Allow me to wax cosmic: There are certain events that take us outside of ourselves. Big ones, dwarfing our most significant human travails. Events where we look up for a moment and submit to the understanding that we’re part of a stupefying stellar picture, passing through a heavens so overwhelming that we’re simply owned – and there’s nothing to do but watch and accept our role in the show. Beautiful stuff.

I’m talking solar and lunar eclipses. I’m talking comets. And I’m talking meteor showers, the most intense of which is about to make its annual clockwork appearance, erupting out of Gemini early next week to the delight of night-sky devotees who never miss its arrival. The Earth, says NASA, “will pass through the Geminid debris stream, producing as many as 120 meteors per hour over dark-sky sites.” The shower will peak probably between midnight and sunrise on Tuesday, “when the Moon is low and the constellation Gemini is high overhead, spitting bright Geminids across a sparkling starry sky.” (See NASA waxes, too.)

The thing about the Geminids is that they’re unlike other meteor showers in that their “shooting stars” do not come from our passing through the tail of a comet, but rather from a “weird rocky object” called 3200 Phaethon. This smallish rock with an odd orbit is believed to have come from an impact event with asteroid called Pallas. In any event, there’s a ton of strange and unique features to this show, many of which remains a mystery to scientists. Its big deal, though, is, well, its bigness.

“Of all the debris streams Earth passes through every year, the Geminids’ is by far the most massive,” says NASA astronomer Bill Cooke. “When we add up the amount of dust in the Geminid stream, it outweighs other streams by factors of 5 to 500.” Says the NASA site: “This makes the Geminids the 900-lb gorilla of meteor showers.”

So go. Watch. Obey the heavens and enjoy the show.

Images: Dr. Rawhead, St0rmz, Nasa Images, Navicore, Noel Feans

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There was a moment in time when digital watches came on the scene in a big way. Ubiquitous Casios faced down analog timepieces in the marketplace to the extent that conventional wisdom (read: what my parents were saying) had analog going the way of the sundial. There was chatter among adults, I recall, that “it won’t be long before kids can’t even read a clock anymore.”

Today, I sometimes wonder whether handwriting will soon be written off. I don’t recall seeing my guys actually handwrite all that much while they were growing up. I did spy their notebooks and scrawl here and there, and I think I got one or two letters from camp, but it wasn’t like when we were young and wrote on everything we could get our hands on. I do see them typing. At least I think I do; their fingers move way too fast for me to know what’s really going on between user and keyboard. They text, too. I get their texts. I do not get “notes.” In any event, I just read this story about why I’m so much smarter than my kids!

Turns out, writing by hand makes kids – and adults, for that matter – smarter. This, according to a recent Wall Street Journal article by Gwendolyn Bounds, who cites a numbers of studies, including one based on magnetic resonance imaging. The upshot of the research, she says, is that handwriting “helps with learning letters and shapes, can improve idea composition and expression, and may aid fine motor-skill development.” This is the good stuff that we need to nail down early on if we’re going to know our ass from our elbows as we get on in years.

Speaking of getting on in years, we adults also reap benefits from putting pen to paper. Bounds points out that “some physicians say handwriting could be a good cognitive exercise for baby boomers working to keep their minds sharp as they age.” The Week adds to the mix a number of specific benefits, including studies that show that writing by hand “can get ideas out faster” and increases neural activity, which is always fun.

And in the perception versus reality department, good handwriting makes you seem smarter, as well: “Several studies have shown that the same mediocre essay will score much higher if written with good penmanship and much lower if written out in poor handwriting,” says Vanderbilt University education professor Steve Graham. “There is a reader effect that is insidious”¦ People judge the quality of your ideas based on your handwriting.”

While this all could lead to an unfortunate bout of tech bashing, consider, says Bounds, that “new software for touch-screen devices, such as the iPad, is starting to reinvigorate the practice.” I know that I got myself this little iPhone “paint” application that I read David Hockney uses, and I now find myself “coloring” again from time to time. Smarter me? Maybe. It makes me smile for sure.

So regarding my kids, I lied. My kids are way smarter than me. They certainly are when you put my 17- and 20-year-old self against where they’re at today. Beside their genetically endowed brilliance (had to), their access to and facility with information as they developed far surpassed mine in every way. The big question now is: Is information wasted on the young? Better jot that one down.

