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15 Companion Plants for Peppers—Plus 5 to Keep at a Distance—for the Healthiest Harvest
Companion planting—the practice of growing compatible plants near each other—can benefit the pepper plants in your ga...
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15 Natural Pest-Control Strategies for Your Yard and Garden
Sharing the planet with insects is a fact of life, especially when pleasant weather arrives. By late spring, all kind...
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What Do Dryer Balls Do—and Do They Actually Work?
Q: I've heard about dryer balls, but I don’t know how they work or if they're effective. What do dryer balls do, and ...
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How Much Does Solar Panel Cleaning Cost?
Highlights Solar panel cleaning costs typically average $150 to $630. The size and type of system, the number of pa...
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How Much Does a Home Wind Turbine Cost?
Highlights The typical cost to install a home wind turbine ranges between $300 and $75,000. Some of the factors tha...
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How to Use Eggshells for Plants (in the Garden or in Pots)
If you are into recycling and have learned the most environmentally friendly ways to dispose of your plastics and alu...
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At Least One of These 12 Bans Will Affect You and Your Household (Plus What to Use Instead)
Every year, there is a growing awareness of the impact that some everyday products have on our health and the environ...
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How to Revive Dried Elmer's, Gorilla, and Other Glue
Have you ever reached for a bottle of Elmer’s glue, craft glue, or another adhesive that has been up on a shelf for a...
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7 Ways to Recycle Your Tree After Christmas
Once the holidays are behind us (and our tolerance for Christmas tree needles on our floors is at an annual low), man...
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Reinventing the Wheel: 12 Smart New Uses for Old Tires
When overburdened with old tires, your first instinct might be to throw them on the curb or take them to your nearest...
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Breaking Down Solar Panel Cost: California-Specific Factors and Considerations
Highlights The typical solar panel cost in California averages $14,873, but homeowners may spend between $12,622 and...
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What Is the Cost of Solar Panels in Texas?
Highlights Solar panels in Texas cost about $13,353 to install, but a typical range is $11,140 to $15,640. Several ...
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11 Home Improvement Things That Have Changed Since Bob Vila's First Episode of This Old House
On New Year’s Day 1979, the first house Bob Vila renovated on TV was an 1860s-era home, surely timber-framed and asse...
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Online Holiday Shoppers: Here's What to Do With All Those Cardboard Boxes
In a world ruled by online shopping, cardboard boxes have become an integral part of our daily lives. In fact, Genera...
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These Are the Easy Sustainable Swaps Bob Vila Editors Are Making at Home
Living green isn’t always easy. Years ago when recycling first came to homes, it seemed like a lot of trouble to sort...
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Tool-For-All: How to Host a Neighborhood Tool Share
You need a snowblower but just don’t have it in the budget right now, so you borrow one from your neighbor. He needs ...
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Green Living in the Laundry Room: The Manual Washing Machine
Washing clothes is an essential chore we all have to do, but using a washing machine to complete the task isn’t alway...
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I Started Recycling in 2023—Here’s Why It’s Not What I Expected
In January I kicked off my New Year’s resolution to recycle at home. For full disclosure, I’ve paid for and participa...
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12 Fresh Ways to Redecorate Responsibly
Interior design allows you to transform areas of your home into a reflection of your personality. A well-designed spa...
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6 Factors In Deciding Whether to Lease or Finance Solar Panels For Your Home
There’s no doubt that solar panels for the home have long-term benefits—they can not only reduce electric bills but a...
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The Best Electric Composters of 2023
Electric composters make composting simpler, faster, and more efficient. Composting is an excellent way to prevent fo...
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19 Fall Gardening Practices That Will Protect and Enrich Your Soil in Winter
Throughout the growing season, garden plants work together with microbes to break down and use organic matter within ...
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9 Surprising Things You Can Make with Light Bulbs
There's no need to toss burnt-out bulbs in the garbage. Instead, consider repurposing them into a unique home accesso...
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The Great Debate: Is It Safe to Use Rain Barrel Water in Your Vegetable Garden?
Increasing wildfires around the world and documented severe drought—even in unexpected spots like Hawaii and the Sout...
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The 25 Most Walkable Cities in the United States
Roaming the streets on foot might elicit stares in some car-dependent corners of the country, but did you know that t...
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Here's Why You Should Keep a Roll of Tin Foil in the Laundry Room
Since its inception as a kitchen superhero in the early 1900s, aluminum foil has transcended its traditional role in ...
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14 Nifty Neem Oil Uses for the Home and Garden
Neem oil comes from the seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), a fast-growing member of the mahogany family nat...
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9 Ways to Save Gas When Mowing, Trimming, or Using a Generator
In this age of rising fuel prices and heightened environmental consciousness, maximizing the efficiency of our everyd...
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The Best Solar Companies in Southern California of 2023
There are many reasons for homeowners to consider going solar in Southern California. First, the great weather ensure...
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20 Surprising Ways You Can Use Ashes From Your Fire Pit or Fireplace
Beyond their conventional use, the remnants of a wood-burning fireplace hold surprising potential. In fact, in the 17...
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Incandescent Light Bulb Ban—All of Your Questions Answered
If you have been in a lighting or hardware store recently, you may have noticed something missing—incandescent light ...
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7 Ways to Get Help from Federal, State, and Local Government for Improved Energy Efficiency
In today's age of rising energy costs and increasing environmental awareness, having an energy-efficient home has nev...
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Just How Much Energy Does Your Air Fryer Save?
Air fryers make it easy to cook perfectly crispy foods without turning on the oven. But they’re good for more than ju...
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6 Household Chores That Create the Most Carbon Emissions
When you hear about carbon emissions, you probably think about gas-powered vehicles, burning of fossil fuels to heat ...
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Will Switching to All Battery-Powered Lawn Equipment Affect My Electric Bill?
Vehicles on the roads aren’t the only emitters of greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere. Use of gas-powered lawn equi...
