As the saying goes, “Good fences make good neighbors.” As bigger houses are now occupying smaller lots, particularly in high density areas, outdoor spaces are losing that element of privacy we all seek in a backyard space. Sometimes, it’s not even about fostering privacy, but rather creating an environment where you can relax and block out chatter or eyesores. Rest assured you can keep prying eyes from invading your space with some simple solutions. Here are some ways you can keep your yard from being a spectacle to neighboring eyes:

1. Make a Private Corner

   For those who are lucky enough to have a large yard, it may seem daunting to try to hide the entire area from your neighbors’ site. Instead, try picking a corner or smaller area that you like and create your own private pocket. Essentially, once an area is scaled down, it becomes much more manageable to plant shrubbery or trees or furnish. You can reshape the area into a circular area, screened by perennials, garden planters, or tall shrubs, followed by a path that leads out to the rest of your lawn.

2. Explore Plant Screenings

   Sometimes a fence isn’t enough. Try planting tall trees along or near the boundary of your property line to provide year-round screening. Also, clustering plants like bamboo can be quite effective for shielding privacy, as well as providing shade. Italian cypress, or other fast growing columnar evergreens are also a great option for creating a tall hedge to block sight or separate adjoining yards.

3. Include Container Plants

   Potted plants are a simple solution to creating a screen around a raised deck or patio area. Potted plants are also easily movable, so if you need to change your seating space, you can adapt the cluster of potted plants accordingly.

4. Grow Vines on a Trellis

   Freestanding trellis panels are another great option for creating that feeling of solitude in your yard by screening specific views. If there’s one vantage point you’d like to block, placing a trellis panel there will make your yard more enclosed without feeling overly fenced in. Plant climbing vines on the trellis will also diversify the look in your yard while giving it some height for additional privacy.

5. Create Elevation Changes

   Changes in elevation to a flat backyard can do wonders for creating privacy while making your yard more dynamic and interesting. While installing a raised deck can be a challenge, you can take advantage of existing elevation changes in your yard by surrounding the lowest area with plants, shrubs, and screens. Even the smallest change in elevation that results from enclosing an area with a raised garden bed can immediately create a more insulated feeling for privacy.

6. Incorporate a Fountain or Water Source

   A part of maintaining seclusion and relaxation has a lot to do with sound. While you can’t control the noises you may hear from your garden, you could enjoy the relaxing sound of a water fountain in your yard that may help mask other unwanted noise. Water fountains, no matter how big, often attract birds and foster a peaceful environment. There are many options when it comes to water fountains — plug-in units, custom designs, or small bird bath fountains — to suit your yard space.

7. Decorate Your Fence

   A fence is a universal way to maintain privacy, define space, and ensure safety. But it can also be a great stable point with which to spruce up using vines and crawling plants. With an extra border of perennials, shrubs, or medium sized trees, you have another layer of extra screening for more privacy.

8. Install Lattice Panelling

   A great alternative to fencing are lattice panels, which section off areas while adding a decorative touch. The porous quality of lattice encloses space without being completely walled off, as fences are. In addition, they can be used in the front yard, as well as in the backyard. Also, if you have existing fencing and still feel that it doesn’t offer enough privacy, you can add lattice panels to increase the height on top of the fence. Look for lattice enhancements and grow your favorite climbing plant.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was passed in 2009, is the technical name for what many people broadly refer to as “the stimulus.” The act was designed to stimulate the economy immediately while also providing opportunities for long-term economic growth. Specifically, the act focused on maintaining and creating jobs, offered temporary relief to individuals and programs hit the hardest by the recession and included provisions for the funding of infrastructure projects, health care, energy development and education. One of the other main goals of the act was to provide relief to the housing market by giving first-time homebuyers and existing homeowners tax breaks and tax incentives.

When it was initially passed, the cost of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was estimated to be at about $787 billion. Perhaps surprisingly, the amount of money that was allocated to the housing crisis only reached about $25 to $26 billion.

The lion’s share of the money that was individually allocated to the housing crisis went towards offering first-time homebuyers a refundable credit. In total, $6.6 billion was to be given to American homebuyers who purchased homes for the first time between January 1st, 2009, and December 1st, 2009. Through many add-ons and amendments, the homebuyer credit was extended to families and individuals who purchased new homes from 2008 through 2010. These homebuyers received an $8,000 credit from the IRS once tax refund checks started getting mailed out. Assuming all of the money was allocated to first-time homebuyers, this credit assisted in the purchase of roughly 825,000 new homes.

The next largest amount of money that was individually allocated to homeowners was $4.3 billion for making homes more energy efficient. Specifically, households and individuals could claim up to $1,500 of credit for making their home a bit more “green.” While most of these credits were given to households and individuals who upgraded their air conditioners and furnaces to be a bit more energy efficient, credits were also given to households and individuals who installed energy saving windows and doors. Some homeowners took this credit as an opportunity to outfit their home with ENERGY STAR-qualified geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines and solar energy systems. Ultimately, if all of the money was paid out to homeowners, over 2.867 million households were able to claim tax credits for making their homes more energy efficient.

