that help folks reduce their impact without sacrificing style! She specializes in aprons and custom lunch bags. Like this article? You can follow Becky on Twitter or find her on Facebook.

More from Care2:

• Eco-Friendly Kitty Litter 
• Fun Eco-Friendly Holiday Projects 
• Sidewalk Weed Control 

This summer's record-breaking-high temperatures have made air conditioning a necessity for many Americans. But that doesn't mean you need to spend a fortune to stay cool.

Falling prey to common air-conditioning myths can lead to overspending. That's why it's important to understand what's fact and what's fiction when it comes to using your A/C. 

Below are some facts that will help you spend your cooling dollars wisely so you can achieve maximum comfort with minimum strain on your wallet.

   

Myth: Cranking your air conditioner up high (by setting your unit's thermostat significantly below the temperature you want to achieve) will cool your house faster.

Fact: Your air conditioner will deliver cool air at the same rate no matter how low you go on the thermostat setting. If you turn the thermostat to 50 degrees when you want it to get to 72 degrees, your room won't get cooler any faster, says Jamy Bacchus at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). He uses this analogy to illustrate the concept: If you are driving from New York to Philadelphia and you set your GPS to Washington D.C. you aren't going to get to Philadelphia any faster.

The one exception, Bacchus says, is if your room air conditioner has a "low, medium, high" setting instead of a thermostat. In that case, setting your unit up to high will cool the room faster, but you should remember to turn it down to low or medium once your room feels comfortable so you don't waste energy and money.

 

Myth: It's more efficient to leave your air conditioning running when you're not at home than it is to turn off your room unit (or raise the temperature on your central system's thermostat) and re-cool your house when you get home.

Fact: It is far more inefficient and expensive to leave the A/C on all day than it is to turn it off (or raise the thermostat), says Paul McRandle of NRDC's Simple Steps. His explanation: "While you're away, there's no need to keep replacing cool air with more cool air many times over. This just forces your A/C's compressor--the most energy-consuming element in your system--to operate regularly (even if not constantly) for the 8-10 hours you're out."

The bottom line: Turn your air conditioning down when you leave the house for extended periods and set a timer for about a half hour before you return home. You'll save money without sacrificing comfort.

 

Myth: Purchasing an energy-efficient air conditioner will automatically reduce your electric bills.

Fact: Buying an energy-efficient air conditioner will definitely help, but size is also an important factor when it comes to efficiency. Your unit needs to be the right size for the space you are trying to cool. "Don't buy a bigger unit than you need thinking that it is going to cool faster," says Bacchus. "Save yourself the money and buy a more efficient correctly sized unit."

If your unit is too big, then it will not remove humidity effectively, and your space will be cool, but damp and clammy. If it's too small, it will struggle to keep your room cool, never really cycle off, and over-dry your air, according to Bacchus. How do you know what just the right size is? Here are details on proper sizing from Energy Star.

 

Myth: Leaving a ceiling fan on will cool a room even if no one is in it.

Fact: Leaving your ceiling fan on when you're not in the room is a waste of energy and money because fans cool people, not rooms.  Ceiling fans circulate the air in the room to create a draft. This makes you feel cooler, but doesn't lower the temperature of the room. Make sure your fan is set to run counter-clockwise in the summer so it directs air downward to create a breeze.

 

Myth: Your air-conditioning unit will perform the same no matter where you install it.  

Fact: Like size, installation is another key factor when it comes to efficiency. It's not a good idea to place lights or televisions near your air-conditioner's thermostat because it can sense the heat given off from appliances and cause your unit to run longer than it needs to. 

Try to install your unit in the shade and on your home's north or east side when possible because direct sunlight on your unit's outdoor heat exchanger can negatively impact efficiency. If you plant trees and shrubs around your unit, make sure you don't block the airflow around the unit.

 

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.

 

Check out Yahoo! Green on Twitter and Facebook.

What do you do when you live in a big city but want to give your kitty some outdoor time? Create a catio, of course!

What's a catio, you ask? The New York Times had a great article on the phenomenon, which involves screening-in an outdoor area so that cats can enjoy some fresh air.

Many of the featured cat owners came up with their own creative methods for creating these outdoor spaces on porches and patios. And, there are several companies (and even a catio blog) that specialize in outdoor pet enclosures, which range from do-it-yourself kits to elaborate, maze-like structures. Catios aren't just limited to city folk, either. People with backyards have unlimited options for outdoor kitty playgrounds.

