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More hotels opening in airports
The days of snoozing upright in an airport terminal chair during that long layover may soon be over. At some of the world’s busiest airports, travelers can book a hotel room to catch a nap or take a warm shower — all just minutes from the runway.
Car-sharing services changing how people get around
When you rent a car on vacation, would you borrow a stranger's car? The car rental industry is betting some people might. Link no longer exists.
How flying a kite could power your home
Kites and blimps may be the next big thing in wind energy and may even power your home one day – and we’re not talking decades from now. Think years.
A throng of entrepreneurs and inventors are now trying to transform what was once stuff of science fiction into real energy businesses. The goal is the same: build mega-watt systems that can wean the world off fossil fuels and grab a slice of the $63 billion global wind energy market. The U.S. Department of Energy expects that wind will provide 20 percent of the nation’s energy by 2030 – up from just 1.8 percent today.
Beware of the hard sell at vacation resorts
Get ready for the hard sell if you’re vacationing in Mexico. The nation’s biggest hotel chains are aggressively pushing travelers to join their “hotel membership clubs,” the latest iteration of the vacation timeshare. Link no longer available.
The 'green' way to dump electronic junk
Millions of Americans are equally perplexed when it comes to disposing of old technology. Between 1980 and 2005, 180 million electronic products accumulated in storage, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. And in 2005, Americans tossed an estimated 1.5 million tons of computers, TVs, scanners, printers, faxing machines and cell phones into the trash.
No Twinkies? Vending machines go organic
There's never been a better time to be a vending machine, as long as you're dispensing organic foods and snacks, that is.
For Gen X, it's time to grow up and get a broker
Generation X may have shed the slacker image over the past decade as its members moved beyond coffee shop jobs and into the suburbs, SUVs and corporate boardrooms. But when it comes to saving for retirement, the description still fits.
Frustrated by airline baggage fees? Lighten your load
Pack smart, have it all delivered or consider using loaner items
Eco-friendly tune-ups keep you driving green
Feeling a twinge of guilt as you chug down the highway in your SUV? Now you can now ease your mind with green car tune-ups — no Prius necessary.
For young travelers, playing knows no borders
Today, more parents want to meet people with kids when they travel, and they’re connecting with locals using sites like Tripping.com, Courchsurfing.org, BeWelcome.org and Servas.org.
How to score VIP treatment while on the road
Travelers can get great perks via new websites, programs — and by merely asking.
From the junkyard to the clothes rack
One man's discarded cellphone is another man's polo ... or pants or T-shirt. At least that's how one Boston startup sees it.
The LiveProud Group recycles trash taken from landfills and uses it in a line of athletic apparel. But unlike other clothing manufacturers who use recycled polyester, wool or plastic bottles, LiveProud grabs the electronic junk Americans toss out by the tons to produce its clothing line.
Mazel tov! Traditional Jewish ceremonies take to the road
Rather than spending $20,000 to $100,000 on bar and bat mitzvah parties, more families are taking their show on the road for a fraction of the cost, in pursuit of unique memories and less party planning.
Small ski areas go after big-time competitors
With bleak snowfall at Colorado's biggest ski resorts, the nation's smaller ski areas are moving in for the kill — and tourist dollars.
Drink this, you may feel pleasantly green
When sipping that beer or vodka tonic at the next holiday party, take heart: Your revelry may actually be good for the environment.
Or at least that’s the pitch coming from makers of organic tequila, gin, vodka, brandy, beer and wine that are finding their way onto store shelves and fine restaurant menus — all in the name of healthier socializing and being green.
Gear makers get green to meet demand
The backpacker motto of ‘leave no trace’ has moved beyond the mountain slope and into your clothes.
Outdoor companies, taking to heart their customers’ love for the environment, are increasingly churning out more green gear designed to use organic and recycled materials, less packaging and more energy-efficient manufacturing. Credit consumer — and corporate — concerns over global warming and the impact of production on the Earth and worker health.
Open House: Places where it's easy being green
These homes for sale will leave you in harmony with the earth, for a cost.
Bottled water sales dry up and industry asks ‘why?’
Heather Lewis was wracked with guilt when she realized she was addicted to the bottle.
Bottled water, that is. But one day in January, as she gazed at the piles of plastic in her recycling bin, she decided to quit. Lewis is part of a bigger backlash against bottled water happening across the nation, and after decades of growth, the $11 billion industry is stuttering.
Want a green house? Prepare for confusion
By 2010, half of new homes built are expected to be classified as “green” as more builders try to appeal to consumers worried about global warming, the environment and rising energy costs. Builders say green homes are more durable and tend to sell much faster than traditionally built houses.
But how do you tell if a “green” home is truly green?
Green home remodeling still a gray area
Green may be the talk these days, but when it comes to doing a green home remodel, few homeowners — and contractors — understand exactly what it all means or where to start.
Green toys are red hot this holiday season
As the climate heats up, so is demand for “green” toys.
Eco-friendly toys used to inhabit the "Island of Misfit Toys," but this year there will likely be more of them on Santa's sleigh than ever before.
