ArcaMax

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

When you’re using your oven to bake dinner for a crowd, one of the worst things you can do to affect the food and your utility bill is open the oven door unnecessarily. Ovens use a lot of energy to get hot, and every time you open the door, the temperature inside drops by about 25 degrees. When you close it, the oven uses more energy to get ...Read more

Do you have old dried-out spices that have lost their punch in the kitchen? Don’t toss them -- use them to freshen your carpets instead. Mix the spices with baking soda and sprinkle the blend over a rug or wall-to-wall carpeting. Spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme and mint work well; just avoid anything that might stain. Let...Read more

Did you get a living pine tree for Christmas so you can plant it in your yard later? Follow a few simple steps to help it thrive once spring arrives. Keep the tree indoors for no more than a week; if it stays inside too long, it can lose its winter hardiness. You might also consider decorating and displaying it on your front porch or outdoors ...Read more