As a former cat-owning city dweller, I know all too well that cats can get stir crazy when they don't get to go outside. So I'm intrigued by the catio concept. I think I'd still be a bit nervous having my kitty out on a high balcony, but some of the closer-to-the-ground options seem fun.

What do you think? Do you want a catio? Have you created one for your cat(s)?

Related:

• Cat Toys From Reused Household Items
• 10 Fantastic Cat Facts
• Cat vs. iPad (Funny Video)

There's no question that disposable items can be incredibly convenient sometimes. But if you stop and think about it, they're not all they're cracked up to be.

While it might be quicker to throw something in the trash when you're done using it than washing it and putting it away, you do have to have to spend time going to the store and buying the same products all over again. The costs for buying products again and again can really add up.

Plus you're not only throwing away your hard earned money. You're also disposing of the resources used to make the throwaway products and unnecessarily sending things to the landfill.

No one is suggesting that you stop using disposables altogether, just that you give it a little more thought. Some disposables are hard to live without (such as diapers), but the items on the list below will be barely noticeable once you change a few habits. You'll need to spend a little money up front to save down the line.

A family of four can save $3,164 a year by cutting back or eliminating the items listed below. Of course, the final savings ultimately depends on what you use now, how much you cut back, and local prices. No matter the exact total, wouldn't you rather spend money on a family vacation instead of disposable junk?

 

Paper napkins

Use cloth napkins instead. Worried about the laundry piling up? Assign a different color napkin to each family member (or try this fun DIY napkin project). The idea is that if the same person uses the same napkin at every meal, you can wash napkins less often.

Potential savings: Count on saving around $57 a year if everyone in your family uses one napkin at every meal. You'll also save 4,368 paper napkins from being tossed in the landfill each year.

 

Paper towels

Wipe up spills with cloth towels. Use rags for cleaning. You can make your own by cutting up old sheets, T-shirts, towels, etc., or buy microfiber towels. For windows try crumpling up old newspapers.

Potential savings: If your household uses one roll of paper towels each week, you can save around $83 a year.

 

Resealable, plastic storage bags

Reuse them by washing them out and letting air dry. (It's not a good idea to reuse bags that were used to store raw meat.) There are now several kinds of reusable sandwich and snack bags that are widely available. Store leftovers in plastic or glass reusable containers.

Potential savings: You'll save around $78 a year if you stop using throwaway plastic bags for weekday lunches and storing leftovers.

 

Paper coffee filters

Try a reusable coffee filter or make coffee in a French press, which doesn't require a filter. 

Potential savings: About $15 a year if you make one pot of coffee every day.

 

Single-serve bottled drinks

Carry a reusable stainless-steel bottle to transport water and other drinks when you're on the go.

Potential savings: About $2,187 if each member of your family consumers one bottled beverage a day. 

 

Aluminum foil

Save leftovers in reusable plastic or glass containers. Avoid using foil to line baking sheets.

Potential savings: Around $64 a year if you use six rolls of foil (200 square feet each).

 

Single-use batteries

It's much easier to use rechargeable batteries than you think. Rechargeable AA batteries and chargers, ubiquitous for TV and gaming remotes and kids' toys, are widely available. An added bonus: You don't have to run to the store when your remote runs out of juice. Just recharge the batteries and you're good to go.

Potential savings: If you use around 25 AA batteries a year, you'll save around $28 a year. You can also feel good about not unnecessarily sending batteries to the landfill.

 

Disposable razors blades

Use an electric razor instead. 

Potential savings: About $122 a year if your household uses 54 razor blades a year.

 

Paper publications

Read your favorite newspapers and magazines online instead of letting the paper pile up at home. You'll find a lot of interesting content for free online, but even if you have to pay to read articles you'll still come out ahead.

For example, subscribing to the electronic edition of the New York Times costs $29.95 a month. Compare that to the $769.60 price tag for seven-day home delivery (It's $608.40 if you live in the Tri-State area.)

Potential savings: Depending on where you live, you'll either save $530 or $369 a year.

 

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.

Check out Yahoo! Green on Twitter and Facebook.

Most of us know that baking soda can be used for more than just making homemade cookies and other dough rise. It's not uncommon to see an open box of this leavening agent deodorizing refrigerators, for example. But did you know that there are at least 40 different ways to use baking soda?

