Watch this video for some helpful tips on choosing a new doctor. Read more

For years, I’ve lived in a San Francisco neighborhood where you can’t get a taxi without a long and frustrating wait. The taxi phone number is always busy, and when you finally get through, you’re on hold for 10 minutes…and it might take another 30 minutes for the driver to arrive! You’ll never find a taxi that’s just waiting for a pick-up.

Now, thanks to alternative taxi services, I can hail a ride with my smartphone and it arrives in less than 10 minutes. Read more

Watch this video to learn how the “Vial of Life” program can help you effectively prepare for a disaster. Read more

With California experiencing one of the worst droughts in recorded history, it’s a great time to explore converting to solar. Not only can solar power help put the brakes on climate change, it’s also one of the least “thirsty” methods of generating electricity. According to Diamond Certified solar company Sungevity, coal-fired power plants require 100 to 1,000 gallons of water to generate one megawatt-hour of electricity. Solar, by comparison, requires zero gallons of water to produce the same amount of electricity (more details). With this in mind, we’re re-posting this timely article on how to get started with a  residential solar power system.

People have many reasons for switching to solar power, Read more

The Diamond Certified Directory has long been a valuable resource for Northern California consumers—in addition to full-page profiles of top rated companies across a wide range of service industries, it features a Consumer Help List with contact information for various consumer agencies, a detailed explanation of why the Diamond Certified Program is more accurate than most review sites and much more.

This year, we’ve included a brand-new section that makes the Diamond Certified Directory even more valuable: Diamond Certified Expert Contributor tips. Read more

Watch this video to learn how to avoid choking hazards for your children. Read more

A couple of weeks ago, a customer contacted us by email to report a complaint about a company. She explained that a Diamond Certified arborist did not follow industry standards, and because of their negligence, she was certain her trees would be lost. She was reasonably angry and intended to report the company to multiple agencies. She said we needed to contact her, so we did. I sent her two emails, one with our complaint form and a second to inform her that the company she was reporting was not Diamond Certified. She didn’t provide a telephone number. So, I waited… Read more