Bedbug invasion is turning into big business
Bedbugs mean big money — whether you’re a victim or an exterminator. The result: an exploding bedbug business that is not likely to die down anytime soon.
Halloween takes on more eco-friendly color
A small but growing legion of parents across the country who are going green this Halloween — handing out alternative treats, carrying reusable trick-or-treat bags, making their own face paint and decorations and swapping used costumes.
Open House: Dream houses under foreclosure
Bank-owned doesn't mean buying a dump, or spending less than $1 million
Pickens Plan no longer features wind energy
Oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens' TV commercials blasted the airwaves in 2008 with his big idea to get America off foreign oil imports: natural gas and wind energy. Two years later, let’s just make that natural gas.
Marketing push targets bioengineered food
To GMO or not to GMO?
No, it’s not a social networking site or a new dance. It stands for “genetically modified organisms” and if you’re like most Americans, you probably don't know what it means or that many of the foods you eat contain GMOs.
Government funding spurs new green rush
Looking for a job? Hitting the books may be a good bet if you want employment in the green energy sector, one of the brighter spots in the resurrecting job market. Link no longer available.
That’s not the ticket — Oscars help DVD sales
Movie studios know that when it comes to the Oscars, the most mileage and the biggest dollars come from the living room not the box office. Consumers spent $23.5 billion last year on DVDs, including $7.5 billion in rentals, according to The Digital Entertainment Group, a Hollywood trade group.
Wind power battling economic headwinds
Just a couple months ago, wind energy had huge momentum. Then came the credit crunch. If the momentum for wind power was measured by the Beaufort scale, which measures wind speed, it has dropped from a strong gale to a gentle breeze. Link no longer available.
When a studio portrait just isn't good enough
Professional photographers, hoping to stand out in a crowded market and build loyal clients and more referrals, are pushing year-long contracts and day-in-the-life shoots that capture people inside the hospital’s labor and delivery room, on vacation, at soccer games and even at the office and the classroom. Some of those long-term packages also include studio shots, such as black-and-white photos that document a woman’s pregnancy or an infant’s growth. Link no longer available.
Pickens' natural gas idea picking up steam
What will power your car a decade from now? Billionaire T. Boone Pickens is betting big that it will be compressed natural gas. Link no longer available.
Going, going, gone — your house, at auction
Selling a home via auction still conjures up images of desperate situations — perhaps bankruptcy, foreclosure or a death in the family drawing investors seeking to pick up a bargain property. But auctions increasingly are being used to sell high-end and even midrange homes as an alternative to the traditional listing and sales process.
Last year, sales through residential real estate auctions hit $14.2 billion, up 23 percent from $11.5 billion in 2003, according to National Auctioneers Association in Overland Park, Kans. Link no longer available.
Trying to turn Mr. Clean into Mr. Green
A movement is afoot among consumers such as Ms. Freedman to change how people clean, what kinds of products they use and how transparent manufacturers should be about what is inside their products. Instead of worrying about germs and dirt, these consumers are concerned about the chemicals sprayed to rid their homes of germs and dirt. Link no longer available.
Wireless price war to benefit cell-phone addicts
Some 76 million people get sick from food-borne illnesses each year, and about 5,000 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That said, the nation's 935,000 restaurants are expected to serve 70 billion meals this year, according to the National Restaurant Association, and outbreaks for most major food-borne illnesses have declined by an average of 40 percent between 1996 and 2005 — with a few exceptions. Link no longer available.
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10 homes with their own elevators
Home elevators aren't just for the super-rich anymore. As prices drop and technology improves, more homeowners are installing elevators, either retrofitting them into existing homes or installing them in new ones.
10 cities where you want to walk to work
The U.S. Census Bureau says 91% of Americans arrive to work by car or public transportation. But a recent Portland University study found that the happiest commuters were those who bike or walk to work.
Insanely high grad school tuition
A graduate degree from a big-name school can pay off in the long run. The brand-name diplomas, however, come at a high price: more than $100,000 a year at some of the priciest schools.
Wild Weather
Are you that person who tracks hurricane movements with Google alerts? Or maybe you sit for hours on the front porch to watch a good lightning show. If you love extreme weather, you’ll love our roundup of places across the globe with wild weather—from wind and waves to sandstorms and snow.
10 secrets to live in your house forever
Aging is tough. But you don't have to sacrifice style anymore to ensure your home gets you through your golden years.
Gone are the days of assistance features that are ugly, hospital-drab and depressing. We found 10 design ideas that let you add convenience and safety for aging with panache.
10 crazy ways to blow $1,000
Have you ever wanted to dive with sharks or go to gladiator school? Yes, these experiences are pricey, but they could give you memories for a lifetime.
10 college football towns --for grownups
Do you talk college football more than you do current events? Do you don your favorite team colors, scream the familiar chants and show up for tailgating parties every game day? Here's where to call home if you love the top NCAA Division I football teams, according to the final 2012 Associated Press poll.
True cost of home-grown veggies
As the local food movement gains momentum, many consumers have become more interested in growing their own produce. Advocates like knowing the source of their food, and many swear it's tastier than store-bought. But does a home garden pay off?