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Why Do We Have Grass Lawns?
Beyond a weekly mow and the occasional weed treatment, you probably don’t ponder your lawn and its purpose very much....
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Smart Plugs Offer an Affordable Way to Cut Your Energy Usage
By now we’re all aware of smart plugs’ ability to control lights with voice commands or a smart device, but did you k...
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13 Natural and Effective Ways to Kill Weeds
Although not all of these methods will work all of the time, weed management should always begin with the most eco-fr...
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Energy Efficiency: What Do All Those Ratings Really Mean? 
Do you know how the SEER rating on your new air conditioner impacts your energy bill? How about HSPF of your heat pum...
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15 Secret Ingredients to Make Your Garden Grow
Commercial fertilizer puts vital nutrients back into the soil, but it can be harsh on plants and the surrounding envi...
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15 DIY Solutions for a Pest-Free Home
Cohabitating with unwelcome critters is no one's idea of fun. Armed with a few basic tools and a bit of knowledge, ho...
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12 Rain Barrels That Make Water Conservation Stylish
Even when rain is in short supply, beautiful rain barrels are not. According to Surfrider. org, if your area gets 1 i...
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Your Home by the Numbers: The Temperatures, Ratios, and Levels That Every Homeowner Should Know
Whether you own your own home or are renting from a landlord, you have a lot to stay on top of. Among other things, y...
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What Are Forever Chemicals?
Substances we now call “forever chemicals” have been in use worldwide since the 1940s. These per- and polyfluoroalkyl...
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How to Safely Use Commercial Weed Killers
When you’re trying to eradicate weeds from your lawn or garden, the best choice is to choose sustainable and natural ...
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Sunrun vs. SunPower: Which Solar Company Should You Choose in 2023?
Homeowners looking to install solar panels in their homes may feel overwhelmed by choosing an installation company. H...
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Solved! Why Do We Need Bees?
Q: I recently moved and am ready to start focusing on my garden. A friend told me that I should plant flowers that at...
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This Is How to Dispose of Concrete Properly
Q: I just bought a house and one of my first projects is removing an old, cracked concrete patio in order to replace ...
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Electric Lawn Mowers: 4 Ways to Get Discounts and Rebates
Every time you mow a lawn with a gas-powered mower, you’re adding new pollutants into the air. In fact, using a gas-p...
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The Government Paid Me to Remove My Lawn—Here’s What Happened
Despite an unusually wet winter, the southwestern United States is still facing a water crisis. Consecutive years of ...
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10 Tricks for Keeping Cool Without Air Conditioning
Although many modern homes are equipped with air conditioning, and it may be your go-to solution for keeping the hous...
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Why Now Is the Time to Invest in Rooftop Solar—and Where to Start
This is the third installment of Bob Vila’s Most Valuable Projects of 2023, a month-long series featuring high-ROI ho...
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Solved! What Is a Fuel Cell?
Q: During a recent blackout, my neighbor and I kicked around the idea of alternative power sources. Besides solar and...
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A Sustainable Kitchen Remodel Can Actually Save You Money—Here's How
This is the second installment of Bob Vila’s Most Valuable Projects of 2023, a month-long series featuring high-ROI h...
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How to Air Dry Clothes and Linens: Dos and Don'ts for Crisp, Clean Laundry
If you routinely transfer your clean laundry directly from the washing machine into the adjacent dryer, it may be tim...
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Bob Vila's 11 Ideas to Invest in Our Planet
Earth Day has come and gone for over 50 years now (yep, it started in 1970), but it’s not always easy to commemorate....
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The Best Home EV Chargers of 2023
While public charging points for electric vehicles are becoming more common, a home electric vehicle (EV) charger wil...
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How to Recoup Your Energy Efficiency Home Improvements at Tax Time
Energy-efficient home upgrades benefit the environment by reducing energy demands and air pollution, plus they can pu...
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20 Totally Free Ways to Start a Garden This Year
There are many benefits to gardening, including spending time outdoors, the satisfaction of growing plants from seed,...
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12 Surprising Pros and Cons of Electric Cars
You’ve probably heard the saying, “If something’s too good to be true, it probably is. ” While we wouldn’t necessaril...
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How to Dispose of Carpet Properly
Q: After 10 years, my carpet is worn out with matted and shredding fibers, stains, odors, and damaged padding. I am n...
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RSI Maze Two-Stage Compost Tumbler: Is it Worth It?
In hands-on testing of five of the best compost tumblers on the market, the RSI Maze 65-Gallon Compost Tumbler topped...
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11 Hidden Costs of Owning an Electric Car
The dawn of the electric car revolution is here, and enthusiastic drivers anticipate being able to shed their depende...
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15 Around-the-House Resolutions That Will Save You Money in 2023
Life is surprisingly expensive. You pay for food, clothing, electricity, gas, water, insurance, vehicles, fuel, repai...
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2023 Tax Credits and Deductions Homeowners Should Take Advantage of ASAP
When updating or improving a home, saving energy and money often are top of mind. With a tax credit, 2023 and 2024 ho...
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17 Types of Wildflowers Every Home Gardener Should Know
Are all types of wildflowers native plants? According to Iowa State University, there’s a distinct difference between...
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The Best Solar Companies in Arizona of 2023
If there is one thing that Arizona has to offer, it’s sunshine. The clear, dry air and southern latitude set up plent...
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The Best EV Charger Installers
As people are growing tired of rising gas costs and the negative impact of fossil fuels, electric vehicles have start...
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Can Your Utility Company Control Your Home’s Thermostat?
When temperatures fluctuate, it’s easy to flip on your home’s heating and cooling system and not think much about it....
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How to Dispose of Aerosol Cans the Right Way
Q: We just moved into a new home, and the previous owners left several old aerosol spray paint cans in the garage. I ...
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How to Dispose of a Couch Properly
Q: I just bought a new couch, and it’s going to be delivered next week. My old couch has certainly seen better days, ...
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Solved! What Is a Cistern?