In total, just a little over $10 billion was allocated to the improvement of public and low-income housing through several separate programs. $4.1 billion was given to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to repair public housing. This money was also used to improve the energy efficiency of public housing, remove lead paint from public housing and to make public housing more modern. Low-income housing received a significant boost from the act, as $2.5 billion was given to companies in order to finance the construction of low-income residences and make existing low-income housing more energy efficient. An additional two billion dollars was given to the Section 8 low-income housing rental voucher program, and another $1.5 billion was given to families and individuals facing foreclosure so that they could rent homes and avoid being homeless.

Because so many homes were left abandoned and partially destroyed due to negligence and anger over the foreclosure crisis, $2 billion was allocated to the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to purchase, repair, redevelop and even destroy vacant housing and properties. One billion dollars was given to state and local governments in the form of grant money so that community development projects could be undertaken.

Most people associate the foreclosure crisis with urban and suburban American communities, but rural America suffered too. $330 million was given to rural Americans to help them buy homes and build community facilities.

While the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act did have a few positive effects on the American housing market, as of right now, most of the benefits seem to have been temporary. Foreclosure rates are still high in several states, and there are still many homes that have been foreclosed upon which are still vacant and deteriorating. One of the largest problems, the fact that many households owe more on their home than it is worth, is still present and hard to overturn even with extensive social programs and tax credits.

However, the benefits on the housing market because of the stimulus cannot be denied, especially as “green technology” is concerned. Although the financial crisis and housing woes are still a drag on new constructions, making energy efficient renovations in existing homes is a booming business. According to an article in the Huffington Post earlier this year, “builders and remodelers who have adopted a transparent green message have been quite successful.”

It’s hard to determine which benefit caused by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was best for the country. On one hand, it’s hard to discount the fact that nearly one million people became new home owners. While it can be argued that people owning homes, in this circumstance, will not necessarily improve the economy, the fact that these home purchases allowed neighborhoods to remain stable and gave consumers an impression of security is a tremendous psychological benefit. On the other hand, several million households were able to recoup a bit of their investment by making their homes more energy efficient. This, in turn, might be able to save those households several hundreds or thousands of dollars over the next few years, and that money could end up going right back into the economy. Additionally, a lower rate of energy consumption is better for the environment and might be beneficial for the U.S. economy in the long run.

Homesickness happens to everyone. When we’re separated from our family, friends, and pets for extended periods of time, we begin to miss the familiarity and comforts of home. However, there are steps that can be taken to alleviate it. For children, learning to cope with homesickness is a necessary step toward independence. They may become homesick at camp, while staying at the hospital, or even at a friend’s house if you have to leave them under someone else’s care for a short while.

Most of the hours spent at summer camp are full of fun activities. Your child may enjoy them and be distracted from homesickness during these hours of the day, but feeling homesick during a midday nap period or prior to falling asleep at night is only natural. Regardless of the cause, homesickness can be addressed by taking a few simple, comforting steps.

1. Don’t Reward the Behavior

   If your child is away from home at camp, try not to email or write every single day, as too much contact will worsen the situation. Parents should especially refrain from making statements to their child about how much they miss them or how empty the house is without them. The child needs to be made to feel as though the time spent away from home is a fun, growing experience. If you make a production out of how sad you’ll be in their absence, you set them up to not be able to cope with being away and they won’t enjoy their trip. Additionally, under no circumstance should you visit or pick them up mid-trip if they complain of being homesick, which merely reestablishes attachment issues.

2. Give Them a Piece of Home

   When your child is packing for their trip away, have them bring an item that reminds them specifically of home and all of its comforts. This could be a stuffed animal, a special blanket, or a picture of you. You could also spray a cologne or perfume on their pillow case that they associate with you. The “keepsake” will be something they turn to in especially homesick moments. It will bring them comfort and consolation.

3. Let Them Know It’s Normal

   Children should not be made to feel that their homesickness is strange or exclusive to them. This alienates them from their peers. If they understand that homesickness is a normal affliction that most children and even adults occasionally suffer, they can talk to each other about it — and the act of talking it out often helps substantially. They should realize that other children likely feel the same way, even if some don’t show it as much. Do not undermine the situation by telling them to get over it — you should empathize while also expressing confidence in them that they will make it through the duration of their time spent away.

4. Have Them Write

   Writing home is a great way for your child to get their feelings out. It can be very therapeutic for them. To make it easy, send them off with pre-addressed and posted envelopes, so all they have to do is write the letter and stick it in the mail. Many children write letters during resting hours in the middle of the day or prior to bed, so don’t be alarmed if they sound somewhat morose in their letters. Since they are not engaged in fun activities during this time of day, they might be more reflective and vulnerable to the effects of homesickness.

5. Involve Them In the Decision

   If a child is homesick as a result of time spent in the hospital or a similar situation, they might not be able to have much say in the time away. However, if the child is homesick at camp, it can help to let them take a part in the decision of what camp to attend. Giving them this choice enables them to choose a camp that they may potentially be more excited about and thus become  less tied up with feelings of anxiety and homesickness. They may choose a camp that a mutual friend from home is attending, and the pre-established relationship will be helpful in having someone to turn to when they’re longing for home.

