green living, smart spending
Panera Bread is dropping artificial coloring, flavoring, sweeteners and preservatives from its bread, including one chemical that helps keep yoga mats soft. The announcement was made in June, 2014, but it will take until the end of 2016 to achieve what its press release describes as its “commitment to clean ingredients”. Panera already has dropped
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A technical website estimates our smartphones and tablets are saving us around $10,000. That’s for gear and gadgets we are no longer buying, but stuffing inside our hand-held devices. The list includes: Books, which saddens me, since I write traditional travel guidebooks along with new-fashioned mobile travel apps and ebooks. Notebooks and pens, which also
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This summer, get away to one of hundreds of historic hotels and B&Bs in the US at discount. Members the Historic Hotels of America are offering discount packages that include historical tours, dining specials, kids eat free and more, at up to 30% off. Plus, if you book before December 31, 2014 on the HistoricHotels
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SCAM ALERT: We all want peace in the Mideast, but beware of solicitations from bogus Mideast charities arriving in your mailbox, email inbox or on your phone. Thumbs Down on Jerusalem Prayer Team: I’ve just received a thick mailing from this so-called prayer charity, which wants my money and yours so it can pray for
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What a concept: an electric bicycle with an air filter that’s powered by your pedaling. This is an eco-friendly two-fer, since the bike is already zero emission, and then doubles its eco-friendliness by further cleaning up the air around you, even though you aren’t pedaling as hard or as often thanks to the battery power.
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Four Seasons Hotels are getting charged up by installing electric vehicle charging stations at some hotels, and making the hot Tesla EV the official hotel car for airport pick-ups and local excursions, starting in summer 2014. Hotels and ski resorts have been partnering with one brand or another for years to promote an “official car”,
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Best 2015 cars under $20,000: The all-new seventh-generation 2015 VW Golf offers more space and better fuel economy than the outgoing model, plus a turbocharged, direct injection engine as standard equipment. With a starting price of $17,995, it’s easy to understand why the Golf is VW’s best-selling model worldwide. Also, VW has dropped the price
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National restaurant chains are offering Mother’s Day freebies that include a free dessert or free entree. Here’s a list, alphabetically, of more than 60 US restaurant chains offering meal deals to give mom the chance to avoid cooking and cleaning on Mother’s Day. NOTE This list is from 2014. These offers are no longer in
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Forget the high prices for Broadway-style shows, four-star meals and ferris wheel or gondola rides in Las Vegas. There’s plenty to see and do for $20 or less. Here are six insider tips in and near Las Vegas that won’t blow your budget: This article is from 2014 Note that prices may have changed since
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Enter this contest for a chance to win a fully guided eco-adventure vacation in one of four US National Parks plus outdoor gear from top outdoor clothing and equipment companies. Contest prizes include a five-day Grand Canyon rafting trip, a four-day tour of both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park trip, a six-day Colorado River
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