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The Evolution of Sustainability “Most people agree that sustainable food was the first one that broke through to the mainstream because it’s personal; we literally put food in our bodies,” says environmental activist and sustainability specialist John Oppermann, who is the executive director of the Earth Day Initiative. Next came the impetus to ditch fast fashion, which harms the planet through its use of natural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and labor practices....

In recent years, ghee has become a more mainstream ingredient, particularly as a staple in the ketogenic and paleo diets. In grocery stores, ghee typically ranges from $6 to $12, which makes DIY ghee a more affordable option. Below, we break down exactly how to make ghee at home. How to Make Ghee from Butter Butter is composed of three main elements— butterfat, milk solids, and water. Both ghee and clarified butter are pure butterfat, which is made by slowly melting unsalted butter and removing the milk solids and water....

Bonus: Making an assortment of customizable shapes for your cookie swap is guaranteed to steal the show. For Precision: The Tin Strip Method To make the most precise and sturdy cutter, purchase a 1-inch wide tin strip coil. Then, print out the image (true to size) of what you want to make to get an accurate measure of how much material you’ll need. Next, use a string to outline the design....

Here’s how to master your best latke recipe. We recommend reading up before you get grating. RELATED: The Best Potatoes to Use for Each of Your Favorite Tater Recipes RELATED: What Is the Maillard Reaction—and Why Understanding It Will Make You an Infinitely Better Cook

To avoid the steep price tag, you can instead opt for a DIY landscaping project. Before embarking on the work, however, be sure to do your research and determine the specific types of plants and landscape elements that will be most appropriate and long-lasting for your property, and region of the country. This extra step will help save you from needlessly wasting money. Here are some of the additional ways to stretch your landscaping budget as far as possible....

Factors such as the amount of moisture, sunlight, temperature, and oxygen can cause fresh herbs to go bad faster. The key is to find the appropriate balance between these elements, which depends on the type of herb you’re storing. Excessive moisture can cause soft herb leaves to wilt and become slimy, while too little moisture can dry out woody, hard herbs like rosemary and thyme. Excessive light can cause herbs to turn yellow, and too much oxygen will turn your leaves an unappetizing brown....

“The transverse abdominis, or TVA muscle, is the deepest ab muscle, attaching to the anterior lumbar spine and wrapping around the midsection from back to front like a corset or pair of Spanx,” says Ali Handley, founder of Bodylove Pilates in New York City. “When correctly engaged, the TVA cinches the waist, lengthens the torso, flattens the belly, and supports the spine and pelvis.” Just because the transverse abdominis is hard to see and reach doesn’t mean it’s not crucial to keeping you strong, toned, and pain-free....

As Miguel Pires, co-owner of IMBUE The Salon, puts it, most of us have a love-hate relationship with our bangs. “Not everyone has the same hair texture, and oftentimes many people encounter cowlicks around their hairline that make styling their bangs tricky,” he says. “And not all bangs are cut equal! Sometimes your stylist may have not taken into consideration your hair texture or lifestyle that makes styling your bangs a chore....

The fact is, you can transform this space usually used to store cars and household items into a stylish, (semi) outdoor spot to hang out. Tavolino recommends using a Polyaspartic floor coating. The look is similar to epoxy but it has better abrasion, so you won’t see the tire skid marks. Plus, it can be installed in hot or cold weather. The best part? Liquids wipe up very easily, so you can get rid of any car fluids that leak out before your gathering, or soak up any beverages before you park your car....

It wasn’t until the K-beauty wave really hit the Western world that I realized how innovative they actually were. You’re probably already familiar with things like BB creams, sheet masks, and sleeping masks—all of which stemmed from South Korea—but here are some additional, super easy ways to achieve aegi eongdongi (translation: baby butt) skin. It’s not exactly the most comfortable thing in the world, but it works similarly to baking by locking in your makeup and giving you matte skin....

Was I going to feel like a character in Little House on the Prairie or end up with buttermilk splattered all over the kitchen? Did I need to buy a butter churner to make traditional, authentic homemade butter? Regardless, I forged ahead. In the end, I just felt like a 21st-century gal who loves butter and only made a slight mess using a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Follow along to see how to make butter at home....

When it comes to buzzy beauty brands that bridge the gap seamlessly between makeup and skincare, nothing has caught my (or my fellow shopping editors’) attention as much as Ilia Beauty in the past few years. The clean beauty company has been leading the charge in editor- and reviewer-loved formulas of tinted moisturizers that double as sunscreen and serum; lengthening mascaras that condition your lashes; and moisturizing lip glosses made with hyaluronic acid to make sure your lips won’t dry out throughout the day....

So, when is it worth shelling out the extra cash for locally-grown produce at the farmer’s market, and when do you opt for the organic version? And what does organic actually mean? Freshness Counts In many towns, farmer’s markets only happen on the weekends, which means you may have to plan your meals for the week to know what to buy and avoid waste. Produce at a farmer’s market or farm stand is often picked locally within a day or two, which means you’re getting fresher fruits and veggies than you would at a grocery store....

Marble Is Porous and It Can Stain Marble is a natural stone, which means that it can easily absorb drips, spills, and pigment from food if anything sits too long on the surface. It also doesn’t hold up well to heat, so hot pots or pans should never be placed directly on marble. Time and wear can also cause it to etch, which is just a dulling of the finish....

Sometimes these extended warranties—known more accurately as extended service agreements—are everything you hope they’ll be, and can end up protecting your wallet and your peace of mind. But many other times, they can be your worst nightmare. Extended warranty scams are abundant, and without knowing the red flags, it’s easy to spend your hard-earned money on a useless warranty. Knowing the facts about how extended warranties actually work is one of the best ways to protect yourself, because while you may sign up for a warranty that feels like a great buy, if you don’t read the fine print, you may end up feeling like you were ripped off....

How to (privately) share photos with friends and family. As we’re busy social distancing, most of us are craving a little more human connection. Bonding over shared memories and cherished photos is a great way to get the conversation started. But how can you do that without texting individual people or sharing it all on social media? If you and your family members tend to use Gmail and other Google products, consider setting up a shared album on Google Photos....

With coronavirus concerns sweeping the globe, soothing colors are a nice reprieve from frightening headlines and statistics, and Kyoto Glow is just that: a sunny color that toes the line between green and yellow, with all the cheeriness of a warm spring day. Paint colors can have a major effect on mood or attitude, and the addition of this brand new KitchenAid mixer color could do the same—not least because it means a new stand mixer and maybe even some of the best KitchenAid attachments....