Green Options

With an increasing proportion of the American food dollar going to restaurant fare, no wonder we’re complaining about the high cost of food. Paying someone else to grow, harvest, pack, repackage, ship, distribute, prepare, cook, serve, and clean up adds up to pricey fare. Convenience now ranks the motivator to eat out: I don’t have enough time to cook or eat at home. Talk about a double whammy: We’re paying more and enjoying our […]

For most parts of the country living in four-season climates, these last weeks of October mark the final farmers’ markets of the year. For the local, seasonal food groupies, this marks a bittersweet time, reminiscent of the last days of summer camp: while we promise to see each other next year, we desperately hug each other for a long goodbye, trying to hang to the fleeting magic of summer.

So rather than

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Potluck gatherings run on a two-way street: While the hosts take care of invitations and buffet logistics, potlucks succeed when guests do their part in delivering good food. And there are perks to earning a reputation as a great potluck guest: you’ll never be lacking in potluck invites.

Here are some tips on what to do when the host says "bring a dish to pass":

• Non-cooks think fresh. Don’t panic if you’re not

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Potlucks blend the best of edible activism strategies: building community and connections, one casserole at a time. Add in that potlucks enable you to entertain without breaking the budget as everyone contributes to the meal, and you’ll see why some date the word "potluck" concept way back to the 16th century in England, where it was originally described as a meal "taking the luck of the days’ pot," offering guests whatever food

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A fresh holiday season may be around the corner, but how many of you still have candy canes lingering in your pantry from last year? Or a collection of those round red-and-white peppermints from
restaurants? Sometimes our inner squirrel can get the best of us
as we stockpile food until our pantry is so stuffed
we forget what we even have.

While stocking up and buying bulk can help both the pocketbook and
planet, having too much food

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That squirrel frantically burying acorns outside your window reflects a perspective that we all could use more of: keep your food staples stocked up and on hand. Fortunately, we’re one up on the squirrel and don’t need to bury our edibles outside — remember where we put them. We’ve evolved to the indoor kitchen pantry.

Think of your kitchen pantry — whether it’s an cabinet or deluxe walk-in closet model

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Editor’s note: This week, Celsias writer Jessica Gottlieb takes a look at some of the practical aspects of incorporating green practices into a household’s routine. Is it easy? Not always. Is it worth it? Definitely! This post was originally published on September 25, 2007.

Yes? No? Maybe so?

The conversations all start the same.

I’d really like to be green but I don’t see myself with a compost pile at

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As my 4-year-old son starts his first year of preschool this month, my concerns for him have entered a whole new realm. School means new friends and new experiences, which are great. But it also means exposure to new habits, preferences and ideas that aren’t always good for him. Some kids might bring in lunches heavy in junk food, which I try not to feed my son. Some might be obsessed with

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You recycle, you drive a fuel efficient car, you buy organic food, you turn the thermostat down at night: in short, you are trying your best to make this world a better place. Your parents however still use incandescent light bulbs, still don’t recycle, and still look at you like an alien every time you suggest they trade in their giant land tank for something more sensible. If this sounds like your

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It's that time again already - a new issue of Body+Soul magazine is on sale and it's time for me to give you the rundown of what's good. If you happened to miss the first B+S review, or want to know more about the background of this publication, check out my June 16th review. For the July/August issue, Body+Soul's official website offers up the following blurb:

Energize your life!

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Editor's Note: Today, Chris Baskind editor at Lighter Footstep writes on the importance of keeping dryer sheets at bay from our pets.

Well-meaning pet owners are using dryer sheets to control pet hair. Is this such a good idea?

We love our pets — and they love us. Which is the main reason dog and cat dander seems to get everywhere: on the sofa, your clothes, and your carpet. Your

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