Baking soda makes a perfect stand-in for many personal care, cleaning, and deodorizing products. The list of benefits is long: It is inexpensive, free of toxic chemicals, versatile, and effective.

Wondering how baking soda, aka sodium bicarbonate, works its magic? It helps regulate pH — keeping a substance neither too acidic nor too alkaline. When baking soda comes in contact with either an acidic or an alkaline substance, its natural effect is to neutralize that pH. Beyond that, baking soda has the ability to retard further changes in the pH balance, known as buffering.

This dual capability of neutralizing and buffering allows baking soda to do things such as neutralize acidic odors (like in the refrigerator) as well as maintain neutral pH (like in your laundry water, which helps boost your detergent's power). It's a simple reaction, but one that has far-reaching effects for a number of cleaning and deodorizing tasks.

And so without further ado, here are some of the many creative ways you can use baking soda.

Personal Care

1. Make toothpaste
A paste made from baking soda and a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution can be used as an alternative to commercial non-fluoride toothpastes. (Or here’s a formula for a minty version.) You can also just dip your toothbrush with toothpaste into baking soda for an extra boost.

2. Freshen your mouth
Put one teaspoon in half a glass of water, swish, spit, and rinse. Odors are neutralized, not just covered up.

3. Soak oral appliance
Soak oral appliances (like retainers, mouthpieces, and dentures) in a solution of 2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in a glass or small bowl of warm water. The baking soda loosens food particles and neutralizes odors to keep appliances fresh. You can also brush appliances clean using baking soda.

4. Use as a facial scrub and body exfoliant
Give yourself an invigorating facial and body scrub. Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate the skin. Rinse clean. This is gentle enough for daily use. 

5. Skip harsh deodorant
Pat baking soda onto your underarms to neutralize body odor.

6. Use as an antacid
Baking soda is a safe and effective antacid to relieve heartburn, sour stomach, and/or acid indigestion. Refer to baking soda package for instructions.

7. Treat insect bites and itchy skin
For insect bites, make a paste out of baking soda and water, and apply as a salve onto affected skin. To ease the itch, shake some baking soda into your hand and rub it into damp skin after bath or shower. 

8. Make a hand cleanser and softener
Skip harsh soaps and gently scrub away ground-in dirt and neutralize odors on hands with a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water or 3 parts baking soda with gentle liquid hand soap. Then rinse clean. 

9. Help your hair
Vinegar is amazing for your hair, but baking soda has its place in the shower too. Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo. Shampoo as usual and rinse thoroughly — baking soda helps remove the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable.

10. Clean brushes and combs
For lustrous hair with more shine, keep brushes and combs clean. Remove natural oil build-up and hair product residue by soaking combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a small basin of warm water. Rinse and allow to dry.

11. Make a bath soak
Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your bath to neutralize acids on the skin and help wash away oil and perspiration. It also makes your skin feel very soft. Or just focus on soothing your feet. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in a tub of warm water and soak feet. Gently scrub. 

 

Cleaning

12. Make a surface soft scrub
For safe, effective cleaning of bathroom tubs, tile, and sinks — even fiberglass and glossy tiles — sprinkle baking soda lightly on a clean damp sponge and scrub as usual. Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry. For extra cleaning power, make a paste with baking soda, coarse salt, and liquid dish soap — let it sit then scour off.

13. Hand-wash dishes and pots and pans
Add 2 heaping tablespoons baking soda (along with your regular dish detergent) to the dish water to help cut grease and foods left on dishes, pots, and pans. For cooked-on foods, let them soak in the baking soda and detergent with water first, then use dry baking soda on a clean damp sponge or cloth as a scratch-less scouring powder. 

14. Freshen sponges
Soak stale-smelling sponges in a strong baking soda solution to get rid of the mess (4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of warm water). For more thorough disinfecting, use the microwave.

15. Clean the microwave
Baking soda on a clean damp sponge cleans gently inside and outside the microwave and never leaves a harsh chemical smell. Rinse well with water.

16. Polish silver flatware
Use a baking soda paste made with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub onto the silver with a clean cloth or sponge. Rinse thoroughly and dry for shining sterling and silver-plate serving pieces.

17. Clean coffee and tea pots
Remove coffee and tea stains and eliminate bitter off-tastes by washing mugs and coffee makers in a solution of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. For stubborn stains, try soaking overnight in the baking soda solution and detergent or scrubbing with baking soda on a clean damp sponge.