Oh, and neither of them even wears a watch.

Image: Caitlinator

The post Write On, Baby: Why I’m Smarter than My Kids appeared first on EcoSalon.

I’m one of the fortunate. Mosquitoes aren’t particularly drawn to me, which makes things even worse for my husband who becomes host to both his personal swarm and my hungry cast offs. Years ago, no one thought much about mosquito bites. In fact, they were a rite of passage into summer. But in the days of West Nile Virus, Malaria, Yellow Fever and Dengue Fever, what was once an insignificant annoyance is now taken as seriously as a tick potentially carrying Lyme Disease.

According to the Mayo Clinic, mosquitoes most frequently rear their stingers at dawn and dusk. And you may not feel swelling or itching for up to two days after a bite. Oral antihistamines, topical lotions (remember pink, runny, drippy calamine?)  and alcohol-based solutions like After Bite can help reduce discomfort. A popular home remedy is a paste made with one teaspoon of water and one teaspoon of dry meat tenderizer.

Allergic Reactions

Serious reactions are quite rare, but could include hives, wheezing and anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition, which causes swelling in the throat.

Mosquito-Borne Diseases

While it’s very uncommon, mosquitoes can transmit serious diseases such as  West Nile Virus, Malaria , Yellow Fever, and Dengue Fever. Signs and symptoms of such an infection may include:

• Fever
• Severe headache
• Neurological changes, such as one-sided muscle weakness
• Body aches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Swollen glands
• Rash
• Lethargy
• Confusion
• Sensitivity to light

How It Happens

It’s always the woman, isn’t it? Mosquito bites occur when a female mosquito feeds off blood by piercing the skin. While dining on your blood the mosquito also deposits a type of saliva, which contains proteins that the body’s immune system reacts to.

Risk Factors

According to the Mayo Clinic staff, mosquitoes select their victims by evaluating scent, exhaled carbon dioxide and the chemical make up of a person’s sweat. A few factors may put some (like my husband) at greater risk than others (like me), such as those with type O blood, men, and people who are overweight. Mosquitoes are also drawn to heat, so wearing dark colors – which absorb heat – may attract mosquitoes.

At First Sign of a Bite

If you know you’ve been bitten by a mosquito, wash the area with soap and water as soon as possible. An ice pack may help reduce the swelling, and if the itching is a problem, an over-the-counter antihistamine may help such as Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton, Claritin or Zyrtec. For stronger reactions, the Mayo Clinic suggests taking an antihistamine containing diphenhydramine, such as  Tylenol Severe Allergy, Actifed, Claritin or Zyrtec. Keep in mind that if mosquito bites are scratched, and the skin is broken, a bacterial infection may occur.

Alternative Medicine

There’s some evidence that taking 75 to 150 milligrams of vitamin B-1 (thiamin) daily during the summer may slightly change your scent and offer some protection from insect bites. However, this hasn’t been definitively proved.

Prevention

To prevent mosquito bites, take steps to reduce the mosquito population around your home. Since mosquitoes need stagnant water to breed:

• Unclog roof gutters
• Empty children’s wading pools at least once a week
• Change water in birdbaths weekly (or purchase a water circulating device)
• Store unused flower pots upside down

Other methods of controlling mosquitoes that are popular (but their effectiveness is unproved) include:

• Electronic insect control systems, better known as bug zappers
• Citronella-scented candles
• Replacing outdoor lights with yellow bug lights

Insect repellents

According to the Mayo Clinic, repellents are safe when used properly; they don’t kill mosquitoes but make it harder for them to find you. Common insect repellents include:

• DEET: Apply repellent with up to a 35 percent concentration of DEET to your skin and clothing. Choose the concentration based on the hours of protection you need – generally, the higher the concentration of DEET, the longer you are protected. A 10 percent concentration protects you for about two hours. Keep in mind that chemical repellents can be toxic, and use only the amount needed for the time you’ll be outdoors. Don’t use DEET on the hands of young children or on infants younger than age two months.

• Picaridin: Also called KBR 3023, offers protection that’s comparable to DEET at similar concentrations. Picaridin is nearly odorless, which may make it a good alternative if you’re sensitive to the smells of insect repellents.

• Oil of lemon Eucalyptus
• Citronella: available in oils, spray, candles, wipes

On the Defensive

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and hats, and search out holes in screens
• In addition to these steps, fix any holes you might have in your window or door screens.