Q: A house I’m considering buying has a cistern. I know cisterns are used for water collection, but I don’t fully und...
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Passive House Design: What All Energy-Conscious Homeowners Should Know
Climate change is already shaping how people live. With more powerful hurricanes, wildfires, heat waves, and flooding...
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Solved! How to Use Your Home's Solar Panels to Charge Your Electric Car
How exactly do solar panels work with the electric grid to charge my electric car?A: Let's start with the basics. Mos...
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15 Flowers That Attract Butterflies
Watching butterflies flit around the yard is one of life’s simple pleasures. Butterflies are not only calming to watc...
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12 Ways to Make an Old Home More Energy Efficient
This article is part of Old House Appreciation with Bob Vila, a month-long series dedicated to showing you the best p...
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What Is Permaculture and How Can I Use It in My Home Garden?
Q: I have been hearing a lot about permaculture lately. How can I implement permaculture principles in my own garden?...
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The Best Solar Charge Controllers
When installing off-grid solar power, a solar charge controller (or solar regulator) will function as the brain of yo...
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The One Drawback of Smart Thermostats Even Utility Companies Didn’t See Coming
From reducing energy usage and lowering utility bills to making it possible for users to adjust a home’s temperature ...
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Is a Lomi Composter the Easiest Way to Turn Food Scraps Into Soil? We Tested It to Find Out
As our culture wrestles with complex issues such as waste disposal, pollution, and sustainability, business-minded in...
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8 Produce Storage Hacks for Less Waste
Americans generated a staggering 103 million tons of food waste in 2018, according to the Environmental Protection Ag...
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13 Household Items You Can Get Paid to Recycle
When it comes to repurposing everyday items, we could learn a thing or two from the Victorians. Especially during the...
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Weathering Water Restrictions: How to Save Your Landscape From the Effects of Drought
The U. S Geological Survey defines drought as a “period of drier-than-normal conditions that results in water-related...
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The Best Solar Lanterns
 Solar-powered lanterns are similar to traditional lanterns, but instead of relying on batteries or electricity to wo...
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The Best Solar-Powered Water Pumps
Solar-powered water pumps use the sun to generate power and efficiently move water from a well, storage tank, pond or...
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12 Modern Homesteading Ideas for a More Self-Sufficient Life
Homesteading as a term can be derived from the Homestead Act of 1862, in which eligible adults who had not taken arms...
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The 10 Best Types of Chickens for Backyard Coops
There are as many types of chickens as there are reasons to keep chickens in your backyard. For homeowners interested...
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9 Home Upgrades the Climate Bill Can Help You Pay For
The Inflation Reduction Act that was recently passed by the U. S. Congress includes $369 billion for energy security ...
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9 Genius Ways to Upcycle Old Bricks
Is that old pile of bricks leftover from a previous project creating an eyesore on your property? While you can certa...
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13 Items You Should Never Put in a Dumpster When Cleaning Out Your Home
Whether you’re spring cleaning, renovating, or moving, that big empty rental dumpster in the driveway might seem like...
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Why You Should Care That the Monarch Butterfly Population Is Dwindling
For the first time, the monarch butterfly has entered the endangered species list due to its dwindling numbers. With ...
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Earthship Homes: Are They the Next Big Sustainable Housing Trend?
If you’re curious about off-grid living, you may have heard of an Earthship. Earthship homes are built partially into...
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8 Important Things to Know About Home Wind Turbines
Installing a residential wind turbine can help generate clean energy for your home, RV, or even a boat or camper. How...
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10 Innovative Materials Poised to Make Home Building More Sustainable
Not only is sustainability in vogue, but it is becoming more critical as climate change and other environmental issue...
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Water Restrictions Are Expanding—What That Means for Your Home and Garden
As wildfires rage, droughts persist, and heat waves impact much of the country, water restrictions are becoming more ...
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Our Favorite Chicken Coop Is On Sale for Prime Day
Having a backyard chicken coop is a great step toward living more independently, plus, nothing beats farm-fresh eggs ...
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The Best Prime Day 2022 Deals on Home Goods from Sustainable Brands
Whether you’re looking for household essentials or gardening gear, there’s likely a sale on it right now, thanks to A...
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How to Dispose of Tires Properly
Q: My car got a flat tire the other day. I was able to change the tire without issue, but I realized I don’t know how...
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The Best Worm Composters
A worm composter is a tool that uses worms to break down food scraps as well as other organic material to create a va...
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The 30 Best Eco-Friendly Products of 2023
As we collectively expand our appreciation for the planet, shopping for eco-friendly products has never been an easie...
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The 12 Best Places to Buy Sustainable Furniture
Choosing the right furniture for your home can be a daunting task. Where is it made? What materials were used? Will i...
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Throngs of Home Buyers Have Relocated to Drought-Stricken Regions—What That Means for the Water Crisis
Many people spend their lives dreaming of retiring to a warmer climate, but some are getting more than they bargained...
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Here's Why Mass Timber Could Be a Game Changer for the Building Industry
With building materials being a significant contributor to carbon emissions and sustainable solutions becoming more p...
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The Best Rain Barrels
Using a rain barrel is an easy way to lessen a household’s impact on the environment, and it helps to save some money...
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How to Grow Milkweed
While most pollinators can survive on a variety of plants, monarch caterpillars rely exclusively on milkweed. The pla...
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I Let My Lawn Grow for No Mow May—Here’s What Happened
No Mow May was started in 2019 by citizen scientists in the United Kingdom as part of a conservation study to support...
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29 Handy Household Uses for Vinegar
If you think vinegar is just for salads, think again. This inexpensive kitchen multitasker repels insects, removes rust, and cleans everything from tile to silver.
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Don't Sell It, Swap It! How to Host a Successful Community Swap Meet
When clearing away items that no longer serve your household, some may still have plenty of value for someone else. G...
