FDA announces a recall of an acronym – HVP, or "hydrolyzed vegetable protein" – found in soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, snack foods, dips and dressings. It could lead to the largest food recall in U.S. history. UPDATE: Pringles added to recall list.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced a recall of millions of pounds of a product you've never heard of, made by a company you've never heard of, that's in a lot of foods you have not only heard of, but most certainly eaten. It's made by Basic Food Flavors Inc. in Las Vegas, Nevada and it's called HVP. (No, it's not the STD.) HVP is short for hydrolyzed vegetable protein, a ubiquitous food-like substance found in just about every category of processed foods available in American supermarkets.

Save money on rising energy bills, while slashing your carbon footprint at the same time. All you need to do is hire an energy detective. Wait...what?! I'm not talking Sherlock Holmes -- I'm talking about an energy monitoring device. A good example is The Energy Detective (TED), which starts at $139.

The Energy Detective is a small display that indicates household electrical usage in real time and projects your monthly bill — all without using batteries. Research has found that real-time energy feedback leads consumers to reduce their electricity consumption. According to the company you'll save 15-20% on each bill, which would amount to hundreds of dollars a year.

It's a fact of the grocery store that the most healthy food often has the least marketing muscle behind it. The best source of fiber and vitamins are fresh vegetables and fruit, and yet it's the processed, packaged junk food fortified with vitamin and fiber powder that screams for attention. The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published a comprehensive report on the subject, a persuasive indictment delicately called "Food Labeling Chaos."

Like listening skeptically to a politician speak, however, you can often decipher the truth amid the lies and misdirection by carefully reading food labels. Here are some of the most common ways food labels lie, so you can prepare before your next trip to the grocery store.

Made With Real Fruit

Hey wow! That candy has real fruit in it. It must be good for my kid.

What are “energy vampires” or “phantom loads”? First, they are not the monsters hiding in the closet to drain your energy and make really cheesy movies.

Energy vampires are devices that use electricity when you think they are off. They are the cell phone and iPod chargers that are left plugged in, the computer that is left in sleep mode all day, or the TV that comes on instantly when you press the button on the remote. Electronics like this never really turn off. There is always some power going to them. This allows things like clocks on DVD players to still function while off, or for the TV to come on instantly with a remote control. Phantom load accounts for 64 million megawatts (or 64,000,000,000 kilowatt hours) of power and $4 billion a year in the United States.

Most people already understand that their wallets and waistlines benefit from meatless meals, but the earth does too. According to a 2006 United Nations Food and Agriculture report, livestock farming generates more greenhouse gases than transportation. It does this in many ways. For one, forest lands are cleared to make room for grazing. Farm animals also account for 18 percent of CO2 emissions. Now is the perfect time to try one or two meatless meals a week. Here are 3 recipes you can try this week that are sure to please everyone's tastebuds!

Are you a tea-drinker? Or know someone who is? Then you're probably used to seeing a collection of used teabags throughout the day. Every time I throw one away I wonder, is there something better I could be doing with this? The answer is yes -  there are creative solutions for recycling them!

Just like with food, too much salt on your sidewalk can be a bad thing.
 
Rock salt is useful—it’s cheap, and it melts the ice, but it has some harmful side-effects.  It damages both plants (including grass) and your lakes and streams when it melts.  Consider a lower-impact alternative.  De-icers with calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) or potassium acetate (KA) are more eco-friendly, though still not harmless.  Smart use of all the tools in your toolbox can help you keep your neighbors safe while still helping protect our beautiful waters.
 
Here are some ideas for staying on top of the ice situation.
 

In my continuing efforts to go green, I decided to forego purchasing the usual wrapping paper and gift bags. It is my goal to wrap all of my gifts with items that I already had or can refashion in some way. Although it is more time-consuming, the end product is something very thoughtful - both to the gift recipient and the environment!

I have to be honest though...I only have two presents wrapped. However I set this goal for myself so I'm just going to have to make it work.

I gathered my supplies to wrap my first gift:

• Paper grocery bag
• 3 pieces of colored construction paper
• 1 piece of ruled paper
• glue
• scissors
• tape
• pencil

Ah, the holidays! Traditions are the very stuff that holidays are made of. Whether you love to spend a day decorating the tree, or you always go skating on Christmas Eve, traditions aren't to be messed with—but you can easily fiddle with them to make your holiday greener while still traditional.

Tradition #1: Skating and Hot Chocolate

Skating is a much-loved Christmas tradition. Whether you have backyard rink, head to a local park, or strap on a pair of blades at the local arena, your holiday skating traditions are probably near and dear to your heart—and my guess is they also include a cup of hot chocolate. While you can't choose where vendors get their goods, there are a few tips for greening your trip.