Shrub hub: Unbelievable yard art
Does your yard need inspiration? We found 10 yards that take a new spin on topiary, plant and bush sculptures that have been popular on and off since the 17th century.
Coldest places on earth
Tired of the heat? Chill out by taking a peek at some of the world’s coldest places to live.
Midcentury-modern marvels
As U.S. real estate markets show signs of improvement, midcentury-modern homes from the 1950s and '60s are capturing more demand. Think retro, sleek, clean lines, big windows and lots of wood, concrete and brick.
The style is not for everyone. But some real estate agents who specialize in these homes say that the past three or four years have been their busiest ever. "This market is just nuts," says Peter Blank, owner of Mile Hi Modern in Denver. "Everything that goes on the market today is sold the next day."
Here's a look at glorious midcentury homes for sale across the country.
Moody and memorable weather
Think a great vacation requires perfect weather? The elements can add a whole new mood to your next trip, whether it’s the romantic drizzle of a New York moment or the intense, wild thunderstorms of Vancouver Island.
10 of the most opulent party pads around
It was glitz and glamour and boisterous parties for Jay Gatsby, the rich 1920s character from the famed book by F. Scott Fitzgerald. That dazzling world will come to life on the screen May 10 in the film "The Great Gatsby" starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
If Gatsby lived today, where would he party? Here are 10 homes that bring to life Gatsby's tradition of ostentatious entertaining and architectural grandeur.
10 new ways to get rich
How today's new money have earned their cash.
How to hide your home's 10 worst blemishes
A random door slapped into the middle of a wall can often ruin the flow and aesthetics of a perfectly crafted room. What's better? A hidden door that adds a bit of whimsy to your home or perhaps offers more privacy, more space or a spot to stash your valuables.
Here are some ideas to hide parts of your home you may not want others to see — and to get your creativity flowing.
11 must-haves for an easy-clean house
How do you design an easy-to-clean house? With some smart choices in paint, flooring and heating and cooling systems.
Here are 11 smart tips to keep that household spic 'n' span and improve your curb appeal.
Summer camps worth the money
Whether the goal is personal growth or drawing out the inner artist, scientist or aviation expert in your child, here are some summer camps that are worth the price of admission.
Fab prefab starter homes
Congratulations: You have finally saved enough money to move from renting to buying your own home. So what do you get, especially if you want something cool, modern and new?
A good bet may be to buy a prefabricated home, or a house built in a factory and delivered to you. Thanks to improvements in construction science, today's prefab homes can be built more efficiently, and that can save you time, money and resources.
Here's a look at 10 cool prefab homes available to first-time homebuyers today.
Now that's a staircase: 11 eye-popping designs
Forget basic functionality. For centuries, stairs were a huge focal point in architecture, almost a work of art.
One look at these one-of-a-kind staircases proves that stairs are not always just about getting from one floor to the next. Here's a look at different approaches to the utilitarian stairs, from art to efficiency.
Travel to your inner geek
Let your geek flag fly at these destinations
10 ways to reinvigorate your yard in a weekend
Your yard is an extension of your home. You use it to play, eat, relax and entertain your friends. It also plays a central role in your home's curb appeal.
But if you're like many people, you may avoid updating your yard because you think it's too expensive or takes too much work. Here are some ideas on how to reinvigorate your yard without huge investments of time and money. Most, if not all, of these projects can be completed in just one weekend.
10 pet-friendly home additions
An estimated 73 million dogs and 90 million cats live in U.S. homes, and Americans are increasingly remodeling not only for themselves but also for their four-legged friends.
Turn your home into a fortress
Thieves broke into an estimated 2.1 million homes in 2011, the FBI says, costing homeowners an average of $2,185-- not to mention their sense of wellbeing. But there are low-cost ways to keep your home from being a target.
9 winter candlelight tours
Looking to shed a different light on your travel plans? We found nine evening candlelight tours that offer a unique twist on holiday sightseeing.
Outdoor kitchens on a budget
Want to add another room to your house without breaking the bank? Take it outside to your backyard and create an outdoor kitchen.
How to buy a house that's not for sale
Have you ever loved a home that wasn't for sale? If so, how do you persuade a homeowner to sell?
It can take a lot of work, but sometimes, people who are not actively interested in selling can be persuaded if the right offer comes along. Here are 10 steps to take to make it happen.
We've got you surrounded: Cities within Cities
Across the nation, some tiny towns manage to live on with their own governments and their own identities, despite being entirely engulfed by a metropolis. Call them enclaves, or islands surrounded by a larger city, with which the town shares all of its land borders.
How to live in a town overrun by tourists
Sure, a big event or festival can mean big money to a city and help fill hotel rooms during slow times. But in some cases, home values, too, can benefit from being near these tourist-attracting events.
Homeowners willing to rent out their houses and apartments to event visitors can cash in, as well. And if you are lucky enough to own a home near the location of a blockbuster event, such as the next Super Bowl or the World Series, you may even find would-be renters competing for your place.