6. Send Care Packages

   If your child is expressing feelings of homesickness, send along a package with their favorite snacks, a game or puzzles they can play at camp with friends during downtime, engaging books, or a self-pedicure kit for a girl. A care package will cheer your child up and supply them with fun trinkets to keep them occupied during less active parts of the day. They also make mail time substantially more exciting for your child, as the anticipation for letters and packages will give them something home-related to look forward to.

7. Break Down Time

   If your child will be gone for a specified period of time, give them a calendar and encourage them to mark down the days as they occur. Seeing the time marked out visually can sometimes give them perspective and help them to see the length of time as a feat they can overcome. It also gives them a sense of predictability, as they know exactly what to expect with each approaching day. Have them mark down special activities throughout the week that they can get excited about, and always mark their final day in big, bold, happy letters. You could even throw a welcome home celebration on their return, with some of their favorite foods and faces that they’ll miss while they’re away.

8. Practice Being Away

   Slowly ease your child into experiencing being away from home overnight by encouraging them to spend the night at a friend’s house or stay with their grandparents. As they become better accustomed to time spent away, the week or so spent at camp or the hospital may not be as traumatic for them. Learning how to cope with homesickness takes time and practice, as it is a sign of emotional growth. Even college students get homesick, but by that point, they understand how to handle it as a result of childhood experiences.

9. The Last Resort

   If your child is showing signs of depression, such as inability to sleep, vomiting, or not eating, they may not be ready for extended time away from home. Anxiety is to be expected, but not to the point that it becomes excessive and degenerative to their health. Some children may be too young for summer camp. Others may not be adequately prepared. If your child begins showing these signs while at camp, you should pick them up and try again another summer. Do not allow your child to feel as though they have failed at the away-from-home experience, but simply encourage them to give it another go after some time has passed.

Over 90 percent of households in the United States use paper towels on a regular basis. Paper towel waste accounts for approximately 3,000 tons of waste materials every year. You may be concerned about the environment and ready to do your part to help keep it clean and green. When you come across the decision between paper towels and cloth napkins, the obvious green choice is to use cloth napkins. However, there is some information everyone should know before deciding whether paper towels or cloth napkins are the greener choice.

Different Types of Paper

While it is often assumed that cloth napkins are the best choice for the environment, some companies have started to manufacture paper towels out of recycled materials to make disposable choices greener. Keep in mind that any paper towel that does not advertise any kind of green initiative is going to be made of new paper materials and bleached paper. This combination is extremely harmful to the environment because it wastes resources and uses chemicals in the manufacturing process.

Companies such as Marcal have started to offer recycled paper towel products that are comparable in cost to regular paper towels. The Natural Resources Defense Council provides a chart that lets consumers know which paper towels are made of recycled materials. The chart also outlines the percent of recycled material that is sourced from post-consumer waste.

All of the paper towel brands listed below are made of 100 percent recycled materials. The percentage of post-consumer waste is noted with the brand name.

• Whole Foods: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 80
• Atlantic: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 80
• Best Value: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 40
• CVS Earth Essentials: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 60
• Earth First: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 80
• Earth Friendly: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 80
• Fiesta: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 80
• Green Forest: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 90
• Marcal: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 60
• Natural Value: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 80
• Natures Choice: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 40
• Pert: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 40
• Seventh Generation: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 80
• Small Steps: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 70
• Trader Joe’s: Percentage of Post-Consumer Waste: 80

The True Environmental Costs of Cloth Napkins

Mother Nature Network notes that cloth napkins are the greenest choice as long as people do not wash napkins carelessly. Wait until napkins are soiled enough to justify a cleaning and make sure not to use hot water if using a washing machine. Napkins can be thrown in with a full load of laundry to maximize the use of the washing machine.

Some people argue that the energy associated with the manufacture of cloth napkins negates any environmental positives that cloth napkins possess. However, it is important to remember that cloth napkins can be used and reused for years. While the manufacturing process tends to use more energy than the manufacture of paper towels, paper towels are only used one time and are thrown away.

Tree Hugger discusses the manufacturing process of paper and cloth napkins in detail. Cloth napkins made of cotton use the most energy during the manufacturing process because it takes a lot of work to process cotton into cloth materials. The comparison between the energy used for cotton and linen napkins as compared to paper napkins is outlined below.

• Cotton Napkins
  Greenhouse Gas Emissions: One kilogram
  Water Consumption: 150 liters
• Linen Napkins
  Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 112 grams
  Water Consumption: 22 liters
• Paper Napkins
  Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 10 grams
  Water Consumption: 0.3 liters

Paper Towels or Cloth Napkins: Which One Wins the Debate?

The fact that a cloth napkin is reused many times means that any type of cloth napkin is beneficial to the environment when compared to paper towels. The most eco-friendly cloth napkins are those that are made of recycled, organic materials and are linen rather than cotton.

If you truly want to make an environmentally-friendly choice in napkins, the best choice is a linen napkin that you clean only when absolutely necessary. Cold water should be used in the washer, and you can air dry napkins if the weather permits.

Some people do not feel that they have the time to deal with washing cloth napkins. If you prefer to use paper towels instead of cloth napkins, be aware that you will not be making the greenest choice. You can make your choice to use paper towels instead of cloth napkins more eco-friendly by choosing a paper towel that uses the highest amount of recycled materials and post-consumer waste.

