Pulling weeds by hand is not always easy or practical, they're pesky and determined to pop back up and spread in no time. If you're looking for more natural ways to control them that don't include harsh chemicals and are safer for children and pets (bonus: most are pretty frugal too), here is a list of diy recipes and solutions from my collection. I've also included a few tips at the bottom.

Pulling Dandelions

• Vinegar: Kill weeds dead with a good shot of vinegar. For best results, don't dilute with water and choose a time to spray when there's no sign of rain. Household vinegar is around 5% acetic acid concentration which will do the trick for new growth. If you can find a stronger vinegar (like pickling which is about 9%), that will give better results for more mature (and stubborn) varieties.
• Salt: This is effective but keep in mind that significant amounts will cause damage to surrounding soil as well. Salt should only be used in places where you want no plant growth (like

You'll be amazed at the wide variety of things that can be composted!
By Sayward Rebhal, Networx

Home composting isn't just for farmers anymore! The practice is becoming increasingly popular among urban environmentalists who are eager to cut their landfill contributions: from apartment dwellers growing gardens on top of NYC roofing, to folks who participate in their local municipal compost program, to homeowners looking to turn their backyards into a teeny tiny sustainable city farms. Composting is a key component of the eco-friendly puzzle, because it takes waste that's destined for landfills and turns it into usable, nutrient-rich soil, which is perfect for gardening. Most people focus on kitchen scraps, but that's just the very tip of the composting iceberg. Did you know you could also include the following?

1. Dryer lint
2. "Dust bunnies"
3. The insides of a vacuum bag (just empty the bag into the compost bin)
4. The contents of your dustpan (just use discretion)
5. Coffee grounds
6. Coffee filters
7. Tea

Farm-Raised Salmon gets better, in all kinds of waysFarm-raised fish has gotten a bad rap, and not entirely without reason. Water pollution, the spread of disease and parasites, negative impact on both wild salmon and forage fish, and other issues have made aquaculture a dirty word to many environmentalists.



Related: Great Salmon Recipes

It doesn't have to be, according to a relatively new company called Verlasso, which raises fish in the cold, clear waters of Chilean Patagonia. Verlasso, says Scott Nichols, one of its six directors, strives to be "the best salmon farmers on the market."

Slideshow: Weight Gain Myths

As another Verlasso director, the appropriately named Allyson Fish, explains, healthy protein sources are becoming more and more difficult to find, while demand for them increases, and responsible aquaculture can help satisfy the need. Nichols has worked on biodiversity projects in Africa and South America and Fish is a former Fellow of the Environmental Defense Fund, so both realized the necessity of creating a better

Is your make-up safe? In light of recent news that the FDA found lead in 400 brands of lipstick, Yahoo! Shine took a look at other products containing potentially hazardous ingredients. Historically, women have risked their health for beauty by using cosmetics laden with poisons. It's reported that Queen Elizabeth's face became so disfigured from lead-contaminated makeup, she had all the mirrors in her palace removed. In 18th century France, courtesans applied vermilion rouge, which contained sulfur and mercury, and suffered damage to their teeth, livers, and nervous systems as a result. While the levels are much lower, according to a 2011 report by Environmental Defense, an Ontario-based research group, dangerous heavy metals still lurk in lip gloss, mascara, foundation, blush, eye shadow, and eyeliner.

Related: Lead In Lipstick, 10 Worst Brands, Better Alternatives

The researchers tested a total of 49 common products selected from the cosmetic bags of six average Canadian women. They found that

Switch up your regular gear and try these environmentally friendly green products for a change that's good for you and the environment. Here are some of our favorites:

EkoMiko candle1. EkoMiko Candle: Made from a repurposed wine bottle, the EkoMiko candle offers a smoke-free burn. ($70; shopekomiko.com).














eco friendly alcohol2. Eco.Love wine: From vine to bottle, Eco.love Wines are made with earth-friendly practices. ($17; shopecolovewines.com).














North Face3. The North Face Venture Jacket: The North Face Venture Jacket uses 50 percent fewer petroleum-based materials. ($99; altrec.com).














M2F brand denims4. M2F Brand Denims: The yarns in M2F Brand Denims are dyed in a non-toxic bath that uses half as much water and energy as other brands. (from $78; shopplanetblue.com).















The Cuisinart GreenGourmet Cooking Set5. Cuisinart GreenGourmet Cooking Set: The Cuisinart GreenGourmet 12-piece cooking set has 70 percent recycled steel hardware. ($250; cuisinart.com).
















More on SHAPE:
How to Live to 100, Starting Today
12 Steps to Better Sleep
10 Must-Have Books Every Healthy Girl Needs

by Green Diva Meg

Green-Burial

WHY SHOULD WE CARE . . . ABOUT A GREEN BURIAL?

I know. It seems like a dreary topic on the heels of Valentine's Day. It's probably never a wonderful time to hit you up with this subject, but we're all going to face it one way or another, and for reasons you are about to catch a glimpse of, we should be making more informed decisions that can help us and those we love leave this earth with a much lighter carbon footprint.

Our audience seems to be fascinated by this topic and every time we have the Green Reaper, Elizabeth Fournier on the radio show, the numbers skyrocket. So, whether we admit it publicly or not, we DO want to know more about this topic.

What we are learning is that more people not only want to have a greener goodbye, but a more meaningful and personalized one. We are astounded at some of the ways that both of these can be achieved. But first, some crazy statistics on why we should care . . .

by Vince Pedre M.D.

Smart-Phone-Sick

Twenty years ago, cellular phones were only for the Wall Street bunch, but these days everyone, from teenagers to grandparents has one.

Technology has brought us closer and put the world at our fingertips. But technology is not without inherent risk.

Cell phones are essentially hand held microwave devices that send short bursts of pulsed microwave energy when establishing a call and when transmitting and receiving voice communications.

Would you put your head right next to a microwave oven? The wattage is much smaller with a cell phone, but recent research is calling into question the long-term safety of these radio frequency devices.

Recycle Your Old Cell Phone

Catch Energy Vampires In Your Home

The world of convenience has evolved much faster than our understanding of how these devices can affect our health.

What do cell phones, cordless phones and Wifi have in common? They all emit EMFs (electro-magnetic fields).

It is not singular

by Toni Salter

Certified organic fruit, vegetables and legumes may not be suitable for a vegan diet. This is a bold statement. Many may be shocked to hear this since a vegan diet consists of plant based foods, exclusively.

Certainly, organic certification will guarantee the best quality produce without the use of harmful pesticides and is much better for the environment, but is it "animal product free"?

It is the way these crops are cultivated that puts into question how well they fit into the vegan ethos.