Certain songs, smells, foods, city streets - they tend to conjure up memories from years past, and usually without permission or even a warning.

The smell of freshly cut grass reminds me of my backyard, and my dad. He spent hours every weekend working, sweating and usually drinking a Budweiser, out of the can. His thumb was green with a capital G.

In the 70s a lot of people tended to their own gardens rather than hiring a crew. Dad loved our yard and approached it very seriously. The lawn was spectacular - green, lush, perfectly coiffed. The gas-powered lawn mower, on the other hand, was not so green and in today’s world, the farthest thing from perfect.

Even today, gas powered lawn mowers consume 720 million gallons of gas every year. A sorry statistic that needs some eco-improvement, in a big way. If my dad was still mowing I’d give him this eco-suggestion: try a push mower.

The Razorcut 38 is the newest reel (push) mower from Brill. It’s been called “the Mercedes of reel mowers” with an updated, sleek look and an ergonomic handle for easy pushing. At 17 pounds, it’s also light enough for any eco-chick to maneuver, even one without gardening skills. Lastly, the most obvious benefit - no motor means no noise and no gas.

You won’t need a green thumb (or fuel) to power this mower. Available at CleanAirGardening for $249.99.

Image: Pixie Dust

Certain things in life I admit I take for granted. Trees are not one of them. When I sit in the park, under the lush branches of a tree to enjoy a break from the blazing hot sun, I am truly grateful.

Trees provide us with shade on a hot day or cover on a rainy one. They are nature’s jungle-gyms and give us privacy from our neighbors. ...Read More

One of the reasons I love gardening so much is that it’s a hands-on way to connect with Mother Nature. So, when insects and fungus infest my own little Eden, it just feels wrong to turn to harsh chemicals as an artificial solution to this pesky problem. The good news? It’s very simple to make your own natural pesticides and

...Read More

Now that my city, San Francisco, has been given one of the highest walkability rates in the nation - surpassing NY and Boston - I am thrilled to know that the rise in fuel costs and deepening energy crisis has spurred more people onto the streets into walking or ...Read More

My thumb is more blue than green when it comes to plant care and that is why I love the idea of those ethereal air plants that hang from lovely vessels and only require a weekly dunking (just like my kids), and to be fertilized at least once a month.

The plants need to be bedded in a container that holds water and placed in a spot ...Read More

According to our calendars, summer is almost over. Kids are returning home from camp, school supplies are being purchased and I’m wondering where the time goes.

Want your summer to last forever? The Rolling Summer House may be just ...Read More

Would you pay $2500 for a folding lawn chair? How 'bout if the vinyl and aluminum tube web chair you knew as a kid was replaced with sophisticated leather webbing and a shiny mirror polished frame? Huh? How 'bout it?

I would have to fold when comes to coughing up the cash for the updated version by ...Read More

With gas prices at an all-time high, people are looking for ways to cut back, but that doesn’t mean that you need to skimp on fuel for your body. Eating healthy food won’t siphon your wallet if you follow these tips from the University of Michigan Health ...Read More

For some reason, human beings seem designed to really dig walking barefoot on grass. Seeing a corner of the market, Krispy Kreme (of all things) have now unveiled...the living grass flip-flop.

The world is momentarily speechless. Yes, it's surely just a bit of fun. But you ...Read More

I would never have thought that watering cans would become chic, let alone eco-chic...but that's what's happening.

Invented in England in the 17th Century (a mystery: why invent artificial watering in a place where it rains all the time?), the traditional watering can is functional, unadorned and slightly eco-belligerent, containing ...Read More