Image: madaise

The post Buzz, Slap, Scratch: 4 Ways to Survive Mosquito Season appeared first on EcoSalon.

I grew up in sunny Australia where it was, and still is, normal to hang your wet laundry out to dry on an outdoors clothes line. With the luxury of space and a warm climate, most Australians either do not have a tumble dryer at all or regard it as a back-up for emergencies only. Rich or poor, city or country, culturally this is how things are commonly done.

In my mid twenties, I moved to London. Suddenly I had neither space, nor climate, on my side. My partner and I lived in one-bedroom apartments for nearly five years, with no outdoor space. As is common in London, the apartments came furnished with a front-loading washing machine in the kitchen. I had no experience with drying clothes inside in a confined space, so I might have been tempted to use a dryer had one been provided.

But none of the four London apartments we lived in came with a dryer. And it seemed that no one I knew in London had one either. Of course, tumble dryers do exist in Britain – and they are a big contributor to the nation’s greenhouse gases – but they are certainly not ubiquitous. We looked around and saw that people got by with indoor folding clothes racks and by putting clothes on the central heating radiators, backs of chairs or stair rails, so that’s what we did too. For bigger items such as sheets, we hung them over the backs of doors. My family in Scotland had a clothes pulley installed above the stairs – a clever device where an indoors clothes line is raised or lowered with a pulley system – but we never had this luxury as a renter.

Now in California, our rental home comes with a washing machine and a dryer on top. This is normal around these parts, despite the relatively warm climate and the fact that many houses have backyards. But my drying habits have stayed with me and knowing what I know now, I am not prepared to start using a tumble dryer for my clothes. Firstly, they are tremendous energy vampires – one of the most power-hungry appliances in the home. By not using a dryer I am saving money and helping the planet. Secondly, dryers are rough on your clothes and even garments that are marked as safe for the dryer will not last as long if dried this way regularly. Finally, I now know that drying your clothes naturally is really very easy, no matter the space or the climate. I might only have a two-bedroom cottage and no outdoor clothes line but if I can do it in a one-bedroom apartment, I can certainly do it in my comparatively spacious California home.

I’ve been asked to share with you some of my tricks and tips from a lifetime of doing laundry. I’m not some Martha Stewart wannabe and these are not amazing revelations that will come as news to anyone who has experience with natural clothes drying. Also, I’m not trying to lecture you about how to live your life but simply telling you what I do at home. Perhaps it will help!

My Set-Up

Obviously every home and family is different but this is our current set-up.

We have floor space in the laundry room, which gets reasonable sunlight, so we have a folding clothes rack here. It’s a wonderful luxury for us to actually have a laundry room, since we generally had the rack in the living room when we lived in London. We dry dress pants, jeans, skirts and towels (done in a separate load of course) by hanging them on the rack. Most clothes only take a day or so to dry. Jeans can take longer and may need turning over after a day to ensure air can circulate around the waistband. On an outdoor line we would hang jeans upside down and not fold them over at all, but our clothes rack is not high enough for this.

We also use the rack to peg out underwear and socks. The pegs are not strictly necessary but they do prevent the clothes falling on the floor and they allow more surface area to be exposed to air. I always sort the socks and hang them out as a pair, so they can be put away more easily and I can hunt for missing socks straight away.

We have a curtain rail in the bathroom. This was not installed especially for this purpose but since it’s there, we use it. A clothes rail on wheels would serve the same purpose if you have a convenient place to put it. We generally put shirts and t-shirts and dresses on a coat hanger and hang them on the rail in the bathroom. That way they can be transferred straight to the wardrobe when dry and, except for formal wear, they often do not require ironing.

We hang sheets over the backs of doors. It looks a bit messy but it’s one day once every few weeks (we have several sheet sets) so it’s not a big deal. I do miss an outdoor clothes line for this.

There are only two of us at present and of course this makes things easier because the laundry loads are smaller than a larger family. However, I think the biggest factor is habits and space. Based on my experience growing up and that of other families in Australia and Europe, I believe if I had an outdoor clothes line or a clothes pulley or space for several drying racks, then I could easily accommodate family-size laundry loads.

