Guest post by Janet Thrasher, President of Thrasher Termite & Pest Control, Inc.

For many of us who’ve grown up in California, dealing with mosquito bites is normal. Today, however, mosquito bites may come with some very serious blood-borne diseases, like Chikungunya virus, Dengue fever, West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis. The list of mosquito-borne illnesses in California grows each year. Now, the CDC is warning that Zika virus may be the next mosquito-borne illness to enter the United States. The California Department of Public Health reminds the public to guard against mosquito bites. Unlike controlling pests such as ants, fleas and cockroaches, pest control companies can’t really help with mosquito control beyond offering advice. Read more

I’ve been tidying up my house since mid-January. To be truthful, I didn’t intentionally set out to declutter and reorganize my home. Instead, it was a byproduct of my latest home improvement project. After nine years, it was time to re-paint a bathroom, three bedrooms and all the closets in my house. Every organizer will tell you to completely empty your closets and then edit the things you’re going to put back into them. So, that’s how my tidying got started. Now, I’m continuing to tackle other rooms and even our garage. I’m on a roll!

Popular organizing books suggest only keeping things that you truly love and giving or throwing away everything else. Read more

Let’s face it: If you drive a gasoline-powered car or truck, you’re not doing the environment any favors. Even as auto manufacturers design modern engines to run cleaner and with greater fuel efficiency, more cars on the road still means more pollution. However, the good news is there are still plenty of ways to reduce your carbon footprint behind the wheel. To tread further upon this topic, we spoke to Larry Moore of Larry’s AutoWorks, who gave five tips for being a more eco-conscious vehicle owner. Read more

Ready to remodel and interested in sustainability? Of course, you should implement well-known Green building solutions such as using sustainable countertop materials and energy-efficient appliances. But according to Don Knapp, a spokesperson for Build it Green, there are many lesser-known Green materials you can utilize to make your remodeling project more environmentally-friendly. Read more

Last fall, we published a long piece about how to make different types of Bay Area homes more energy efficient (download the free e-book here). This month, we’ve distilled the wisdom offered in that post and added a few more Green tips in honor of March, the greenest of months. Enjoy!

1. Implement a whole-house solution
Richard Hiteshew of A-1 Guaranteed Heating & Air, Inc. says people who want to “Green up” their homes should “reduce before they produce.” Read more

When my kids were little, my husband and I wanted to make sure they started learning how to manage money. Their allowances and gift money were divided into three categories: saving, spending and giving. It was a good exercise to ask them to think about how to allocate the funds on a regular basis (on a small scale, of course).

It turns out that a recent study underscores the importance of teaching your children about savings early in life. Researchers at the University of Kansas analyzed data from a large study of families dating back to 1968. Read more

As modern technology evolves, people are becoming less inclined to leave the comfort of their homes. The Internet has made everything from shopping to entertainment a mere click away, and even substantial ventures like home remodeling projects can be planned in virtual space. However, while the information superhighway has certainly hastened the speed at which we learn, communicate and accomplish things, there remains much to be said for taking the scenic route—that is, seeing and experiencing things in person.

Take, for example, the longstanding convention of the home show: an event that assembles professionals from all walks of the home improvement industry to exhibit products, techniques and services for local consumers. Read more