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10 Rules to Follow When Buying Secondhand Furniture
Furniture is one of the best things to buy secondhand, but this is only true when you choose the right pieces. Taking...
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10 Smart Ways to Upcycle Old Tablecloths
Need yards of fabric for a craft project, but don’t want to spend big bucks on fancy textiles? Look no further than y...
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10 Smart Solutions for Keeping Animals Out of the Garden Without Harming Them
If your garden is your pride and joy, it can be exceedingly frustrating when animals nibble on your plants or dig aro...
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Why You Should Care About Extreme Drought in the Southwest, Even if You Don’t Live There
You may recall learning about the 1930s Dust Bowl in history class. Droughts come and go, but the extreme drought cur...
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10 Endangered Plants You Can Help Save at Home
North America is home to many native plants, but some species’ populations have dwindled because of environmental fac...
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12 Best Reusable Products To Help You Reduce Waste at Home
With knowledge comes responsibility, and that’s especially the case when it comes to taking care of our planet. These...
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10 Sustainable Gardening Trends to Try in 2022
Gardening is an excellent way to spend time outside, grow your own food, and even reduce your environmental impact. I...
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No Mow May: 8 Reasons to Let Your Lawn Grow for a Month
First popularized in 2019 in the United Kingdom, No Mow May has since taken root here in the United States. In 2020, ...
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8 Things You Should Know Before Buying a House With Solar Panels
In 2021, solar energy accounted for 46 percent of all new electricity-generating capacity added in the United States....
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Home Features That Protect Against Climate Change Are Key Selling Points for Today's Buyers, According to Zillow
You may already know that making your home more eco-friendly can increase your return on investment, but did you know...
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Peat Moss vs. Coco Coir: What’s the Difference Between These Go-To Gardening Supplies?
Peat moss has long been a primary ingredient in seed starting and potting mixes, as well as a popular amendment to ga...
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10 Eco-Conscious Ways to Limit Waste When Renovating a Home
It’s exciting to give your home the facelift you’ve always wanted. However, renovations can also be drawn out and tir...
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20 Smart Spring Cleaning Tips for Sustainably Minded Homeowners
An incredible 92 percent of Americans are considering what they can do to make their spring cleaning practices friend...
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The Best Home Wind Turbines
 Home wind turbines provide a way to independently generate power. They typically contain three blades and use the wi...
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12 Ways to Rewild Your Suburban Plot
Rethink Your Definition of a Beautiful YardIt’s time to leave manicured, neat, and tidy lawns in the past and get bac...
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11 Ways to Make the Most of Your Town’s Curbside Cleanup Day
Many towns designate certain days for curbside cleanup (aka bulk trash pickup), when residents can rid themselves of heavy, awkward, or unwieldy items. Here’s wha...
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The 12 Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Under $15
Eco-friendly cleaning products are becoming a staple in many households as buyers become more aware of toxic chemical...
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The 12 Biggest Landscaping Trends for 2022
Like decorating styles, landscaping trends come and go. Some of this year’s top trends sprang from our evolving desir...
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Try Scents to Send Pests Packing From Your Garden
As a gardener, you know how frustrating it is to put hours into your plot only to see it ravaged by pests. Every gard...
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This New Construction-Grade Building Material Recycles the World’s Worst Plastics
Plastic is a massive contributor to global waste and pollution. In fact, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)...
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The Best Bamboo Toilet Paper
The best bamboo toilet paper has all the qualities of “regular” toilet paper—it’s plush, comfortable to use, and stro...
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How to Properly Dispose of a TV
Q: I recently purchased a new television for my living room, but I’m unsure what to do with the old one. What are the...
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This Organic Gardening Supply Is Stirring Up Controversy—Should You Stop Using It?
Peat moss has been a top growing medium, especially for starting seeds, since the 1960s. Compressed pellets of peat m...
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The Latest in 3D-Printed Homes Uses Recycled Plastic Instead of Concrete
One of the biggest innovations in the housing market has been the introduction of 3D-printed homes, which builders ca...
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15 Superfoods That Are Easy to Grow Yourself
What Is a Superfood?The term “superfood” refers to nutrient-dense, natural foods that studies have found to promote b...
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13 Surprising Pantry Items That Naturally Clean and Freshen Your Home
A Cleaner, More Natural HomeMore and more of us are turning away from traditional cleaning products and toward eco-fr...
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Grow This, Not That: 12 Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants
Invasive plant species often are ornamental plants that were introduced from other regions into ecosystems where they...
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6 Ways to Use Dehumidifier Water Around the House
The average dehumidifier removes 4 to 10 gallons of water from the air each day, most of which gets poured down the d...
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What is Reversible Architecture?
A drive through any American ghost town reveals buildings in various states of decay: collapsed roofs, fallen walls, ...
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Black+Decker's New Line of Power Tools Is for the Sustainably Minded DIYer
Two industry leaders have developed a greener approach to power tools for sustainability-minded DIYers. Black+Decker ...
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13 Retailers You Never Knew Would Recycle Your Old Stuff
As consumers, we create a massive amount of waste, filling up landfills with all of the products we’ve used and throw...
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How to Dispose of Styrofoam Without Throwing It in the Trash
Q: Between delivery boxes filled with Styrofoam peanuts and takeout orders packed in Styrofoam containers, I always s...
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The 8 Best Essentials for Off-Grid Living
The picture often painted of off-grid living is one of difficulty and hardship—of living without modern conveniences....
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These 10 Eco-Friendly Design Trends Will Be Everywhere in 2022
Changing the Way We Think About DesignOver the past 2 years, we’ve gone from lockdowns, remote working, and distance ...
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How to Turn Donated Goods Into a Bigger Tax Refund
If you’ve recently done some downsizing or decluttering, you may have taken a car full of items you no longer needed ...
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12 Gardening and DIY Camps and Workshops for Adults
Taking up a new hobby like gardening or woodworking ought to be an exciting challenge, but it can be tough to know wh...
