Home & Garden

The Synergy of Rooftop Solar and an Electric Car

Imagine greatly reducing, or even eliminating, your electricity bill. Now imagine never having to take your car to a gas station again. With advances in rooftop solar and electric vehicles you can stop daydreaming and turn these ideas into reality. Advancements in renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels, are changing the way people power […]

Feature Garden: Where East Meets West

This garden draws inspiration from two locales. By Lisa Truesdale photos by kate zari roberts Through gardening, Tina Davis has figured out a way to be in her two favorite places at once. Although she moved to Colorado from her native Massachusetts in the early 1980s, Davis has carefully designed her sprawling Longmont garden to […]

Between the Sheets

There are many options when it comes to buying sheets. Here are some terms to help you sort out the best sheet for you. By Carol Brock When buying sheets, we often just pick ones that fit our mattress. But there’s more to buying sheets than choosing between a twin, full, queen or king. Here […]

Trees for All Seasons

Erratic weather took a toll on local trees last winter and spring. Here are replacement ideas for those that were felled by a lethal combination of frost and heat. By Panayoti Kelaidis There is no question in my mind that Colorado in general, and Boulder County in particular, present climatic challenges like few places on […]

A Look at Today’s Mattress Industry

Mattress Matters By Eli Wallace It only takes a few sleepless nights on a lumpy mattress before you’re begging for new bedding. Living with a bad mattress can lead to decreased productivity, grumpiness and even back problems. But the sheer number of options in a typical mattress store can make you want to lie down […]

Fiery Fall Flowers

Plant these flowers and grasses for fabulous fall colors in the garden. By Lisa Marshall Just say the words “fall flowers” and you’ll likely conjure up images of whiskey barrels overflowing with crimson chrysanthemums, pale purple asters, yellow pansies and pink snapdragons. But for those wanting to venture outside these dependable autumn plants, a wealth […]

Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge

Despite its heritage, the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is a diverse treasure of wildlife and plants. By Tanya Ishikawa Claude Vallieres says he didn’t see any two-headed skunks or deformed deer on a recent guided tour of Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. But what he did see astounded him. “I was awed,” Vallieres says. […]

Creatively Reuse Art or Office Supplies

Whether you have a list of art or office supplies you’re hoping to find, or you have some in your basement that you’d like to get rid of, check out Art Parts Creative Reuse Center, 2870 Bluff St. in Boulder. Art Parts is a nonprofit organization that accepts donated office, art and school supplies in […]

From cleaning to seed vaults, join me in learning some amazing stuff

Dear Reader: One of the many things I like about creating this magazine is all the stuff I get to learn. From new plants and decorating ideas to environmental issues and recipes to try, I learn something new with each issue. I hope you do, too. One thing I recently discovered was you need to […]

Keep Paint from Landfills

Don’t send leftover paint to the landfill. A new PaintCare paint-recycling program, launched in July, already has more than 100 drop-off sites in Colorado (one of only seven states with the program, and the only one between California and Minnesota). The drop-off sites, mainly at paint and hardware stores, collect paint and send it to a […]

The Home of the Future

Sustainable Systems of Colorado, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainable technologies, recently opened the Sustainable Smart Home Living Learning Center in old town Superior at 202 W. Maple St. The center is a “home of the future” that integrates innovative sustainable technologies, including a tankless, solar hot-water heater, an air-purification system, a wind turbine, DC LED […]

Rebecca’s Recommendations: Erase Years from Linoleum Floors

If your house is anything like mine, your linoleum floors have seen better days. No matter how meticulous you are about cleaning them (and, really, how many of us have that kind of time?), linoleum tends to show wear and tear earlier than we’d like. One of the biggest problems with linoleum is dirt often […]

The Tortle Head-Repositioning Beanie

After realizing that my son developed a flat spot on his head (a common ailment because it’s advised to put babies on their backs to sleep for safety reasons), I researched what I could do to help treat it and prevent it from worsening, and came across the Tortle. For under $25, I could possibly […]

Rebecca’s Recommendations: How to Go Slow-Cooking

As the weather cools down and you’re craving heartier meals, keep these tips in mind when you power up your Crock-Pot for slow-cooking: Double or triple the amount of herbs, spices and other aromatics, such as garlic. The reason? Because there’s little to no evaporation, flavors can get watered down instead of intensified. Timing is […]

Rebecca’s Recommendations: Preserve Fresh Fruits and Veggies by Freezing

Fall is for Freezing! Whether from your garden, the grocery or a CSA, fall’s fresh harvest should never go to waste. The key to preserving fresh fruits and veggies is to freeze them in pieces rather than whole. Some fruits and veggies freeze better than others. Yes, the texture can change a bit. But after […]

Rebecca’s Recommendations: Quick-Cooking Beans

While canned beans are all well and good, once you try freshly cooked it’ll be difficult to go back to canned. Freshly cooked beans are full of flavor—not chemicals. As many cans contain Bisphenol A (BPA), it’s hard to know which beans are free of this endocrine disruptor (unless you purchase brands with cans marked […]

Group purchasing program launches for rooftop solar power for homeowners

While the claim that Colorado gets over 300 days of sunshine may be somewhat exaggerated, there is no denying we get plenty of it. Coloradans could meet their energy needs currently and into the future if we could capture just part of the energy hitting our rooftops every day. According to the National Renewable Energy […]

Rebecca’s Recommendations: Easy Shredded Meat

When it comes to making the most out of meat, both in terms of boosting flavor and stretching your dollar, here’s a great recipe tip: shredding is the way to go. Add some frozen veggies and beans, and the portions go even farther while only costing pennies more per serving. So what’s the secret when […]

Eli’s Weekly Idea: Pinecone Bird Feeders

With back-to-school in full swing, it’s time to start collecting ideas for kid-friendly fall crafts. When it comes to looks, ease and fun, it’s hard to pass up pine cone bird feeders!   What You’ll Need: Peanut butter 2 or 3 large pinecones Birdseed Twine or string Have your kids spread peanut butter across the […]

A Brief History of Air Conditioning

Air conditioning is a modern marvel which has allowed humans to turn our homes, businesses, and other buildings into a refuge from the heat. Many of us take the air conditioner for granted due to its simplicity and ease of use. Where in the past it was once considered a luxury, air conditioning is now […]

Eli’s Weekly Idea: Cold water washing tips

Want to make a simple change that will affect the environment and your energy bill? Then look no farther than your laundry room. Studies have shown that three-quarters of the energy used by a load of laundry comes from warming the water in the wash, meaning that cold-water loads save a significant amount of energy […]