Untitled Document This Thanksgiving, most of us will join family and friends to celebrate the good fortunes in our lives and eat until we feel like stuffed turkeys. Every year since 1863 we have celebrated the traditional American Thanksgiving Day. President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November a day to give thanks for […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
When recycling is dangerous
Untitled Document Is it true that refilling and reusing some types of plastic bottles can cause health problems? Most types of plastic bottles are safe to reuse at least a few times if properly washed with hot soapy water — but recent revelations about chemicals in Lexan (plastic No. 7) bottles are enough to scare […]
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Love and Skittles
Last Christmas, we had some relatives come visit. Stop the presses, right? It seemed pretty mundane to me, too, at the moment I so casually tossed out the invitation: “Hey, why don’t you and Derrion come to our house for the holidays?” It was only after I hung up the phone that the magnitude of […]
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Cover story
Untitled Document Glossy paper used by most magazines is bad for the environment, yet most publishers still use it, even the outdoors and environmental titles. What’s the scoop? It’s no secret that glossy coatings on magazine covers make pictures really “pop” and attract the eye, thus helping publications compete for attention on ever more crowded […]
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When deer attack
Untitled Document My husband has our children trained to look for deer when we go for a drive. Watching these fascinating animals graze is enjoyable — unless it’s your rhododendrons they’re eating. The degree of deer damage on a property may vary from year to year, depending on deer-population density, the availability of food, and weather. […]
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Composting better than disposals
Untitled Document Why have some cities, including New York, outlawed kitchen-sink garbage disposals, at least in homes? Kitchen-sink garbage disposals are not necessarily earth-friendly in and of themselves, but they do play a valuable role in grinding up food scraps into small enough bits for local sewer or on-site septic systems to handle. In the […]
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Fresh air
Untitled Document Is it true that some ingredients in common air fresheners can cause health problems? Air fresheners are a $1.72 billion industry in the United States. An estimated 75 percent of homes use them regularly. According to a September 2007 report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council, most common household air fresheners contain […]
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When adults are away…
Untitled Document My older son is legendary among local figure-skating fans. Not for his double-loop jump or his flying camel or his back sit spin, because, in truth, those skills have gone the way of his adorably squeaky voice, his addiction to cinnamon toast, and his cheerful willingness to wear multicolored socks: into the fond-memory […]
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Enjoy fall’s colors — and do some yard work
Untitled Document As I drove to work this morning, I had trouble keeping my eyes from wandering to the bright-yellow ash leaves and brilliant-red sugar maple leaves, and, as temperatures cool, leaf-color changes will become even more dramatic. This weekend, get out and enjoy the beauty of fall — but, before setting out on your […]
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Combining alternative fuels
Untitled Document Wouldn’t having hybrid cars run on E85 or biodiesel solve many problems? Environmental advocates would love to see carmakers mass-produce a biofuel-electric hybrid. From a technology standpoint, it’s a no-brainer: Major automakers already turn out vehicles that can run on E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol, derived from corn and other […]
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Overwintering geraniums
Untitled Document Sad at the thought that your cheery geraniums will soon fall victim to the dropping temperatures of autumn? It’s possible to beat the frost and save the plants by taking them inside for the winter. “As soon as we get freezing temperatures, most unprotected annual geraniums will turn a mushy green and die,” […]
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The straight dirt
Untitled Document The soil beneath our feet is a critical resource but subject to many threats. What are they, and what can be done? Even among the ecology-minded, soil falls well below the radar of important causes, but the relationship between soil quality and both environmental and human health is intricately entwined. From the food we […]
