|
|
Welcome to the Earthling's Handbook. Earth is a great planet, but living here can be more complicated than it seems. We hope these resources and essays help you live in harmony with your world. Enjoy!
|
|
Useful tips on a variety of subjects.
and
"When we began thinking about what to put in the Wisdom section of The Earthling's Handbook, I realized that many of my most valuable lessons and most cherished beliefs come from my parents." -- Becca
It's easy to cook cheap, healthy food that tastes good and doesn't take all day to prepare. Here are some of our favorite recipes.
Green Living is nothing more than respecting the planet you live on, and doing your part to help make it last. Contrary to popular opinion, being green is easy. We've assembled some tips to make it easier.
Earth Day is April 22. It's the perfect opportunity to think about environmental issues, even if you usually don't.
Of course, you don't want to hurt the planet. But you didn't choose your lifestyle...you learned it. Even with the best of intentions, almost everyone has some habits that are harmful to the environment. This list will help you learn to identify and eliminate the hidden environmental pitfalls in your life.
No matter how strongly you feel you should do your part to save the planet, it can be difficult to change your lifestyle all at once. Try a gradual approach: Do one new environmentally-friendly thing every few months.
One of the most effective lifestyle changes you can make is to eat less meat -- but giving up meat entirely seems like a big commitment. We tried it temporarily, giving up meat for Lent; it turned out to be pretty easy. Here's what we ate instead.
Many Americans, misled by the term "labor-saving device," assume that air-drying their clothes would be a waste of time and effort. Others, having lived all their lives with convenient access to dryers, don't realize they have options. Actually, reducing or eliminating your automatic dryer usage will bring you only a little extra work and a number of benefits.
For years, 'Becca organized a drink-container recycling program at the Origins game convention. Here's her report from 2004.
You don't want ancient forests razed just so you can wipe your ass on virgin-fiber toilet paper...you don't want your baby's plastic-coated diapers still festering in a landfill when your grandchildren are grown...you don't want to clean your house with chemicals you can't pronounce...but your favorite store doesn't carry the Earth-friendly products you want? This chart will help you find a source for those hard-to-find items.
The human brain can be a powerful tool. But it's like a muscle: you have to exercise it. And in today's world, you can't afford to let your brain get out of shape. If you aren't alert, you're a victim.
The United States presidential election system is more complex than most people realize, and it has some serious mathematical pitfalls. Be aware of them before you vote.
Let's start turning things around.
Frightened females cannot achieve equality.
"I believe marijuana prohibition must end for all the same reasons that alcohol prohibition did: it does not solve the problems it seeks to address, and instead just creates black market profiteering, gangland violence, police corruption, and destruction of personal freedom." -- Andrew Looney
You can't make responsible choices unless you have the
facts.
Do you have the facts?
Are you sure?
(Note to parents: What your kids don't know can hurt them. Keeping them in the dark about sex won't prevent them from doing it. But it might prevent them from doing it safely.)
This little-known birth-control method could be just what you're looking for.
Some common feminine hygiene products may be dangerous. Many are simply wasteful: too much packaging, too many synthetic materials. There are better alternatives, but they can be hard to find. This chart will help you shop.
Top-level stuff.
This page, full URL - bookmark it!
Valuable references and resources outside The Earthling's Handbook.
Note: Throughout the Handbook, links to non-Handbook
pages are marked with a -- except in the shopping tables, where all the
links are external.
Who we are and what this is.
Questions? Suggestions? Broken links? Let us know!
Copyright ©1999-2011 by Daniel S. Efran and Becca Stallings.
Last update for this page: 2011-06-19
Maintained by Dan Efran - webmaster@earthlingshandbook.org