18. Clean the oven
Sprinkle baking soda onto the bottom of the oven. Spray with water to dampen the baking soda. Let sit overnight. In the morning, scrub, scoop the baking soda and grime out with a sponge, or vacuum, and rinse.

19. Clean floors
Remove dirt and grime (without unwanted scratch marks) from no-wax and tile floors using 1/2 cup baking soda in a bucket of warm water — mop and rinse clean for a sparkling floor. For scuff marks, use baking soda on a clean damp sponge, then rinse. 

20. Clean furniture
Clean and remove marks (even crayon) from walls and painted furniture by applying baking soda to a damp sponge and rubbing lightly. Wipe off with a clean, dry cloth.

21. Clean shower curtains
Clean and deodorize your vinyl shower curtain by sprinkling baking soda directly on a clean damp sponge or brush. Scrub the shower curtain and rinse clean. Hang it up to dry.

22. Boost your liquid laundry detergent
Give your laundry a boost by adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to your laundry to make liquid detergent work harder. A better balance of pH in the wash gets clothes cleaner, fresher, and brighter. Or you can add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle for fresher sheets and towels or to neutralize gym clothes and odoriferous clothing.

23. Clean and freshen sports gear
Use a baking soda solution (4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water) to clean and deodorize smelly sports equipment. Sprinkle baking soda into golf bags and gym bags to deodorize and clean golf irons (without scratching them!) with a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda to 1 part water) and a brush. Rinse thoroughly.

24. Remove oil and grease stains
Use baking soda to clean up light-duty oil and grease spills on your garage floor or in your driveway. Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush.

25. Clean batteries
Baking soda can be used to neutralize battery acid corrosion on cars, mowers, etc., because its a mild alkali. Be sure to disconnect the battery terminals before cleaning. Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water and apply with a damp cloth to scrub corrosion from the battery terminal. After cleaning and reconnecting the terminals, wipe them with petroleum jelly to prevent future corrosion. Please be careful when working around a battery — they contain a strong acid.

26. Clean cars
Use baking soda to clean your car lights, chrome, windows, tires, vinyl seats, and floor mats without worrying about unwanted scratch marks. Use a baking soda solution of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. Apply with a sponge or soft cloth to remove road grime, tree sap, bugs, and tar. For stubborn stains use baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge or soft brush. Eliminate odors by sprinkling baking soda directly on fabric car seats and carpets. Wait 15 minutes (or longer for strong odors) and vacuum up the baking soda.

 

Deodorizing

27. Deodorize your refrigerator
Place an open box in the back of the fridge to neutralize odors.

28. Deodorize trashcans and recyclables
Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of your trashcan to keep stinky trash smells at bay. Clean your recyclables container periodically by sprinkling baking soda on a damp sponge. Wipe clean and rinse. Also, sprinkle baking soda on top as you add recyclables to the bin.

29. Deodorize drains and garbage disposals
To deodorize your sink and tub drains and garbage disposal and keep lingering odors from resurfacing, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain while running warm tap water — it will neutralize both acid and basic odors for a fresh drain. (This a good way to dispose of baking soda that is being retired from your refrigerator.) 

30. Deodorize and clean dishwashers
Use baking soda to deodorize before you run the dishwasher and then as a gentle cleanser in the wash cycle.

31. Deodorize lunch boxes
Between uses, place a spill-proof box of baking soda in everyone’s lunch box to absorb lingering odors.

32. Remove odor from carpets
Liberally sprinkle baking soda on the carpet. Let set overnight or as long as possible (the longer it sets the better it works). Sweep up the larger amounts of baking soda, and vacuum up the rest. (Note that your vacuum cleaner bag will get full and heavy.) An added bonus: You'll also deodorize your vacuum cleaner. 

33. Freshen closets
Place a box on the shelf to keep the closet smelling fresh. 

34. Deodorize pet items
Cover the bottom of your cat box with baking soda, then fill as usual with litter. To freshen between changes, sprinkle baking soda on top of the litter after a thorough cleaning. Eliminate odors from your pet's bedding by sprinkling liberally with baking soda, wait 15 minutes (or longer for stronger odors), then vacuum up.

35. Deodorize sneakers
Keep odors from spreading in smelly sneakers by shaking baking soda into them when not in use. Shake out before wearing.

