House plants also serve well to help purify inside air. In research done by NASA a few years ago, there were 15 common houseplants found to be beneficial in removing common  pollutants such as trichloroethylene, benzene and  formaldehyde. Those three items are used in many building materials or cleaning products.  For a home no larger than 2000 square feet, they recommended at least 15 plants in containers no smaller than 6 inches.  Mums, English ivy, peace lily, gerbera daisies, bamboo palm,weeping fig, varieties of philodendron, Mother-in-law’s Tongue and other recommended plants are commonly known and available at most nurseries.

Houseplants also help with wintertime comfort. Humidity in Central Texas may be somewhat high in the summers, but in the winter, with heating systems drying the air out in homes and buildings, house plants serve to raise the humidity level while helping to eliminate dry skin and other problems associated with dry air.

During the Christmas season, it’s fun to walk or drive around and see the festive lights and it makes us feel happy.  During the remainder of the year that warmth and friendly look can be achieved in a more modest way by doing something very easy but that most people neglect.  They can turn their porch lights on! Have you noticed the difference in how a neighborhood looks when no one leaves their porch light on, as opposed to one in which most of the houses do? Not only does it give pleasure to the walkers and drivers through the neighborhood, but it helps reduce crime.  It’s a win/win situation and it’s so easy and cost effective. I leave my porch lights on all night, every night and I use florescent bulbs that use 9 watts and have a warm glow, not the blueish light that gives a cold and eery look. One of my fondest wishes is that all the houses in Austin would have their porch lights turned on every night. That would be fantastic! And the police department would love it, too!

For anyone who wants to try living without owning a personal car, the place to begin is in central Austin, whether it’s downtown, Tarrytown, Clarksville, or the North Campus area. One reason for this is that now there’s an easy option for them, especially if they only occasionally need the use of a car. Austin has Cars2Go.  It’s a convenience for those who sometimes need a car but don’t want to own one. These tiny little cars, the size of which reminds me of a baby shoe, can be rented for about $.35/minute and left at almost any location as long as it’s within the designated boundaries, when one’s errands are finished.