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The Best Solar Pool Heaters of 2023
While a backyard pool can be refreshing on a hot summer day, water that’s too cold can be downright shocking. Getting...
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5 Ways to Live as Green as Your Grandparents Did
Eco-Conscious Meets Common SenseWe may not imagine our senior family members having much in common with today’s youth...
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10 Simple Steps to a Zero-Waste Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it’s also one of the places that can generate the most waste in a house. Wh...
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12 Ingenious Ways to Upcycle Old Pillowcases
Hang on to your old pillowcases—there's life in them yet! Here's how to transform them into new, useful items for your home.
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7 Ways to Be Less Wasteful While Moving
About 40 million Americans move every single year, and they generate a lot of waste as they head from one residence t...
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How to Hire a Reputable Estate Sale Company
By definition, most estate sales are conducted after a death as a way of liquidating the decedent’s personal property...
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Don't Throw Your Old Christmas Lights in the Trash—Do This Instead
If you’ve been throwing your dead Christmas lights in the trash, we get it. After spending what seems like all 25 day...
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How to Replace (Almost) All of the Paper Products in Your Home
Each year, the average American uses seven trees’ worth of paper in products. This means that in the United States al...
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How Soil Amendments Can Improve Your Garden
Maybe you’ve heard about soil amendments and have wondered what the term might mean for your garden. If you want to h...
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MERV Ratings: What Do They Mean?
When we set out to build a new construction home, we had a lot of research to do. Having lived in city apartments for...
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6 Things to Know About Sheep’s Wool Insulation
From the ground up, insulation is a necessity in the home. Tucked behind walls, nestled beneath floors, and hidden ab...
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The Best Places in America for Off-Grid Living
These are the best states for living a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle while reducing your dependence on public utilities.
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20 Surprising Things You Can't Recycle
The “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra popularized during the environmental movement of the 1970s has never been more relevant. Nevertheless, there's confusion about...
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20 Things Never to Put in the Fridge
Find out what items are better off left on the counter than in the fridge.
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10 Low-Maintenance Houseplants to Keep Indoor Air Fresh
Can houseplants clean the air inside your home? Learn about the research behind this health benefit and see the low-maintenance plants that will give your home a ...
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Homemade Honey: How to Keep Bees in Your Own Backyard
There’s been a lot of buzz around backyard beekeeping recently. Here’s must-know info and helpful tips to help you enjoy this sweet pursuit!
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25 Things Your Local Thrift Store Doesn’t Want You to Donate
You have the best intentions, but just because you don't want these things anymore doesn't necessarily mean they should be donated to the thrift store. Find out w...
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20 Ways to Support Earth Day This Year
Make today the start of an eco-friendly lifestyle change. Try these 20 easy ideas you can do right now to be kinder to the planet.
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15 Ways Landscaping Can Save You Money
Don't assume a nice landscape has to break the bank. In fact, a smart landscape design plan can offset other home maintenance costs. See the best landscaping idea...
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How To: Grow Fresh Produce from Your Leftover Groceries
Don't toss your scraps into the trash. Learn how you can grow fresh produce from your leftovers and cuttings.
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The Best Reusable Products You Can Snag from Amazon
Don't hesitate any longer. Switching from single-use items to reusable goods is easy and affordable. Add these must-have reusable household supplies to your shopp...
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12 Ways to Put Your Home on an Energy Diet
Adopt these 12 home-energy saving ideas and save money on utilities.
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12 Ways You’re Wasting Water at Home
Cut down on wasted water by eliminating these 12 drains on your wallet—and the planet.
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Where Utility Bills Are Highest (and Lowest) in the United States
Leaving the lights on and blasting the furnace will cost you more in some states than others.
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10 Energy-Saving Myths You Shouldn't Believe
Don’t believe all the tips and tricks that promise to reduce your energy consumption.
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13 Brands That Are Changing the Way We Clean
Learn about the homegrown brands and family-inspired businesses that are transforming how we clean – from the inside out.
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10 Things You Can (and Should) Buy Used on Amazon
Amazon is known for its competitive prices, but there are even more hidden deals on its website that you might not be aware of. The online store has a vast select...
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10 Reasons to Consider Switching to Smart Light Bulbs
You’ve heard of LEDs. You’re aware of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). So what’s the next big idea in home illumination? They’re called smart bulbs, and they co...
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14 Things It's Illegal to Throw in the Trash
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generate more than 250 million tons of trash every year. We constantly toss food waste, paper products...
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30 Water-Saving Habits to Start Right Now
Two billion people globally live with severe water scarcity. Small changes we can all make now will go a long way toward saving water—and our planet.
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I Installed Solar Panels on My Roof and Here’s What Happened
In the past few decades, solar panels have gone from an expensive novelty to an increasingly popular source of power generation. Today, more and more homeowners a...
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30 Ways to Spring Clean Your Whole House—Naturally
There's no better time than spring to give your home some serious deep cleaning. It's finally warm enough to wash your windows without freezing them shut, and now...
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10 "Free" Things That Cost You Money in the Long Run
Life is expensive. Between the mortgage, insurance, car payments, and unexpected repairs, homeowners have a lot of money going out. It’s understandable, then, tha...
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8 Surprising Reasons You Should Stop Using Plastic in Your Kitchen
The first plastics were invented in the 1860s and were initially touted as substitutes for natural materials like ivory and tortoiseshell. Celluloid, for instance...
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10 Retro Home Products That Are Roaring Back into Style
Every generation has a tendency to recycle trends and styles from the past. For some its rediscovering favorites of yesteryear, while for others it’s an introduct...
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20 Clever Household Uses for Lemons
Nature’s supreme source of sour is capable of far more than adding a delightful tartness to your favorite foods. Slice up a few lemons and give these practical ho...
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14 Things to Do with Olive Oil Besides Cook
Olive oil is most commonly thought of as a kitchen staple, but for thousands of years it's also been used for all sorts of things that have nothing to do with foo...
