Ladies, we love skin care products, right? It's almost as if the ritual of caring for our skin is as beneficial as the products themselves (almost!). But sometimes, the products aren't beneficial at all; in fact, they can be downright harmful to our skin, as well as expose the rest of our precious organs and tissues to harsh chemicals and toxic ingredients. With loose regulations on what a product label can say, it's easy to find ourselves duped by hazy claims and potentially damaging ingredients in products we think are healthy.

So what's a girl to do?

You’ve worked so hard to get your summer garden blossoming. All those daily pep talks and Mozart have really done the trick. Don’t let pesky pests ruin all your hard work and dedication. Keep bugs at bay with your own natural DIY pesticide mix.

There’s a great deal of talk about sustainable beverages here at OA. Organic wine, beer and even vodka make frequent appearances on the site, commonly accompanied by a seasonal dish. But there’s one type of liquor that hasn’t been seen around here too often: Tequila.

Why should fruit have all fun? This summer, get your daily dose of veggies the fun, frozen way… by turning them into popsicles!

A film of one man’s journey to becoming disease-free from eating plant foods, “Forks Over Knives” gives America a glimpse into why we have become so disease-ridden, and what we can do to fix the epidemic. The entire premise is based on the thesis: adapt a whole food, plant-based diet to prevent (and even reverse) disease and enjoy a long, healthy life.

Some wines just seem to be destined to be paired with specific foods: Cabernet and steak. Pinot Grigio and seafood. Beer and burgers (okay, that’s not wine, but you get the picture). Such is the case with Nobilo, a winery hailing from the tropical, fruit-speckled lands of New Zealand. Nobilo creates wines that seem to be made for vegetarian cuisine. So it’s only natural that they should host a dinner event focused exclusively on pairing wines with vegetarian entrees. I had the pleasure of attending their Meatless Mondays wine pairing dinner this week, and here are the lessons I learned for vegetarian wine pairing.

Thinking about all the dirt, grime and other unmentionable substances (I’ll let your imagination run wild with that one) that shoes and pets’ paws track into your home can leave you feeling a tad squeamish. Maybe even so grossed out that you’d consider coating bleach across every non-carpeted floor in your home just to get rid of whatever gunk may lurk underfoot. No, you green cleaning lovers wouldn’t stoop that eco-low, right?

Get ready to break out the mop (and put down that bottle of bleach). Naturally cleaning the hardwood floors in your living room, the tile in your bathroom or the laminate kitchen flooring that came with your apartment requires little more than some energy (there’s a lot of scrubbing action ahead) and a few natural ingredients. Discover these easy methods to get your home’s floors naturally spick and span.

Ah, the lovely lemon! Nothing screams summer like this bright yellow fruit. Bursting with citrus flavor and a fresh aroma, tart and tangy lemons are pretty and perfect for cooking, drinking and a whole lot more. Incorporate lemon into your life and get in the mood for sunshine and blue skies!

Did you know that inside your home could be five times more polluted than outside? So, don't just let your yard sit there like a pretty picture while you spend summer inside watching Adam Sandler movies. Your yard can (and should!) transform your home in many ways. Yards improve our quality of life—they're a place for spending time outdoors and breathing fresh air; they can bring an array of beautiful birds and wildlife; and a yard can boost your property value. But, grassy lawns can use far too much fresh water. Read on for tips on greening your lawn with less water.

Heard any good eco-curse words lately? Oh yes you have. Take ‘fracking’, for instance. It’s the perfect stress-relieving pseudo-expletive to hurl at someone who gets your goose in a gander, conveying equal parts environmental frustration and linguistical ‘grrrrrr’ without running the risk of offending your grandmother. Technically referring to the natural gas extraction process that contaminates water reserves while also triggering other assorted negative eco-consequences, there’s no frackin’ way that another vulgarity could come close to making greenies rise up and pound their chests in solidarity.

If your monthly grocery bill was as pricey as your mortgage payment, would your relationship with food and the way you prep, eat and ultimately chuck it finally change? One can only hope that you’re uttering an emphatic helllll yeah, because as it stands right now, America has earned the dubious distinction of ditching at least ¼ of the total food that we produce (probably even more according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture).

Ever notice how things always have a way of balancing out? Take America's obsession with snack foods. BBQ. Nacho. Ranch. Cheddar. Salt and Vinegar. Of course you're probably thinking of the taboo chip aisle at your local supermarket—products loaded with too much salt, artificial flavors and colors, and those dreaded trans fats. But guess again. The hottest new trend in snack chips is kale—as in green and leafy and actually super good for you. Finallly!

Sciatica... sucks. And anyone who has it is well aware of this painful reminder. The pain is the result of a compression and inflammation of the spinal nerves which cause a sharp pain to radiate from the lower back down the leg and foot in a pattern determined by the affected nerve. It can feel electric in nature... but not in a good way.

Some aspects of yoga don't seem to jive with sciatica, such as forward bends and twists. But other yoga poses are not only admissable, but are absolutely therapeutic, for the sciatica-suffering yogi.

Most people don’t think of a roof top as a highly valuable real estate asset. With the growth of the green roof industry – up 28.5% in North America in 2010 – that’s all changing.

A green roof sits on top of a conventional rooftop, transcending it with a bevy of benefits. A green roof contributes to biodiversity, can help combat global warming, manages pollution-causing stormwater, extends the life of a conventional roof and is simply gorgeous, especially for those lucky enough to have a view of them.

If New York City seems a little less crowded this summer that may be due in part to the Fresh Air Fund. This independent non-profit agency has been providing free summer vacations for thousands of New York's kids since 1877.

Were you one of those inquisitive little children who innocently sawed writhing worms in half with a twig just to witness the regeneration process that you learned about in science class? Ouch. Hopefully now – in your adult life – you make a concerted effort to wield no wormy weapons, instead admiring from a distance their distinctively eco-beneficial handiwork.