Making Your Own Cloth Napkins

If you really want to help out the environment, Planet Green provides a solution for making cloth napkins that takes almost no work. There is no sewing involved, so you don’t have to worry if you aren’t talented with a needle and thread.

Simply choose some cloth scraps that you can find around your house, at a yard sale or at a thrift store. You can even turn old clothing into cloth napkins. Try to choose a material that can absorb spills. The only thing you will need to do is take the cloth and cut it into a square with pinking shears. The recommended size for a cloth napkin is 16 inches by 16 inches.

Pinking shears are recommended because the cut that is achieved with these cutting utensils protects cloth against fraying. Using a regular set of scissors will likely result in curled edges and a quickly fraying napkin.

People who would like to choose a greener way to keep their counters and mouths wiped can look for a better paper towel. Some paper towels are made of completely new paper and use harmful chemicals. If you feel that paper towels are a necessity, use one that is made of post-consumer materials. Cloth napkins that are made of linen rather than cotton are the overall best choice for an environmentally-friendly household.

With new developments in modern technology, more and more people today are trying to reduce their carbon footprint and implement practices that are environmentally friendly. People are saving money and living more efficiently with the use of things such as recycled materials, energy efficient appliances, and even solar and wind power. These people featured below have gone above and beyond what most Americans do and have turned their entire homes into the most energy efficient homes in the country. Here is a list of the 20 greenest homes in America.

You may think you have found the perfect plot of land to build a home. It’s spacious, cheap, near a good school district, and has excellent soil for landscaping. However, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you’re looking to build a house, you should always consider external factors that could be problematic after the building process. Occasionally, you hear horror stories about communities being built on top of Native American graveyards, for example. Before building your dream house, you should always consider any nearby structures that could wind up being attributed to pollution, bad odors, excessive noise, or frustrating traffic. Ask around the neighborhood before settling on a plot of land to determine any disadvantages that come with your particular location.

1. Railroads

   By building your home near a railroad that’s still in use, you’re essentially committing to constant, blaring train horns and the sound of train engines chugging along the course. Trains are loud, and you can often hear them from miles away. Depending on how close you are to the actual track, the passing of trains could potentially be felt from within the house. They may cause a rumbling similar to a small-scale earthquake. For this reason, the foundation of the house could be compromised over time.

2. Nudist Colonies/Nude Beaches

   Be sure not to build your house adjacent to a nudist colony or nude beach, unless you’re extremely comfortable with seeing mainly elderly and otherwise out-of-shape naked bodies on the regular. Nudist spots tend to attract the less fortunate looking folks in society. If you must build your home near one of these naturist locations, building a tall wall on the exterior of your yard should block out any gruesome views. On the plus side, it’s illegal for nudists to leave the community and venture onto commercial or public property without first clothing themselves, so you won’t have to worry about running into them at the local grocery store.

3. Power Plants

   Building your home near a nuclear power plant is generally a bad idea, as any accident that occurs at a power plant could cause catastrophe for you and your home. Many power plants spew dirty, polluted smoke from their towers, which you will be forced to breathe with such close proximity. You could be subject to radiation. Contaminated water could be an issue. Likewise, there’s always the persistent fear of cancer and whether cases of cancer are higher in areas near nuclear power plants, a topic that is regularly debated but not entirely proven.

4. Livestock Farms

   There’s a reason cattle farms are usually located in the countryside. Not only do the cattle need the acreage to roam and chew their cud, but suburbanites don’t typically flock to live near the smell of cow manure. In fact, living next to a livestock farm can actually have some health implications. In a study compiled by Utrecht University, research found that living near a livestock farm could cause an increase in risks of developing asthma. Cows can be loud, and some farms use the methane from their waste to produce electricity via manure pits, which will compound the smell even further.

5. Airports

   According to the US-Citizens Aviation Watch, a myriad of chemicals are expelled from jet planes that can be harmful if not deadly upon exposure. These carcinogenic emissions are not the only cause for concern, however. If you live next to an airport, you are also subjected to a great deal of noise pollution. The prolonged exposure to aircraft noise has been shown to cause health problems on its own, such as stress, high blood pressure, insomnia, and even mental development problems in children. Airports tend to come with a constant flow of traffic, which would become tiresome after a while. Perhaps the only positive aspect of living near an airport would be the ability to get away at any moment’s time, but this certainly isn’t enough to compensate for its many negative aspects.

6. Flood-Prone Areas

   Living near a body of water, particularly in an area that is technically below sea-level, is extremely foolish. Flooding is not the same as most natural disasters, such as tornadoes or earthquakes, because its trends are extremely predictable. Many people may live in Tornado Alley without ever experiencing a tornado, while those who live in flood plains can expect to be flooded year after year. If you’re going to build your home in this area, at least build your home on a raised foundation to deter some of the water damage from occurring and invest in flood insurance.

7. Stadiums

   Building your home uphill from a stadium may grant you free views of games as they occur, but in most cases, this will prove to be more of a curse than an advantage. Stadiums do not make good neighbors. They emit bright lights, a jeering chorus of mostly drunk spectators, sounds of brass brands at halftime, and calls made out over megaphones much to the chagrin of anyone living in close proximity. Some stadiums shoot off fireworks, while others sound off canon blasts marking important scores. The surrounding neighborhood will be essentially converted into a parking lot prior to each game. You may also become quite irritated with hearing various renditions of the National Anthem on game nights, which will be played over the loud speaker.

