Perform regular maintenance. If you have a forced air furnace, make sure to clean or change the furnace filter about once a month. Most furnaces will need to be professionally cleaned and tuned once a year.

Insulate your home. The best way to quickly save energy is by installing good insulation. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends an R-49 rating for attics. Visit www.energy.gov to learn more about these ratings.

Plug leaks and holes. In addition to insulating your attic and walls, another easy energy saving step is to add caulking and weather stripping. Feel for cool air around windows, electrical receptacles and pipe and wire entry points.

Proceeds from the sale of each wreath (or any product purchased through Organic Bouquet using the special link below) will result in a 10% donation to support Earth Share – plus, a 10% discount on the Culinary Herb Wreath for Earth Share supporters!

You can order online at organicbouquet.com/earthsharewreath or call 877-899-2468 and let them know you want Earth Share to benefit from your purchase. Thank you, and enjoy!

When it comes to buying fruits and vegetables that go easy on the earth, it's hard to beat organic. But what does organic really mean?

"Organic" refers to an earth friendly way of farming and processing foods using no synthetic chemicals to control bugs or weeds.

Organic farming usually involves farming methods that help conserve soil and protect water supplies.

Many organic farmers also plant specific bushes and flowers to attract beneficial insects and ward off unwanted pests.

Milk and dairy products from cows that are not treated with hormones and antibiotics and are given organic feed are considered organic.

If your food store doesn't yet carry organic food, ask the manager to explore the possibilities. You can also refer the manager to local organic farmers who would be eager to supply more stores with healthy produce.

Buy Organic (for less) at Farmers’ Markets:

Visit www.LocalHarvest.org

If you are picking and choosing the organic foods you buy keep in mind that not all organics are equal.

Most Important to Buy Organic:

Many fruits and veggies have been shown to have high levels of chemicals. Apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, grapes (imported), nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, spinach, and strawberries all can have high levels of pesticide residue. Check out www.foodnew.org for more info .

Organic meat, eggs, and dairy don’t have toxins or agents believed to cause mad cow disease that non-organics might have.

Consider organic baby food. Children are far more sensitive to low concentrations of toxic chemicals because of their developing organs and high metabolism.

Least Important to Buy Organic:

While it would be nice to support organic farming all the time there are fewer environmental health reasons for buying organic asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, kiwi, mangos, onions, papaya, pineapples, and sweet peas. They all have consistently low levels of pesticide residue.

Organic seafood can still contain mercury and other contaminants. Avoid fish high in mercury (like tuna and swordfish). Visit www.oceansalive.org for healthy fish.

Cosmetics, lotions, and other personal care products labeled organic may only have a small fraction of organic ingredients. If you want to get more info rmation about toxics that may be present in your cosmetics check out www.ewg.org.