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In a city of 8.5 million, New York City sure has a ton of trash. Actually, it has tons of trash every year. According to the Mayor’s office, NYC produces more than 14 million tons of trash annually. You see it on the sidewalks waiting to be picked up in mountains of faux mint-scented garbage bags or flattened and scattered like coffee cups, cigarette butts and paper plates from dollar slice* spots, trampled on by thousands of feet. Sometimes it’s worn-out furniture with questionable stains or possible bed bugs sitting at the curb. Whether we like it or not, garbage is so...

Can  You Have Green Laundry with Clothes Dryers?   Clothes dryers are very convenient, but they’re also big energy users, and thus expensive to use, and not green. So it makes sense to look for alternatives, and use green laundry practices. Of course we all know that if the weather is good, and if you have the space, line drying clothes (or using a clothes rack / clothes horse) is the healthiest and the greenest and the cheapest method (see hanging tips). Using the sun to dry your clothes (solar power) is free. But what if you don’t have a...

Campfires are like magnets, and bring friends, family and even strangers together. The mesmerizing flicker and crack of every log, the smell of the wavering smoke and the sizzle of smoldering embers are among the many reasons we escape outdoors.   Fire pits have come a long way since their primitive roots of collecting some rocks and creating a circle. Walk around any campground and you’ll see all types of portable fire pits. But if you begin to research the options, you may feel overloaded with information, specs and features to consider.  Whether you want one for cooking, heat or ambiance...

  Ad-Free BlogWell, it's not from the lack of trying. I try to remember that the finished basement took us 20 some years to complete, and now we are trying to repair and replace so much at once. Mechanicals: We upgraded the plumbing and sump pumps. Now the sump pumps have their own line running almost 90 feet to the west side of the house. [TAG0] oldnewgreenredo Our plumbers also increased the size of the (larger white above) pipe, so we won't have any sump pump water running through the same system as the kitchen pipe on the far left. [TAG1] oldnewgreenredo...

20 Alternatives to Dressers In Your Bedroom If you are like many people, you probably have one or more dressers in your bedroom. Dressers are not only a functional part of the bedroom, holding your clothes or other belongings, but they are often used to help create focal points in a bedroom. Despite their functionality, they are not always the best option for some people. Whether you don’t have the space for a traditional dresser, or you simply prefer the look of an alternate clothes storage system, there are plenty of alternatives to the traditional dresser. You can re-purpose old...