36. Freshen stuffed animals
Keep favorite cuddly toys fresh with a dry shower of baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda on and let it sit for 15 minutes before brushing off.

 

Miscellaneous

37. Cure all camping needs
Baking soda is a must-have for your next camping trip. It's a dish-washer, pot-scrubber, hand-cleanser, deodorant, toothpaste, and fire extinguisher, and has many other uses.

38. Extinguish fires
Baking soda can help in the initial handling of minor grease or electrical kitchen fires, because when baking soda is heated, it gives off carbon dioxide, which helps to smother the flames. For small cooking fires (frying pans, broilers, ovens, grills), turn off the gas or electricity if you can safely do so. Stand back and throw handfuls of baking soda at the base of the flame to help put out the fire — and call the fire department just to be safe. 

39. Care for the septic system
Regular use of baking soda in your drains can help keep your septic system flowing freely. One cup of baking soda per week will help maintain a favorable pH in your septic tank.

40. Scrub fruits and vegetables
Baking soda is the food safe way to clean dirt and residue off fresh fruit and vegetables. Just sprinkle a little on a clean damp sponge, scrub and rinse. Here’s another way to clean your vegetables as well.

OK, so there are my 40 suggestions (with a little help from the Arm & Hammond baking soda site, thank you). Do you have any tips or tricks that I missed? Please share in the comments.

More from Care2:

• 23 Ingenious Uses for Vinegar
• 15 Brilliant Uses for Toothpaste
• 14 Lovely Uses for Lemons

Check out Yahoo! Green on Twitter and Facebook.

How often have you walked into a space and just got a feeling ... a feeling of peace, of happiness, of home?  It can be the small things that speak to your heart and say, “Come right in and get cozy.”

Summer is just around the corner, but there is still time to create an outdoor space that will make people want to hang out, gather round, and share some laughs. While you may not have the real estate or the dime for an outdoor fireplace, with a little panache it is still possible to create an oasis in your own backyard, courtyard, or terrace.

For deals on outdoor furniture, scour thrift stores in upscale towns, go online at eBay, or check out ‘big box’ stores such as Costco. Be prepared to spray-paint your battered finds white or charcoal gray.

Cushions can be found at large hardware or patio supply stores. Choose a restful color like “wheat” as your theme.   While you are there, pick up an inexpensive outdoor rug in a subtle pattern to place under the furniture.  You can thank me later for saving you the big bucks on that high-end landscape architect who would probably tell you the same thing.

Now your “outdoor room” is coming together. You can add from 20 to 200 square feet to your home by upgrading and extending the usable living space to the outdoors. Make sure to include outdoor throw pillows and at least two inexpensive, washable throws.  Yes, two smallish lightweight blankets.

Drape the blankets casually on the seat cushions. Your guests will be drawn to them AND these throws will protect the cushions from the weather.  Sure, you might have to toss them into the laundry every once in a while, but what’s a little work in exchange for the illusion of cozy and the inviting softness beckoning to “come relax and feel free to wrap yourself up in me on a cool evening.”

Be on the lookout for large pots to place near the furniture, and pick up some lettuce and herb seed packets.  Fill the pots with dirt and potting soil and then add the seeds.  In about a week, you will have the beginnings of pretty greens growing in pots and lots of salad and flavorful herbs in your future.  Antique jars are lovely filled with flowers, and scented candles add a warm glow that can set the mood.

These basic items can transform your yard or terrace into an inviting retreat. Depending on your budget, you could add:  Umbrellas, portable fire pits or waterfalls, dwarf potted fruit trees, outdoor stereo speakers that look like small boulders, or a lovely pergola. Ahhhhhh ... did someone say cocktail?

Sherry Brooks is a healthy, happy, and trim frugalista living the lean and green life near Malibu in sunny southern California.

More from ecomii:

• Learn how you may be polluting your home instead of cleaning it
• Learn more about the potential of nutritional supplements
• Find natural remedies for headaches
• Does aromatherapy actually work?
• What is your carbon footprint?

You know the feeling. You take pride in your home and landscaping.  It’s a beautiful day, and you are relaxing on the patio with a refreshing ice tea and there it is — a hearty little fellow.  Yes, it is a sprouted seed that found it’s way up through a crack in your hardscape and has grown into a hearty little clump of green.

You walk around to the front of the house and sure enough, some of his little cousins have also fought their way up through the driveway or sidewalk gaps into the sun from the depths of the dark, covered earth.

