Greening up with more highly efficient home design is a sure way to green down on the pocketbook. Although energy efficiency is linked to protecting the environment, it involves much more than just “going green” in the sense of preserving the environment. Energy efficiency is making the most of resources, which has a long-term effect financially as well as sustainably. How to Make Homes Energy Efficient When it comes to building or remodeling a home, the energy efficiency of the home should be taken into account. The higher your home’s energy efficiency, the more money you can save in expenses...

What names do you think of when you hear the word “inventor”? Thomas Edison? Benjamin Franklin? Alexander Graham Bell? I’ll bet it’s not Martha Knight or Nancy Johnson. Wait—who are those ladies, you may ask, and you would be asking a good question. They are just two of many women inventors. In fact, I would like to introduce you to some very special women. These women, most of them little homemakers themselves, made their marks on history by sharing with the world their own inventions that we find in the kitchen every day. Let’s meet these ladies and their inventions… Cleaning and Curing...

Itchy eyes, scratchy throat, runny nose… Wait—aren’t those symptoms supposed to go away with the coming of summer? Just because spring is gone does not mean that the allergies are gone with it. In fact, summer allergies can make your summer fun and relaxation anything but fun and relaxing. Summer Allergies What causes allergies? Allergies are triggered when you breathe certain particles and the immune system fights back. When allergens find their way into the nasal passage, the immune system treats them as foreign invaders and begins to release antibodies, which are generally made to fight off...

What really goes into the process of recycling? As the world is constantly seeking ways to sustain the environment, recycling is a word that is mentioned repeatedly. Most people know the basics of recycling, but not everybody knows how the process of recycling actually works. You may have neatly marked boxes designated for your particular items to be recycled—paper, cans, bottles, etc.—and you may drop them off regularly at the local recycling facility and never think of those items again. But what happens once they leave your house? The journey for recycled products is a long and complex one. The...

When we see bags of flour on the shelves and fresh vegetables at the farmer’s market, we do not consider the preciousness of their presence, but the truth is that our food faces daily fights just for survival. Fortunately, today we have special fertilizers, pesticides, and other preventions and protections that keep our food crops alive and healthy. There have been times throughout America’s history, however, when our crops lost the battle for survival. Here are five stories about true crop disasters from the past; some of them you may or may not know, but each reveals the great impact that the...