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The Recycling Symbols Every Responsible Homeowner Should Know
Want to recycle more, but don't know what—and what not—to toss in the green bin? Recycling symbols have been imprinte...
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Wing It: 14 Approaches to a DIY Birdbath
Welcome feathered friends to your backyard with a DIY birdbath modeled after any of the following inspiring designs.
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18 Ways You're Accidentally Wasting Energy
You turn off lights when you leave a room, combine errands to stretch a tank of gas, and run only full loads in your dishwasher. Yet even if you're following the ...
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The Best Homemade Stainless Steel Cleaner
Longevity and luster make stainless steel a popular choice material for appliances, countertops, and other fixtures. ...
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12 Genius Ways to Reuse Your Plastic Bottles
We all know that plastic isn't exactly eco-friendly, so if you want to do your part to protect the planet, the best course of action is to reduce the amount of pl...
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9 Smart Uses for Dusty Old Books
While the thought of destroying a hardcover tome might make some book lovers squirm, there does come a time when an old, musty, or damaged book may have outlived ...
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How To: Dispose of Dry Ice
Solidified carbon dioxide—better known as dry ice—is commonly used to freeze food or keep it cold longer than regular...
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5 Reasons Not to Buy Replacement Windows (...and Go with Window Inserts Instead)
A homeowner's to-do list can seem endless, especially come spring. Paint the exterior. Mow the lawn (again and again ...
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DIY Hydroponics 101: All You Need to Know About Growing Plants Without Soil
If you’ve ever taken a stem cutting from a plant and stuck it in a glass of water to grow roots, you’ve taken advanta...
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9 Signs Your Tap Water Might Be Contaminated
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “the United States enjoys one of the world's most reliable and safest supplies of drinking water.” Occasionally,...
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How to Make Your Own Fertilizer for Plants
If you want lush healthy houseplants and garden growth but aren’t thrilled about paying for costly commercial foods w...
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12 Secret Uses for Dr. Bronner's Soap
By now maybe you've seen Dr. Bronner's Castile soap in the personal hygiene aisle at your local grocery or health food store. While Castile soap isn't new—it's be...
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16 Insanely Clever Ways to Reuse Household Junk
Don't trash that dead telephone, scrap that torn sweater, or haul that lifeless bed frame to the junkyard just yet! As these functional and fanciful projects prov...
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How To: Make and Use Your Own Deer Repellent
Deer are delightful romping through the forest but can wreak havoc in a garden, decimating vegetables, fruit trees, l...
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Solved! This Is the Best Time to Water Grass
Q: I notice neighbors’ sprinklers running at all hours of the day. What’s the best time to water grass, and how much ...
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How To: Mix and Use Homemade Wood Floor Cleaner
Wood floors add beauty and warmth to any home, but they do demand special care. Though there are plenty of commercial...
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10 Brilliant Ways to Reuse Plastic Bags
Despite our greatest efforts to minimize our use of plastic grocery bags by opting for reusable shopping bags, that pesky plastic always has a way of ending up in...
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Solved! What to Do About a Leaking Shower Head
Q: Lately, when I take a shower, more water drips and runs out from behind the shower head faceplate than comes out t...
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14 Clever New Uses for Old Newspapers
Reading the morning newspaper is a relaxing ritual for many people, but unfortunately, this admirable habit results in the waste of a lot of paper. Rather than si...
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How To: Make Homemade Glass Cleaner
We’ve all seen the bottles of glass cleaner vying for our dollars on supermarket shelves. But there’s an economical a...
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14 of the Best Plants for Your Drought-Tolerant Garden
Water conservation is at the forefront of gardeners’ minds in many parts of the country. Luckily, there are a wide variety of drought-tolerant plants that thrive ...
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18 New Uses for Old Shoeboxes
Whether or not you have a slight shoe obsession, it seems that everyone has an abundance of old shoeboxes taking up space in the closet. Put those sturdy cardboar...
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20 New Uses for Old Candles
Don't toss that candle stub! Discover some creative ways to use the wax that is left after burning a candle.
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How To: Make Your Own Grout Cleaner
No matter how hard you work to keep your kitchen and bathroom clean, they'll always look dingy if they're plagued by ...
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14 Sneaky Ways to Save Money on Your Water Bill
Owning a home is expensive: There are property taxes and mortgages, tiny repairs and big maintenance projects, energy costs and water bills. After all's said and ...
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22 Unique Gift Wrapping Ideas for the Holidays
If you’re over the environmental impact of disposable wrapping paper, get creative. Use these household materials to make your gift packaging even more meaningful.
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How To: Make Your Own Drain Cleaner
When your sink or shower drain gets clogged, it's pretty easy to figure out the cause. The perp is usually a disgusti...
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10 Weirdly Awesome New Uses for Old Appliances
Let’s face it, appliances don’t last forever. And when they bite the dust, we’re left wondering how to dispose of them. Here’s an idea: don’t! Instead, try one of...
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How to Make Homemade Mosquito Repellent: 6 Easy, Effective Recipes
Mention DEET (chemical name, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) in a crowded room, and you’re likely to hear a chorus of dif...
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11 Real Reasons to Consider Fake Grass
Is your lawn getting to be a real pain in the… grass? If your relaxing weekends have been supplanted by the never-ending work of mowing, fertilizing, watering, an...
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10 Artful Uses for Old Frames
An empty picture frame is the quintessential blank slate. Sure, you can fill it with a photo of your dog, a poster, or a drawing. But why not take it further? Wit...
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Keep, Don't Kill: 9 Weeds to Welcome
One man's weed is another man's best friend. That's certainly true for many of the weeds that are found in backyards around the country. While some gardeners labo...
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7 Smart Ways to Save Water in the Yard
Essential for everything from bathing to eating, and from cleaning your house to maintaining your garden, clean water is one resource that is hard to go a day wit...
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10 Surprisingly Effective Ways to Clean With Baking Soda and Vinegar
It turns out our grandmothers were right: There's little need for store-bought, chemical cleaners given that baking s...