What to do? Pull the weeds, only to have them return and grow back more stubbornly?  Especially true if the stem broke off in your fingers, leaving the roots lodged underground.  Get into the car, drive to the store, and part with some of your hard earned cash for a potent weed-killer? Heck no! That poisonous brew, which will pollute the air, water and soil, will probably sit in the garage for the next few years.

Herbicides have been linked to a host of diseases including cancer in people and their pets. Glyphosphate is the active ingredient in most herbicides. It is an enzyme inhibitor, which chokes off the enzyme that plants require in order to grow, killing the weed and only one of many questionable chemicals in pesticides marketed for lawn and garden care.

California Environmental Protection Agency’s Pesticide Illness Surveillance Program indicates that glyphosate-related incidents are one of the highest reported of all pesticides.¹

According to the National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, 19 are linked to cancer, 13 are linked to birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 15 with neurotoxicity, and 11 with disruption of the endocrine (hormonal) system.

There is a better way!  This completely free and non-toxic alternative is very effective and can be repeated as needed, without fear of toxic exposure. 

Fill a teakettle with water, bring it to a boil, and simply pour the boiling water on each of the offending weeds.  By the next day you will have a very dead, brown little weed that is easily pulled from the crack with just a little tug.

Sherry Brooks is healthy, happy, and trim frugalista living the lean and green life in and around Malibu in sunny southern California.

More from ecomii:

• Learn how you may be polluting your home instead of cleaning it
• Learn more about the potential of nutritional supplements
• Find natural remedies for headaches
• Does aromatherapy actually work?
• What is your carbon footprint?

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Experts unanimously agree that you should NOT pre-rinse your dishes before loading the dishwasher.

Why not? Because your dishes will not get any cleaner if you rinse them before loading your dishwasher. Pre-rinsing is therefore a complete waste of time, water, energy, and money. And, in some cases, it can actually harm your glassware.  

Still not convinced? Here are the details.  

Dishes will not get any cleaner if you pre-rinse them.

Modern dishwashers and detergents have come a long way in the past couple of decades. "You will not improve your wash performance one bit by pre-rinsing," says John Dries, a mechanical engineer and owner of Dries Engineering, an appliance design consulting company. He points out that heavily soiled dishes are used in pre-market "wash tests," not pre-rinsed dishes.

In most cases, all you need to do is scrape your plates over a trashcan to get rid of bones or chunks of food. One caveat: It's a good idea to pre-soak pans or dishes that have something really burned on them. Pre-rinsing doesn't help in this situation.

Use the dishwasher's rinse cycle if you're not going to run your dishwasher immediately and are worried about the smell of sour food.

How about older dishwashers? "People with any age dishwasher can feel comfortable knowing they don't need to pre-wash dishes before washing them in the dishwasher," says Jill Notini, a spokesperson for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

Pre-rinsing is a complete waste of time, water, energy, and money.  

With pre-rinsing you're essentially washing your dishes twice. Rinsing your dishes while letting the water run can waste gallons of water. Consider this: An energy-efficient dishwasher uses up to 5 gallons of water to wash an entire load of dishes. Washing dishes by hand while letting the water run can use up to 27 gallons.

The same is true for electricity if you pre-rinse with warm or hot water. "You use more electricity rinsing dishes off in the sink than the dishwasher uses to wash the whole load," says Mike Edwards, a senior design engineer at Bosch Home Appliances.

Instead of pre-rinsing the dishes, spend your time on something that will make a difference: Loading the dishwasher correctly.

Experts say a properly loaded dishwasher can significantly impact how clean your dishes turn out. "The biggest impediment in washing is due to poor loading," says Edwards. Get tips from Consumer Reports and a video from Bosch.

Rinsing dishes before loading the dishwasher can do more harm than good.

Today's advanced detergents are designed to attack food particles left on dishes. "If there isn't food soil, they tend to attack glasses," says Edwards. "Some glasses are more susceptible to this kind of attacking than others."

The detergent etches small pits in glasses that you can't see with the naked eye, but the glass appears cloudy, according to Edwards. The process is called "etching" and causes permanent damage.

This is different than temporary hard water stains, which can also result in the cloudy appearance of glassware. Find out how to tell the difference.

"Your detergent amount needs to be based on the amount of food soil in the dishwasher," says Edwards who also points out that those who have soft water should use less detergent than those who have hard water.

 

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.

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