Home safety is something that many people take for granted. You spend a lot of money on a mortgage or on rent, so you assume that the landlord or builder is responsible for creating a safe home environment. This isn’t entirely true: There are numerous dangers in the home that you will need to be aware of and take precautions against.

Most homes will have general safety features already. If you don’t have a functioning smoke alarm, you should get one right away! You should check your batteries every six months to make sure that this life-saving device can keep working around the clock. Having a few functioning smoke alarms can help save you a bit of money on home insurance as well. Lighting doesn’t seem like a safety tool until you stub your toe in the middle of the night or take a worse fall over an obstacle. Make sure that you promptly replace burnt-out bulbs, especially ones that are outdoors or by stairways. Consider a motion-detecting light outside both for safety and security. If you have a balcony or a deck, or you plan on installing one, always get a safety inspector or contractor to check professionally for safety codes. If you notice a railing or handrail is starting to become loose, immediately inform others and get it fixed.

If you’re planning on an addition to your family, baby proofing is a very important step. The most common devices that you can buy are electrical socket covers and cabinet locks. Cabinet locks are important to keep an infant from accessing chemicals or from pulling heavy objects down onto themselves. People often overlook electrical cords, but these are an easy way for a baby to pull a lamp or computer down on his or her head. To ensure that you’ve accounted for everything, spend a few minutes in each room crawling on the floor. Try to pull at everything you can. Invest in a couple baby gates: Though someone should always have an eye on your baby, put these up by stairs and other “off limits” areas just in case. Make sure you’ve exhausted all available resources so that you don’t miss anything.

No matter what age a person is, the kitchen can be the site of many accidents. The first rule of knife safety may seem counterintuitive: Keep knives sharp! Dull knives cause more accidents because they are harder to use. Make sure that all of your appliances are in proper working order as well. If something is broken, don’t try to fix it yourself. If you notice that something is jamming a garbage disposal, don’t even think about reaching down there, with your hand or anything else, unless the disposal is unplugged. Even then, watch for sharp blades and consider calling a professional. Make sure that children and family members are aware of stove safety. Many models now have a light that indicates a hot surface even if the stove itself is off. Keep a box of baking soda or a fire extinguisher nearby for oil fires; if you try to put a flaming pan of oil out with water, you’ll just send scalding grease flying in every direction. Teach children not to put metal or non-food objects in the microwave or else you might need another fire extinguisher near the microwave. Start with this checklist to learn more safe habits.

Bathrooms are the top place in the home for slips and falls, and they are especially dangerous for for elderly family members. If you have a particularly deep bathtub, consider installing safety rails. Look at your bathroom with a critical eye: If a person slips, what can they grab on to? Shower curtains, curtain rods and towel rods are all too weak to hold a person’s weight and may make a fall worse. You can also buy non-slip rubber mats for the tub, shower and tile floor.

If you have a pool, you should already be aware of the safety issues. Pool areas should be completely enclosed by a fence. Research government safety regulations. Lock the gate whenever you are not using the pool. Make sure that you have pool safety equipment. You’ll want flotation devices placed around the pool. Make it clear that running is not allowed, but you’ll also want a first aid kit in case of falls. You can invest in rubber mats to make the area less slippery.

Should an emergency occur, at your pool or anywhere else, it helps to know basic first aid. You should try to learn CPR and check frequently for updates on technique. The American Red Cross is the all-inclusive resource for first aid preparation. Post emergency numbers by a telephone or somewhere central. Include the family physician, poison control, a local hospital and emergency contacts. Practice a fire drill with your family yearly. Provide children with safety ladders, but make it clear that they are for an emergency only. Train family members to check doors for heat and to stay low and out of the smoke. Remember that smoke inhalation causes more deaths than the actual fire does.

The most common danger in a household is also the easiest to prevent. Household cleaners and chemicals are found in almost every room in a house but accidental ingestion or application of these products can be extremely harmful and in some cases, even fatal. In fact, household cleaners are the number one cause of child poisoning. A daunting 150 common household chemicals are linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological abnormalities. Dangerous chemicals, like antifreeze, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and windshield wiper fluids are fatal if ingested. Bleach and ammonia will burn skin if it comes in direct contact. Still other cleaning products such as air fresheners, moth balls, and motor oil when inhaled can cause severe nerve damage, blindness, or even coma. These chemicals should be placed well out of reach of children and pets. Store them in secure places to ensure they are not accidentally consumed or spilled.

Home safety is as much about prevention as it is about preparation. You should try to make a schedule to check the stability of rails and fences and keep extra light bulbs, batteries and first aid supplies on hand. Make sure that your family is educated about what to do in an emergency. You can go over this information through drills, reading informational materials or even by acting out skits.

Despite the economic downturn, mortgage rates are actually lower than they have been in the last year or so. Experts predict a possible upturn in the future, but for now banks are rejoicing because of the recent low rate. The average rate for fixed 30-year mortgages was hovering around 3.88%, a significant decline from last year’s rate at 4.80%.