Hanging out clothes takes about five minutes so I don’t regard it as a significant amount of work. It’s not an unpleasant chore, it’s just about being in the habit of doing it this way. We might find it difficult to cope with the increased laundry with a family but only because we have a small home. We would probably want to move somewhere bigger when and if we have children anyway, for many reasons besides the demands of laundry.

Do what works for you and don’t be afraid to improvise. Even if you can’t eliminate dryer usage altogether, cutting down would benefit the environment and your wallet.

Tips

• The most important thing when you are hanging out clothes to dry is to shake them out so they are straight. Don’t hang out a shirt with the arm bunched up inside itself or it will dry crushed.
• Outside, I like to fold t-shirts over the line and peg them on the seam under the arms so the peg marks do not show. Inside, I usually put them on a hanger, like the shirts, to save space on the rack.
• The more surface area exposed to the air, the faster the clothes will dry. If you need clothes to dry quickly, peg them upside down with no doubling over. The rack has more limitations in this regard than an outdoor clothes line or pulley because it is lower to the ground.
• Hang socks in pairs. This makes it easier to sort the dry laundry and reduces missing sock syndrome.
• If you are low on pegs, you can share one peg between the edges of two different items of clothing. Any difference in drying time is marginal.

Images: alessandraelle, Living in Monrovia, bigwibble6

The post Eco Laundry Drying Secrets Revealed appeared first on EcoSalon.

A few years ago, a dentist told me I’d need dentures by the time I was 50 – that’s how bad my teeth and gums were. Granted, they didn’t look bad – my teeth are strong, straight and pearly white – but my gums were already declining. I was brushing twice a day, but I wasn’t flossing and I was eating plenty of sweets.

After two root canals (and I’m only 30!), I take much better care. I still don’t floss as often as I should, but at least it’s more than I used to. I’d like to save my teeth, and save money too. Here are my natural dental care tips:

First and foremost, use a tongue cleaner. I know, it sounds icky, but the slimy stuff on your tongue when you wake up is plaque. It’s ickier to leave it on.
You have to floss. There’s no way around it. Do anything to make it fun! My husband and I have made a pact to remind each other to floss every morning. Do we always remember? No, but it’s a start!
Use ayurvedic toothpaste for the best blend of warming, astringent and detoxifying herbs. These herbs will promote gum circulation, tightening and cleansing.
Sprinkle baking soda on your toothpaste for extra cleansing and whitening.
Brush a few times a week with a paste made of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Rub this on your gums too.
Rinse with green tea for a natural fluoride wash.
If you get a toothache after all that, clove oil works wonders. Apply directly to the painful tooth with a Q-tip so you don’t get the burning oil on your gums. A paste of ginger and cayenne powder also works.
Check out Pristine Planet’s dental care page for a variety of natural products for teeth and gums.

May as well green up the routine, too! Use a Preserve toothbrush made from recycled plastic.

I often grumble about all the work and time it takes to care for my teeth, but I suppose it’s better to have teeth to take care of in the first place! Let us know your own dental care tips in the comments below.

Image: ninette_luz

The post Do You Know These 9 Natural Tooth Care Tips? appeared first on EcoSalon.

Can’t stop checking the CNN ticker? Stressing out about bills and bad news? Take five minutes for a little fun and try these free, simple mood lifters.

Make time to watch the sunset. Leave work early, hike up a hill and enjoy the view. If you’re really brave, get up early and watch the sunrise. Spectacular.

Learn some basic acupressure. Once you’ve perfected your technique, share your skills with friends.

Stop and smell the roses. Seriously! It would be a shame for all their perfume to go to waste. Alternately, sit under a tree and watch the world go by.

Start kissing people on the cheek when you greet them and tell them you’ve gone European. It’s nice to kiss and be kissed in a non-threatening, socially acceptable manner. Start the trend in your circle of influence!

Give someone a gift for no reason. It doesn’t have to be something you purchase. Make cookies, give a neck rub, or help them with chores. Getting a surprise gift for no apparent reason will definitely make your friend’s day, and knowing that you’ve made someone happy will make you happy, too.

Indulge in your favorite sex fantasy. Make sure no one’s around to bother you and then drift into an erotic reverie. Why not? Your heart will beat faster, your body will tingle and you’ll have a grin on your face for the rest of the day.

Go outside on your coffee break and feel the sun on your skin. Even if it’s chilly out, basking in the sunlight can warm your soul (and help your body produce vitamin D). If you don’t feel too self-conscious, raise your arms up and let the sunlight warm your palms. This is one of don Juan’s secrets to building up a store of physical energy.