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Show Love to Your Leather Furniture with Homemade Conditioner
When the skin of our hands gets dry and starts to crack a bit, we quickly reach for moisturizing lotion. The same log...
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How To: Get Rid of ANYTHING
A new year is a great time to get rid all the junk that is cluttering your home. But some things are easier to dispose of than others. Many charitable organizatio...
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The Right Way to Dispose of Batteries
Just think about how many different types of batteries exist. From non-mercury alkalines to lithium-ion rechargeables...
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Pass on Grass: 7 Reasons to Landscape with Gravel
Lower maintenance lawns are becoming more and more popular. Finding ways to decrease the amount of grass in the yard can reduce your reliance on watering, chemica...
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10 New Uses for Old Dressers
The dresser is a sturdy staple of almost every bedroom, but daily wear and tear can put even the best one into disrepair. When it's time to for a new dresser, don...
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Today's Homeowners Rediscover the Benefits of a Root Cellar
Until fruits and vegetables were available year-round at the grocery store, the root cellar played a vital role in da...
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How to Make Your Own Laundry Detergent
With just a few commonly available ingredients, you can make homemade laundry detergent. One of the best reasons to c...
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Weekend Projects: 5 Ways to Set Up a Home Recycling Station
If you live in one of the many municipalities encouraging—or even mandating—an effort to recycle, your day-to-day now...
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Reinventing the Wheel: 10 Smart New Uses for Old Tires
Wheels have come a long way since their Stone Age introduction. No longer just for transporting objects from place to place, wheels have become a starting point f...
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Choosing the Right Bulb (and Dimmer)
Up until recently, buying a light bulb was probably as routine for most people as buying a carton of milk. But new li...
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The Appeal of Bamboo Flooring
Floors are an essential and important element in an interior design scheme. Small wonder, then, that the eye-catching...
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18 Clever Uses for Coffee Grounds at Home and in the Garden
Every time you dump used coffee grounds into the trash, you’re adding to the millions of tons of coffee waste that pi...
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Homemade Fertilizer Makes the Grass Always Greener
Spring is near, and for many that means coaxing the lawn back into shape. Growing grass can be frustrating and reward...
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The Black-and-White Benefits of Gray Water
It takes a whopping amount of water to sustain what many would regard as modest household usage. Imagine a family rou...
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9 Creative Uses for Old Paint Cans
Wondering what to do with all those empty paint cans? See how others have cleaned and repurposed them into everything from smart storage to fun works of art.
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Earthbound: 5 "All Natural" House Styles
This is nothing new: For thousands of years, people have been living in shelters made from earth-based building mater...
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Drought-Tolerant Landscaping: Top Tips for a Hardy, Low-Maintenance Yard
The typical U. S. household can use 40 to 60 gallons a day on average just to water lawns and gardens. About half tha...
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Low-Flow Toilets 101: Here's Why a Toilet Upgrade is Worth the Upfront Expense
The Environmental Protection Agency says that an estimated 4. 8 billion gallons of water are flushed down the toilet ...
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All You Need to Know About Geothermal Heating Systems
Geothermal heat represents about two percent of the total heating market in the U. S. , with more than 1. 3 million s...
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Solved! What Is Greenwashing?
What Is Greenwashing?Greenwashing is the practice of falsely advertising one’s product, company or practice as “green...
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Going Green and Keeping Clean: Outdoor Edition
A walk down any big-box store’s cleaning products aisle will tell the story: It’s evident by the noticeable increase ...
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Check the Label: A Guide to Green Designations for the Home
What is a green home? While “green” has yet to be given a universally accepted definition, a green home would be defi...
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Aggressive Energy Savings of Passive House Design
More and more renovators, house hunters, architects and construction companies are paying attention to energy-saving ...
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Trending Now: Green Roofs
As you plan landscaping for your yard, consider the potential of bringing it to the roof. The benefits of reduced runoff, improved insulation and longevity may b...
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10 New Uses for Old Doors
With imagination and elbow grease, you can transform that old door into a one-of-a-kind piece that's both useful and beautiful.
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18 Easy Grass Alternatives for Your Lawn
Americans love our lawns, and we would like to save some time maintaining those green spaces while also maintaining c...
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13 Easy Ways to Repurpose Antique Armoires
With a little ingenuity, you can move your antique armoire into the 21st century without sacrificing any of the furniture's old-fashioned charm.
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It's All in the Flush! The High Impact of Low-Flow Toilets
Average Americans are flushing money down the drain.  Oh, maybe not literally money—but most US homes still have one ...
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15 Ways to Use Salvaged Wood in Your Home
These days, everyone tries hard to subscribe to the 3R’s— Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Home design is all over that trend, and has its own 3R’s— Recycle, Repurpose, Re...
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Eco-Friendly Flooring: 5 Ways to Go Green from the Bottom Up
60% to 70% of the homes in the U. S. contain carpeting made from nylon, polyester, or vinyl—materials dependent on no...
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12 Birdhouses We Love
House hunting for your fine feathered friends? Here are some fun designs to make or buy.
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Save Money with an Irrigation Well
The development where we chose to build our house is about 2 miles from the beach. We can ride our bikes to the state...
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Shipping Container Homes
Looking for an inexpensive backyard office or a tiny house in the woods? Check out the growing field of container arc...
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7 DIY Recycling Centers for Small Spaces
Whether you're lucky enough to have once-weekly curbside service, or you have to transport your paper, glass, metal a...
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Planning for Soil Conditions and Setting the Footings
Bob introduces homeowner Howard Brickman. Steve Ivas, an environmental engineer, describes the area wetlands, which must be accommodated. Innovative building tech...
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Installing Galvalume Metal Roof and Solar Panels
Work is being done on the roof—laying Deck-Armor and installing metal roofing and photovoltaic panels. Bob talks with Jeff Wolf from GroSolar about the photovolta...