• Wells Fargo

  Currently the leader in the low-rate mortgage field, Wells Fargo lowered its interest rates even further this weekend on fixed-rate mortgages, offering locked rates as low as 3.75%. The less popular 15-year FRM (primarily used by those refinancing) is available at a rate of 2.87%. Wells Fargo has remained relatively stable in the last year, maintaining customer satisfaction and trust.

• Bank of America

  In close second, Bank of America offers fixed-rate mortgages at 3.87%, a fractionally higher number than Wells Fargo. Its 15-year FRM is comparatively low as well; sitting nicely at 3%. However, Bank of America also asks for an annual percentage rate of 3.24%.

• Chase

  Chase has higher fixed rates than both Wells Fargo and Bank of America with its listed lows at 4% for the 30-year mortgage and 3.125% for the 15-year plan. Although Chase is technically third in this comparison, it still managed to raise its rates since last week.

• SunTrust

  With its lowest rates available still significantly higher than its competition, SunTrust is hardly a top choice when it comes to mortgage rates. For the 30-year plan, it advertises a FRM of 3.99%, which is higher than the national average. The 15-year rate is not much better, close to 3.375% with an annual percentage rate of 3.4%.

Refinancing

With lower rates available, many homeowners are looking into refinancing as a means to relieve the extra burden on their mortgages. The Home Affordable Refinance Program has been a key player in assisting homeowners who are not necessarily behind on payments, but due to declined value of their homes, are unable to refinance for lower rates. HARP helps you acquire a more affordable and stable mortgage for some refinance fees. In order to be eligible for HARP, your mortgage must be owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on or before May 31, 2009, the current loan-to-value ratio must be greater than 80%, and the borrower must be up-to-date with payments and have a good payment history for the past 12 months.

Home vs. Apartment Vacancies

The fear over mortgage rates and foreclosures may be the reason that homeownership rates have fallen to their lowest since 1997. Reports show that the rate has dropped from 66% in the fourth quarter down to 65.4%. In June of 2004, the level was at 69.2%. Considering house prices and mortgage rates have fallen over the last year, however, it comes as a surprise that consumers would rather rent than own their home. With the decline of homeownership rates, there was an equal fall in apartment vacancy rates. A fall to 4.9% in the first quarter marks an 11-year low, records show. This is down from 9.7% a year earlier. On the subject of vacancies, 18.5 million homes of the estimated 132.6 million homes were vacant in the first quarter according to reports.

Political Solution

It is interesting to note that although the elections are just a few short months away, none of the candidates in the race for presidency have said much about their plans for fixing the housing problems. The primary focus of their campaigning lies in the economics related to health care and in the most general sense, the overall United States debt. It would seem that Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul, regardless of their political party, have more to say about the state of our economy than the effect it is having on the housing market. As of yet, no solutions have even been proposed.

Self-Solving Market

Politicians may not have to come up with a solution to the housing-market crisis though. Given the recent rise in the housing market, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has stated that the housing market is officially on the road to recovery as indicated by the latest signing activity and the reduction in foreclosures. Perhaps political intervention will be unnecessary. This of course begs the question: what would happen if changes were made to the market? Should we just leave things the way they are and let the market recover on its own or should we do something to ensure its stability? The combination of lower fixed-rate mortgages offered by the banks in addition to the cheaper houses available on the market may be the saving factor for the housing market. It just goes to show that government intervention is not always necessary in order for things to stabilize on its own.

Living in a clustered city is the only lifestyle most people know. They move to a neighborhood because it has a good school district, because job opportunities are better, or in order to be closer to a loved one. Humans, for the most part, are social creatures. However, there are the rare individuals who enjoy solitude, and would be just as happy to live as far away from the hustle and bustle of city life as possible. Some of these hermits live so remotely, they can’t be accessed by any conventional road, or they don’t have any modern day utilities. In fact, the only reason we even know they’re on the map may be due to the government’s attentiveness to the United States census.

1. Holy City, California

   William E. Riker more or less founded Holy City, California in 1919, when he started a cultish religious base there called “The Perfect Christian Divine Way.” Located off of the Santa Cruz highway, Holy City once was a commune to as many as 300 of Riker’s devotees. They believed strongly in white supremacy, were entirely celibate, and did not drink. However, much controversy was ignited when Riker broke his own rule and married, causing a member of the commune, Frieda Schwartz, to sue him. Further, Riker was arrested in 1943 for being a sympathizer of Hitler. The publicity brought quite a bit of attention to Holy City, but after the excitement died down, the city shrunk in size until it was virtually bare of residents. In 1959, not only did Riker lose his land as a result of real estate complications, but a set of fires reduced Holy City to the few structures that now remain, including Riker’s old house, a shed, and a post office. Today, Tom Stanton is the only resident in Holy City aside from his three German Shepherd dogs. He has converted the old post office into an art glass shop where he sells glass pumpkins, among other creations.

