It is important to teach healthy habits from an early age. You make sure children learn to brush their teeth, clean their room and care for their toys. Those habits have immediate results. Teaching them to care for the Earth is a little more abstract. Turn recycling into a game and get them excited about proper environmental behavior.

With heat waves so common this time of year, everyone is looking for ways to cool down. Turning up the air conditioning will definitely do the trick, but unfortunately, not everyone can do that. Whether you’re trying to lower your bills, save energy, or don’t have AC to begin with, here are 5 instant ways to stay cool and beat the stifling summer heat:

We’re heading in the right direction â€" we planted a vegetable garden and we started composting. We mostly use reusable containers when we pack lunch and reusable bags when shopping. But there’s still plenty more to do. Below is what I have accomplished this month by deciding to go green. Share some of your green tips by leaving a comment of your own!

In my ongoing quest to become even more frugal -- yes, I can be more frugal! -- I have been doing research on items that you can make yourself rather than buying them. Here is a list of items that you might want to give a try.

When the time comes to jazz up the kitchen with a new look or do solar and energy conservation installations, the homeowner who understands bid language is better equipped to choose a contractor. For instance, when comparing the time charges on competing bids, the difference between the higher- and lower-priced bids might be the inclusion of time for extra items that could make the lower bid more expensive by the time the job is done. If there is anything about any element of a bid that you don't understand, you should always ask about it. You are entitled to understand everything in a contract before you sign it.

Moms- here are some great ideas to help you keep your child's bathroom free of harsh chemicals and toxic fumes. Test out some of these ideas to help the environment and your kid!

Want to teach your kids about the importance of Earth Day? Here are some great ideas and activities for helping them understand that our planet has limited resources that need to be preserved.

Plastics are a ubiquitous element of our daily lives. Let’s face it, they’re everywhere â€" holding the food we eat and the water we drink, constructing the toys our kids play with, the bottles they nurse from, and the sippy cups they graduate to. Plastics house the computers we work on and the remotes that control our entertainment systems. They make up the interiors of the cars we drive. They’re cheap, versatile, and convenient. What’s not to love? Plenty. Plastic are taking a serious toll on our health and environment. Plastics are made with petroleum, a nonrenewable resource with a host of human and ecological concerns at every stage of its lifecycle, from extraction, through processing and use, to disposal in landfills and by way of incineration. Though seemingly über-convenient for holding food and drink, plastics have been found to leach chemicals into that food and drink. Let’s face it, using plastic is up there with death and taxes in inevitability. But that doesn’t mean we have to sit back and take what’s being fed to us on a polyethylene spork (that strange hybrid spoon-fork utensil). There are simple skills you can learn to help you pick plastic products more wisely.

Wondering what to do with all of those extra paper shopping bags? Since more and more stores are now switching to paper bags, you more than likely have a closet full of them and no ideas on how to reuse them. The key to keeping paper shopping bags out of landfills is to find new uses for them that go beyond the obvious.

Antibacterial products, such as soaps and hand sanitizers, have become part of a daily practice for many, especially during the winter months when indoor air is recycled and germs are most at large. However, there are a few concerns when it comes to chemical sanitizers that are worth considering, as well as some effective natural alternatives that will keep your family and the ecosystem clean and green.