ArcaMax

Plants need light for photosynthesis, and to thrive and be healthy over time. You might think placing a plant near a lamp is just as good as placing it near a sunny window, but traditional light bulbs lack the red and blue spectra light plants need most to grow. While “full spectrum” light bulbs are available, they are expensive and use ...Read more

One of the easiest ways to cut back on food waste in the kitchen is by using vegetable trimmings to make homemade vegetable stock. Carrot tops, hearty greens and onion peels are obvious choices to simmer in water, but don’t forget items like bell pepper membranes and seeds, corn cobs and broccoli stems. Simmer everything low and slow, then ...Read more

Soft, rotten whole onions should never be eaten, but they don’t have to be thrown away. Use them to clean dirty grill grates instead. Simply cut the onion in half and use it like a scrubber to loosen burnt-on residue. Rinse the grates with water, then rub them again with the onion. The natural sulfur compounds in onions react with the metal, ...Read more

Don’t toss broccoli stems in the trash; they’re not only edible and nutritious, but they’re also delicious! You can chop them up and cook them like any other vegetable, but a fun idea is to turn them into zero-carb "brocc-rice." Simply grate the stems on the largest side of a box grater to create small ricelike pieces. Then saute them just...Read more

What do you do with the used coffee grinds in your coffee maker? They are compostable and can be a great nutritional boost for your garden. But if you have a dog at home, you can also take advantage of the flea-repelling properties found in coffee. At your dog’s next bath time, massage used coffee grinds into its coat, then rinse. The residual...Read more

If you want to eat one thing to help the environment, go with lentils. Lentils are rich in protein and considered one of the most climate-friendly proteins grown because it takes very little to grow them. Lentils produce very few emissions from growing, processing, transporting and cooking. When you compare lentils to other protein sources like ...Read more

There’s nothing wrong with using a drive-thru window to pick up a quick meal from a restaurant or a prescription from your pharmacy. But if you’re waiting for your order for more than 30 seconds, you’re not only wasting fuel, but you’re also releasing unhealthy emissions into the air. According to the Sierra Club, sitting in your idling ...Read more

If you use your oven a lot only during the holiday season, now is a good time to give the inside a thorough cleaning. First, avoid using chemical degreasers and sprays to clean your oven; anything that’s unsafe to breathe should never be used where you prepare food. Reach for baking soda instead. Make a thick, creamy paste with water, then ...Read more

If you use your backyard as an extension of your home and a place for your family dog to play, be careful which landscaping plants you choose. What may seem like a pretty harmless-looking flower can actually be deadly to dogs. According to the ASPCA, hardy perennial flowers are incredibly toxic to them. These include flowers like mums, hostas, ...Read more