2. Chisana, Alaska

   Chisana is a stretch of unincorporated land deep within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Like many Alaskan locations, it is completely uninhabited, but this wasn’t always the case. In 1913, Chisana experienced a major gold rush that brought in about as many as 8,000 people. However, once the mining winded down, the 452 log cabins that were built during the duration of the rush became emptied. Between 2006 and 2010, the census recorded a population of zero in Chisana. It does receive the occasional visitor for recreational purposes, such as hunting. However, with no road access, it is typically more or less empty. A state-owned airstrip provides a landing spot for anyone visiting by private jet, but it isn’t maintained, and may not be in a good condition. It doesn’t get much more desolate than that.

3. Hibbert’s Gore, Maine

   Karen Keller is the only inhabitant of Hibbert’s Gore, Maine, as reported by the census. The unincorporated, 640-acre patch where Keller lives provides a rustic lifestyle. Keller has no electricity and pumps her own water each day for drinking and showering. There are no stores, mailboxes, or street lamps, or any other facet of a regular town. Contrary to popular belief, Keller didn’t embark on her life of solitude in order to become a hermit or more in touch with nature. Rather, she battles with bipolar disorder, but refuses to take medication for her illness. As a result, living among people can be challenging, so she chose to live alone where she can deal with her illness by herself. Keller is now in her sixties, and does well living off the land. She shoots, cleans, and eats her own game and gardens fruits and vegetables. She is native to New York and received a bachelor’s degree in natural resources at the University of Michigan.

4. Moonshine, Illinois

   Roy Lee and Helen Tuttle work in a country store in Moonshine, Illinois that they bought in 1982. It is the only building in town, not counting the outhouses, with Roy and Helen surmounting to the town’s entire population. Roy and Helen are happy to be Moonshine’s only residents, particularly since their country store is famous for its burgers and attracts hundreds of visitors from all over the country. They keep a guestbook documenting various people who have tried Helen’s “double Moonburger,” among other eats. Helen stops serving hot sandwiches at 12:30 sharp each day, but continues to serve cold cuts for stragglers. Move into this town, and you may outshine the two residents who run the only existing business.

5. Buford, Wyoming

   Buford, Wyoming, with a population of one, finally surrendered ownership earlier this month when the actual town was auctioned off for $900,000. Included in the auction were the town’s postal boxes, a cellular tower with lease, five buildings, and around 10 acres of land. Don Sammons, the sole resident of Buford, guided the auction, and has lived in the town since 1980. He lived with his son until about seven years ago. Once his son moved away, Sammons had Buford to himself. Buford’s population was at its peak in the mid 1800s during construction of the Continental Railroad, but shortly after it was built, the workers moved on to different cities. The town was bought by a Vietnamese man excited about his potential to experience the American dream.

6. Singapore, Michigan

   Singapore, Michigan was first inhabited about 175 years ago by Ottawa Indians. The lumber supply was its best natural resource, and once this supply was gone, Singapore was reduced to a ghost town. This happened in the 19th century shortly after it was struck by the four great fires of 1871. Likewise, a 40-day blizzard in 1842 would have all but wiped out the population had it not been for a nearby shipwreck with available food supplies to help tide the residents over. The town is now completely abandoned with no residents, leaving behind buildings covered by shifting sand dunes. Its only legacy remains in the bank notes that you can still sometimes find remaining from Singapore’s bank note scandal in 1838. If you’re looking for a place to live with some dune-covered, age-old structures but literally no inhabitants, Singapore, Michigan should fit the bill.

7. Monowi, Nebraska

   Monowi, Nebraska has but one resident. Founded in 1902, Minowi is the nation’s only incorporated place with a population of one. It stands about five miles off the South Dakota border, and was a boom town at the start of the 20th century due to railroad traffic and its cattle-loading plant. In the length of that century, two fires burned down the town, young people moved away for lack of decent jobs, and in 1980, the population had been reduced to 18. By 2000, only two residents were left standing, Rudy Eilers and his wife Elsie. They owned a local tavern, Rudy served as honorary Mayor, and Elsie as treasurer. Sadly, Rudy died of cancer in 2004, leaving only Elsie to hold up the fort. Elsie works a variety of jobs, though, keeping the tavern in operation, running the local 5,000-book library supplied by Rudy’s personal collection, and works as mayor, a position in which she pays taxes to herself.

8. Supai, Arizona

   If you’re looking for a slightly larger population, but still would prefer to be away from it all, Supai, Arizona is the place to be. With fewer than 500 occupants, Supai has no roads in or out, virtually eliminating the occurrence of any visitors. Likewise, it’s located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, so even if a brave soul trekked out in search of it, it would be rather difficult to access by foot. In fact, in order to do so, one would have to hike through the dessert for eight miles in the blazing sun. In a sort of antiquated necessity, Supai still receives its post by way of mule, and horses are the main mode of transportation. Even the U.S. Census had trouble contacting Supai, and accidentally recorded its population as zero in the year 2000.

If you plan on living in one house for an extended length of time, it might be worth your while to try to appease your neighbors. By keeping things amicable between the neighbors, you prove yourself to be a contributing member of the community. Nurturing a relationship between you and your neighbor could be helpful down the road when you need a favor, like someone to keep an eye on the house when you’re out of town or someone to borrow an egg from when you’re stumped on a recipe. However, if you repeatedly offend your neighbors, negativity will build up between the households. Eventually, this could lead to some major confrontations, which can be stressful.