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Reviewing the Addition's Footprint and Garage Doors and Laying Down the Second-Story Floor
The new addition's footprint is essentially a whole other house, yet it will integrate visually with a matching roofline to the existing house. New technologies h...
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Touring a Designer Showhouse and Baby's Bathroom
In West Palm Beach, FL, the American Lung Association has sponsored a designer showhouse that highlights a healthy home. Bob’s house tour focuses on the baby’s ba...
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Tour an Affordable Green Apartment Building
Bob visits the South Bronx, NY, where Habitat for Humanity has partnered with private developer Les Bluestone to create a green oasis for low-income families that...
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Tour a Salvaged Home with the Latest Green Technologies
Architect Mary Kennedy and Bob tour her Georgian Colonial family home in Westchester County, NY. After a flood ruined the house, the challenge was to salvage and ...
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Tour an Earth-Bermed House in Upstate New York
Bob visits with architect Alan Shope who has built a unique earth-bermed house at his farm in Upstate New York.
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Installing Custom Shower Doors, Bath Hardware, and CO Detectors
Bob reviews the bathrooms, discusses the importance of carbon monoxide detectors, and highlights some fun touches in the basement, such as his mini wine cellar an...
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Discussing Water Purification and Touring the Kinetico Plant near Cleveland, OH
Bob asks about the benefits of water purification and tours the Kinetico plant just outside of Cleveland to find out how the quality of the water is improved.
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Removing Unwanted Junk and Debris
Bob discusses the best ways to discard debris and unwanted items before starting a renovation.
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Replacing the Gutters, Trimming a Tree, and Creating a Low-Maintenance Front Yard
Old gutters are replaced and external landscaping continues with the trimming of a tree, installing a front garden, and creating steps from recycled granite.
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Building an Energy-Efficient Florida Home
Bob meets with Bill Zoeller to discuss the ways this property will be 50% more energy efficient that a typical Florida Home.
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A Sustainable Yard and Landscape
Bob does a walkthrough of the finished Punta Gorda home. He discusses sustainable gardening, water conservation and low-maintenance plants. Then he joins Leslie...
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Installing Natural Bamboo Sliding Panel Shades
Cindy O'Reilly is on site with Bob to install the natural bamboo, sliding-panel shades.
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Sustainable Planting for Florida Landscape
Ken Micklow and Trent Culleny talk with Bob about native, storm-resistant gardening. Then Carm DiBella shows Bob an environmentally friendly termite protection s...
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Sustainable Landscaping in Florida
Angela Polo and Ken Micklow shows Bob how to work with native plants, discuses fertilizers and pest control. They also discuss how to plant to protect from high w...
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Ultra Low-Flow Toilet Installed
Lenora Campos shows Bob a Toto energy-efficient toilet.
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Installing Bathroom Fixtures
Bob meets with Lenora Campos of Toto USA, the largest toilet manufacturer in the world. Campos introduces Toto's Mercer line of residential fixtures, giving speci...
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Toto Low-Flow Toilet
Bob meets with Lenora Campos from Toto USA, a leader in water technology and the largest toilet manufacturer in the world. Campos introduces Bob to the dual-flush...
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Space Savings and Increased Effeciency With a Tankless Hot Water Heater
Robert Kirkpatrick from Rinnai joins Bob to explain the tankless hot-water system being installed in the Manhattan Brownstonel.
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Redwood Deck Installation and Tour of Vermont Organic Farm
Bob talks with Ron Holen from Georgia-Pacific as the finishing touches are completed on the redwood front porch deck. Bob also visits with farmers at Cedar Mounta...
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Kinetico Water Purification System and Gas-Fired Water Heater
Bob explains how the Kinetico water purification system works and reviews the A.O. Smith ProMax 75 gas-fired water heater.
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Photovoltaic Roofing Shingles Installed
Bob talks with Deane Evans (from the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing) and Ren Anderson (from the National Renewable Engergy Laboratory) about phot...
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Helicopter Tour of Reforestation Efforts on Mount St. Helens
Bob takes a helicopter tour of the major reforestation efforts underway on Mount St. Helens.
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Green Construction in Tuscon, AZ
Bob tours Civano, a housing development in which a variety of earth-friendly construction approaches have been utilized.
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Civano Development Model Home
Bob tours a model home in the Civano development, keeping his eye out for special features and decorating ideas.
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Blower Door Test
Janet MacIlvaine and George James (from the Department of Energy) show Bob how they conduct a blower door test.
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Marble Countertop Installation
Bob checks in with Greg Rockland, the plumber installing a marble countertop in the loft conversion unit.
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Energy-Efficient Boiler Installed
A high-efficiency Buderus boiler is installed, and Steve Offutt (from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) explains the national Energy Star program.
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Visiting the Yestermorrow Design Build School
Bob visits the Yestermorrow Design Build School in Warren, VT, which espouses a unique philosophy on architecture. Bob meets with students and discusses their pro...
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Malibu Beach House Demolition
The roof types of surrounding homes are discussed, together with the possibilities that exist for the project house. As roof demolition begins, Bob addresses the ...
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Environmentally Friendly House
Bob reviews the framing before heading inside to meet environmental specialist John Picard, who explains some of the features that make the Malibu beach house env...
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Combining Two Double-Hung Windows
Two recycled windows are used to create one large window. Once carpenter Bob Ryley demolishes the old frame, supports are installed to hold up the new combined wi...
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Recycling a Hardwood Floor
Flooring contractor Leo Boudreau shows Bob how to recycle hardwood flooring. First, the floor must be salvaged. A pry bar is used to lift and remove the wood, pie...
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Replacing the Toilet
Plumber Dan Macias replaces the old toilet with a new, high-efficiency model.
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Lowering the "Ell" Onto the Foundation
The crew lowers the recycled "ell" onto the new foundation with a crane.
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The Future of Building with Steel Shipping Containers
Bob talks with David Cross (formerly of Tampa Armature Works) about the future of home construction with steel shipping containers.
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