Like most Americans, I’m trying to be nicer to my planet. I want to leave this world in better shape than when I got here. But the more I’ve read about carbon offsets and people buying carbon credits when they take a trip or buy an SUV, the more cynical I’ve become about some of these large-scale programs...

Bradford Pear trees are probably the most commonly used landscape tree in my area, and their prevalence tends to dilute the fact that they really are nice trees. They have shiny foliage that they keep long into the fall. Their leaves stay green for a long time and slowly turn to a pretty reddish bronze...

Work is always easier when you know you're helping someone out. Last weekend my older brother Ben and I descended on my parents' house to help them with some yard work. For years when we were younger, our time in the summer was measured out in yard work; mowing, trimming, pruning, mulching, weeding,...