1. Bad Parking

   If you have a driveway or garage, this is an appropriate place to park your vehicle. Do not park in the street when personal parking is available. It should be a common courtesy. If a driveway is not an option, you should always park in front of your own home if at all possible, as parking in front of a neighbor’s home merely robs them of their own parking spot. Neighbors will begrudge you for inconsiderate parking habits, especially if you move your trash bins in front of the house to lessen the parking availability in a neighborhood that depends on street parking. And always park correctly; just because the curb of a cul-de-sac is rounded doesn’t entitle you to utilize it as a parking lot.

2. Pet Cleanup

   If you’re looking for a quick way to completely infuriate your neighbors, let your dog poop in their lawn and don’t bother to pick it up. Cleaning up after your pet is important. They can’t do it themselves and leaving dog waste on the lawn is bad for the environment. You may think that dog poop will ultimately serve as a fertilizer for a lawn, but in truth, it is full of bacteria like human waste and is the equivalent of pouring sewage on a lawn. In fact, dog waste causes 20 to 30% of pollution in run-off streams, deteriorating the quality of drinking water. The responsibility of picking up after your dog is yours and yours alone. Plus, your neighbor isn’t anticipating a lawn full of dog poop, so when they step outside barefoot in the morning to bring in the paper and accidentally step in your dog’s excrement, you’ll probably hear from them sooner or later.

3. Unattended Children

   When parents get irritated with their children, they often instruct them to go play outside. Little do they realize, this only subjects their neighbors to their annoying children. Outside, children play in the streets where they could potentially get hit by a car. They leave toys all over the lawn. Even if your neighbors have children and you reason that your children can simply play together, they may not be comfortable with letting their children play unsupervised, and you’re essentially doubling their load as a parent by letting your kids run free with theirs. Kids are brazen enough to engage strangers in conversation, which is potentially dangerous if not extremely obnoxious to childless adults in the neighborhood. Wrangle up your kids to avoid conflict with unhappy neighbors.

4. Throwing Parties

   If you drive home from work to find a line of cars parked down the entire street, consider it a warning that one of your neighbors is throwing a party. And we’re not referring to the kind of party thrown by sensible adults with catering, wine, and designated drivers. If you live in a college town (or still attend college), you might be able to get away with it, but throwing rowdy parties in a neighborhood where grown adults have to get up and go to work the following morning is generally frowned upon. Loud music, drunken banter, and a lawn full of solo cups at two in the morning can be frustrating to neighbors who are respectful to you and your need for sleep at regular slumbering hours. No matter how much you enjoy loud music at your party, it just sounds like a headache-inducing bass to surrounding neighbors lying wide awake in bed. When your intoxicated guests drive home, they are privy to swerving into the lawns of neighbors, promptly killing the grass where the tires make contact.

5. Lazy Landscaping

   If you live in a suburban neighborhood with well-tended lawns, you will likely be the subject of disdain if you let your grass go wild, refuse to yank up weeds, and let your plants shrivel up and die. There may be little they can do about it, but your neighbors will harbor some hostility if your home reflects poorly on the rest of the neighborhood. Try to contribute positively to the neighborhood; doing so will make it a place that people will want to live. There are few things worse than a neighbor that lets his lawn become littered with trash and refuses to do any upkeep on the vegetation that exists there. With enough neglect, grass will yellow and die. Soil can become inhospitable, which lowers your home’s resale value. Take time to keep your home looking decent.

6. A Dusty Car

   If you have a vehicle just sitting in your driveway or street that hasn’t moved an inch in years, it’s time to get rid of it. There’s no reason to prolongedly keep such a fixture on your property and it detracts from the overall presence of the neighborhood to have your dusty, beat up Honda decaying on your driveway. Worse, keeping an oversize Winnebago parked in front of your house will cause quite a bit of tension among your neighbors. When people work hard to keep their house and lawn in order only to have their view blocked by a bulky motor home, things can get nasty. Keep the recreation vehicle in storage when you’re not readily using it, as well as boats and other large, unsightly modes of transportation.

7. Extreme Holiday Decor

   While they make great viral internet videos, who wants to live across from the people who put together Christmas light shows? These people literally spend thousands of dollars on Christmas lights, timed to music for passerby’s to enjoy. Not only are they usually insanely bright and a bit of a fire hazard, but they attract swarms of visitors into your neighborhood in hopes of viewing the spectacle. Many of them will require speakers in the yard to play the corresponding tune. Even if they keep this at a decent volume — and it likely has to be loud enough to hear from a car with the windows rolled down — it will certainly become irritating to hear Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy 50 times a day. Likewise, neighbors who insist on putting up an eight-foot-tall inflatable Santa in their yard should be chastised by the local homeowner’s association for their tackiness.

8. Public Fighting

   Depending on the proximity of the neighbors, you should always be aware of how many people can hear you when you’re fighting with your significant other. This highly personal conversation should not be conducted on a front porch or kitchen with a window open. If people walking along the sidewalk can hear angry sounds coming from your home, you should decrease the volume of your bickering. Fighting is intimate, and it makes others uncomfortable to witness it. Likewise, do it enough and you’ll receive the unflattering descriptor of “those neighbors who loudly fight all the time.”