ArcaMax

If you buy only one organic fruit or vegetable, make sure it's apples. Year after year, the nonprofit Environmental Working Group has listed apples as the No. 1 most contaminated produce. Eighty percent of apples sampled by the USDA tested positive for a chemical called DPA (diphenylamine), which farmers use to prevent the skin from darkening. ...Read more

When you’re shopping for flowers to make an arrangement, it’s always best to buy locally grown. But if you live in an area where there aren’t abundant flower farms, do the next best thing: Choose California-grown. Eighty percent of the flowers grown in the U.S. are from California, so looking for their mark is a way to ensure your blooms ...Read more

Did you know nearly 2 billion plastic gift cards are purchased every year and given away as gifts? While they're a convenient and useful gift for many people to choose exactly what they need, you might wonder: Are these cards recyclable? While the PVC plastic technically is recyclable, it's hard to find a recycler to turn old cards into new ...Read more

Even though the chlorine chemical is very diluted in a pool, your dog shouldn’t treat it like the world’s largest water bowl. Drinking too much pool water can cause major discomfort and stomach issues for dogs. Instead, be sure there’s a fresh source of water for your dog if it's spending time in the backyard pool. Also, be sure to rinse ...Read more

With prices skyrocketing, try this one little trick to extend the freshness of the eggs in your kitchen: Rub them with a little vegetable oil. Eggs are porous, and over time they can lose moisture, making them less fresh and nutritious. A light coat of oil makes them less porous, so they stay fresh longer. It also prevents bacteria from entering...Read more

It's winter, which often means snow and cold. And these happen to be two elements that can help you get your wool rugs seriously clean. Here's a trick from Scandinavia for cleaning wool rugs: Start by taking your rug outdoors and draping it over a railing. It needs to cool down and acclimate to the freezing temperatures, which will neutralize ...Read more

Are you traveling somewhere far away for a long period of time, and you need a really big piece of luggage for your journey? If you don't like the idea of buying something new when you think you're going to use it only once, consider renting luggage. Rentluggage.com makes it easy. All you have to do is select a bag from their large assortment, ...Read more

If you enjoy spending time outdoors on a covered patio in the warmer months but dread mosquitoes, consider installing a ceiling fan to keep them at bay. The breezy air does three things that make the area unattractive to biting insects: It disperses carbon dioxide, which is what attracts mosquitoes to you in the first place; it makes the air ...Read more

It’s no surprise that artificial -- or faux -- plants and flowers aren’t environmentally friendly, because of their plastic composition. But did you know decorating your home with them can also lead to an unhealthy indoor air environment? Low-quality fake plants can have trace levels of heavy metals like lead or cadmium in their composition....Read more