If you haven’t replaced your refrigerator since Bill Clinton was in the White House, it may be time to change more than the light bulb. The Department of Energy’s Energy Star website recommends replacing any fridge over 10 years of age. According to Bryce Ruble, a sales representative at Clark Appliance of Indianapolis, your initial cash outlay may be recovered in just a few years...

As we begin to move closer to our food sources—shopping at farmers markets, subscribing to consumer supported agriculture, growing our own—Hoosiers are discovering just how generous native Indiana soil can be: In the summer months, we’re a virtual cornucopia of tomatoes that actually taste like something; beans by the bushel, berries that command consumption as soon as they’re picked. It’s no wonder that the natural next step—or the next natural step—is preserving these treasures to enjoy through the winter. Or as Grandma would say, putting food by.

Our interest in attracting birds, butterflies, and other wildlife to the landscape remains high. We spend millions of dollars on seed, feeders, and other bird-care accessories. We quote Doug Tallamy and his book, Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in our Gardens when shopping at garden centers.

For David Crabb and his daughters Lillian and Katherine, kayaking has been a family affair for more than 10 years. Crabb says, “Kayaking is very clean, it’s very green; it’s muscle-powered sports.” He notes that today’s kayaks are derived from boats used by the Inuit people of Greenland centuries ago, and that they haven’t changed all that much.

The new rule for choosing a sustainable beauty product? If you can’t pronounce its ingredients, don’t put it on your body. After all, it’s not so easy to feel fabulous when you’re wondering about multi-syllable petroleum-based contents and potentially harmful chemicals...