When warm summer days get too hot for comfort, try Nature's ways to cool down instead of reaching for the air conditioner.

How Hot Are You?

The first step is to simply assess how hot you are. If you're only a little warm, you might be able to cool down by drinking a glass of naturally-sweetened lemonade. I like to squeeze a quarter of a lemon and a quarter of a lime in a tall glass of ice water and add a little stevia powder. (For more cool drinks made with natural sweeteners see the Beverages page of sweetsavvy.com

Microwave ovens do have benefits. They are certainly convenient. They are more energy-efficient than other cooking methods. But are they safe? And do they produce food that contributes to the health of our bodies?

While there is not enough evidence to require warning labels on microwave ovens, or to remove them from the market, there is concern both about the safety of our exposure to microwaves and the healthfulness of microwaved food.

If you live in a cold climate, reducing your home's energy use for heating can save more energy than anything else.

Without making an investment in a new heating system, here are some little things you can do that will give you big savings.

1. Warm your body instead of the air around you

It takes a lot more energy to warm the air in a room than it does to warm your body. There are many ways to warms your body that require no energy at all!

To warm your body:

The key to caring for cut flowers is to remember that, even when cut, they are still living. Cut flowers drink, breathe, and eat, just as they do when they are connected to their plant. Some flowers, such as tulips, even continue to grow after being placed in a vase.

Most of the little packets of commercial floral preservative that come with cut flowers contain the basic components needed to support the life of cut flowers in their vase environment: a chemical biocide, an acidifier, and sugar.

View Debra Lynn Dadd's Bio

We like to think of our homes as being a safe place to be--a refuge from a dangerous world. Yet some of the exposures that you have day-to-day that are most hazardous to your health and the health of your family happen right at home.

The good news is that for every toxic product you'll find in your home, there is a safer alternative. You just need to know where to look for those toxic exposures and what safe solutions are available.

Here are ten common toxic exposures most Americans have in their homes, and some simple, inexpensive things everyone can do to reduce household toxics.

Overview

Debra Lynn Dadd brings over twenty years of research and real-life experience to her work as a consumer advocate for health and the environment. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a leading consumer advocate for products and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the environment since 1982.

Debra Lynn Dadd brings over twenty years of research and real-life experience to her work as a consumer advocate for health and the environment.