One of the easiest ways to go green: just try to slow down and simplify. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

With a growing concern over cell phone radiation, there are things you can do to reduce it. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

Oregon lawmakers have declined to pass legislation that would ban the chemical bisphenol-A in products sold in the state. In the meantime, consumers can find BPA-free products -- if they're willing to spend time and more money. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

Everybody needs a bedtime routine, and I’ve got a new one – chasing phantoms. In this case, the phantoms are the sources of “phantom electricity” being used by appliances around our house when they’re not in use. Think about all those tiny green and red standby lights ...

The Northwest’s largest sustainability-oriented trade show returns to Portland March 26 to 28 – the third-annual Better Living Show at Portland Expo Center. The free three-day show features exhibits on sustainable homes, gardens and lifestyle, including renewable energy systems and ...

Shaunna Sutcliffe’s environmental awareness dates back to her earliest years on the planet. When she was a little girl, Sutcliffe’s father proposed she pay one penny each time she opened the kitchen refrigerator and increased electricity usage. “I said, ‘Oh, a penny? ...

Maybe someday, people won’t use fertilizer to grow grass, pesticides to kill bugs and two-stroke engines to blow leaves and trim hedges.  It might seem unfathomable to the average Joe, but that’s the goal of the Organic Land Care program, a new initiative by Oregon Tilth to extend ...

When Judy Tallon passed away unexpectedly in January at age 63, her family gathered to make arrangements for her memorial service. With no written will or funeral plans in place, Tallon’s daughter Jennifer Goodrich had to make a lasting decision for her mother – a final resting ...

Selecting a new cell phone or cell service can be dizzying, with all the prices and coverage areas to compare, features to weigh and specs to decipher. Dare we suggest another factor to consider: the environment?  If being green is important to you, here are some resources to help make the ...

Life in the Chadneys’ North Portland home is organized chaos – just the way they like it. Three kids, three dogs, two guinea pigs and two lizards. Plus one more daughter on the way. It won’t be a baby, though. The family is adopting an 11-year-old girl from China, making it ...

Green buildings are so 2000s. The next big thing for the 2010s? Green neighborhoods. After five years in the hopper, the group that ushered in popular “LEED” standards to certify and foster environmentally friendly buildings is expanding, along with two partner organizations, to ...

It might be a losing battle to keep rats away from the compost bin in this older Portland neighborhood, but this gardener isn't ready to give up yet. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

The home, garden and lifestyle show will host workshops that teach people how to maximize the money they spend to make their homes more energy efficient. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

Website is an answer for people who want to conserve, and teaches some of the little, less expensive steps to weatherize a home that mean a lot. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

Convenient beyond belief, cell phones have changed how we live. But there's concern over the health effects. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

A new pilot program from the city of Portland helps homeowners on a budget go green. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

Writer Allison Arieff believes green begins at home Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

"This symposium is designed to initiate a discourse on light pollution -- its menace to a sustainable Portland metropolitan area -- and the measures available to reduce its adverse effects," according to symposium moderator Dawn Nilson Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

Smart and ravenous, rats will stick around once they've adapted to your backyard. It's your responsibility to deal with them. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html

Ecoroofs can be a a way to manage rainwater and cool a hot urban climate. Carrie Sturrock, Special to The Oregonian http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/carriesturrock/index.html