What other little things make you feel good?

Image: tainara

The post 7 (Free!) Ways to Lift Your Mood appeared first on EcoSalon.

Not everyone is going to find the idea of biking to work practical or appealing. The distance might be too far. Or it might be that you’re physically unable to bike. Not to worry. There is another way to get to work in an environmentally and financially friendly way – carpooling.

Just as we’re challenging you to give up the bottle in 2009, we’re also asking you to consider another simple step to easing your pocketbook and helping the planet.

Joining with others who are traveling the same way as you can save you plenty of money. Check out this Carpooling Savings Calculator. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. All it takes is a little research and you could soon be sitting back and enjoying the ride knowing that you’re reducing the dent in your wallet while doing something positive for the environment.

Here’s some places to help you get started:

Commuters can check out sites such as eRideShare.com, RideShare.com, carpoolcrew.com, and ridester.com to find carpooling buddies.

But it’s not just commuters who can benefit from carpooling. Families should have a look at DividetheRide.com, a site that helps organize carpools with families you know and trust. And concert and conference travellers should check out PickUpPal.com, a global ridesharing and carpooling community.

So what are you waiting for? Give it a go.

Image: /kallu

The post Carpooling Helps the Wallet and the Environment appeared first on EcoSalon.

I love my friends and family, but I don’t like giving them gifts. Wait, that didn’t come out right. What I mean is that I don’t like feeling obligated to give them something simply because it’s their birthday or a holiday. It puts me in a stressful situation, wondering what I can possibly give them that they’ll truly like and that fits my budget. Besides, we all have too much “stuff.”

Here’s a better idea: give the gift of time. Everybody needs extra help cleaning out their garage. And work is best done in the presence of loved ones. So rather than shop “Ëœtil your credit limit pops, make a beautiful card pledging a few hours of your dedicated time. Help, smiles and conversation – it’s a gift that everyone will appreciate.

Here are a few ideas of things you can give to each other:

Childcare

Cleaning

Gardening or yardwork

Pet care

Running errands

Letter writing

Hanging art or decorating

Cooking a meal

Organizing a closet

Helping plan a travel itinerary

Computer or web help

Household repairs

Unfinished DIY projects

This list could go on forever. Perhaps you’re an ace at polishing resumes – why not offer it to your friend who is looking for a new job? Maybe you’re a natural when it comes to packing for a trip – your disorganized gal pal might love some help. Swap your skills and give the gift of time. Everyone will come out feeling as if they’ve received the best gift. What are things you could give?

Editor’s note: Special thanks to LA for the great idea.

Image: Michel Filion

The post Avoid 'Stuff' Overload: Give Your Time Instead appeared first on EcoSalon.

Here we are, in the holidays again! This time brings many celebrations. I acknowledge December as a month of gatherings, sharing warmth and connecting to the winter season. It is a time that crosses over from the social glow to the inner warmth of reflection – the deep stillness that rests just beneath the buzz of parties and gifts.

And tipping us into January is New Year’s and our flurry of resolutions. May I recommend you give yourself plenty of time and start on something now? Choose a habit that doesn’t suit your well-being. Set a gentle and consistent pace with yourself to release a habit that isn’t working and to start a new one that does! How brilliant will you feel doing that?

It takes 90 days, they say, to establish a new habit.  That time marker varies – some say 45.  Just know, no one expects you to dial in a whole new life in 48 hours or less.

The real beauty of starting with something now is that you get a chance to practice! Start small. Just the practice of taking notice of your habits and choosing one each week to play with can bring vibrancy to your winter months.

Here’s one habit I realized I can change really easily: I notice I drink more tea and coffee than water to beat the lack of sunlight and to give my hands that cup o’ warm when it is colder outside. What happens is my body feels more dehydrated, my face looks more drawn and my skin seems to age. So, my habit to shed is substituting tea for water. Here’s my habit to adopt: next time I order a warm drink, I’ll order a warm spring water with fresh lemon slices and maybe a sprig of mint. The next time I go to market, I’ll remember to buy a few blissfully bright fragrant organic lemons to keep on hand for around the house. I’ll turn my warm lemon water tea time into a sweet ritual. And when I am feeling brave, I’ll ask those people who run the cafes I patron if they use organic produce and if they know the benefits to their local economy of buying organic.

Even while you are traveling, you can use this habit shedding and habit adoption process to stay connected to yourself and your ongoing commitment to your well-being. Others learn from our examples of self love.

Image: darkpatator

The post Habits and the Holidays appeared first on EcoSalon.

It seems like yesterday that the SUV was a coveted status symbol and the sight of a compost bucket could elicit a raised eyebrow. As for drying clothes on the line in the backyard? Now that’s just…frugal.

That was then. This is now. With green issues at the fore (both economic and environmental), “going granny” isn’t such a bad idea. We can learn a lot from our older, wiser relatives. They had to make do when there was little to make of anything. Many of our elders – whether grandparents or parents – have lived through a Depression and at least one war. What can we learn from them? Here are 7 lessons.

Save and reuse containers. It’s a completely practical way to reduce waste and go green. Why buy brand new Tupperware when a yogurt container will serve just as well? How about washing out empty spaghetti sauce jars and using them to store anything from nuts and grains in the pantry to nails and screws in the shed? (An overnight soak in water will help the paper label peel off.) There’s no end to what you can save and repurpose. You don’t have to be a packrat, but it pays to be practical.

Line-dry laundry. No excuses! Line-drying is not just for summer. This is something you can do all year round. I’ve read stories of New York City women who would line-dry in the winter and bring stiff, frozen clothes inside for a final warm-up by the radiator. I’m not saying you have to be that extreme, but even a day outside to dry and then a final 15 minutes to fluff up in the dryer (which I do like for lint removal) can save a lot on your electric bill.

Grow a Victory Garden. During World War II, regular citizens were called to grow food on their urban and suburban lots in order to reduce pressure on the public food supply. Well, with a food crisis looming on our horizon, now’s as good a time as any to tear up your front lawn and plant something edible instead. It’s an empowering practice to be part of the process of feeding yourself. If you’re busy or not much of a green thumb, just start small: container gardens on rooftops or balconies, growing herbs in your sunny kitchen window, or just a small garden bed with a few essentials to begin with. Getting to know the process of life that is all around you helps you appreciate your home and your habitat so much more. Even if you’re not worried about a crisis, the act of eating your own organic, local food is both healthy and green.

Work with what you got. Surely you’ve heard the phrase: “Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do or Do Without.” This doesn’t have to be some kind of austere punishment, but rather a call to creativity. It’s the concept of “touski,” where you only have a few ingredients left in the fridge or a few clean items left in your closet and you put together the finest meal or outfit that you never would have thought of before. From now on, rather than assuming you need to buy something now, look around at what you have and see if you can figure out an innovative, even artistic, way to do what you need to do.

Staycation. For previous generations, hopping on an airplane or taking long road trips across the country weren’t such easy options. Take vacations closer to home; every region has a natural treasure worth visiting. Or spend time on the homefront with your family, playing games, catching up on lost time and relaxing right where you’re most comfortable.

Buy Used. Swap meets, thrift-stores, and Craig’s List are all great places to find what you need. There’s no stigma these days – it’s considered practical and green. It’s just a way of people cycling perfectly good objects back into the product stream where someone else who needs it more will find it. Last week I found a HEPA air filtration unit at my local Goodwill for $14.99, and it works perfectly. Got kids? At the rate your little ones stain and grow out of their clothes, it’d be crazy not to buy them used. Household appliances? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen sturdy glass-jar blenders at swap meets for a mere $10. Give it a chance; you’ll be surprised at what you find.

Toughen Up. We’re no longer in the day and age of cranking up the heater in the winter and wearing shorts around the house. Wear sweaters, socks and slippers to stay comfortable as you lower the thermostat. If you find yourself staying mostly in one or two rooms at certain times of the day, lower the thermostat even more and use efficient space heaters. Why heat the whole house when you’re not using it? This goes for summertime protocol as well: open windows, use window fans, and spritz yourself with cold water & peppermint oil to stay cool in the summer. A/C use on occasion is necessary, but try to limit it a bit.

We all might have to tighten our belts a bit over the coming days, but it’s really not a punishment; it’s an opportunity to tweak our lifestyles to a more sustainable model.

Image: mrhayata

The post Lessons from Our Grandparents: Proven Habits of Personal Sustainability appeared first on EcoSalon.