Featured, Sustainable Living

How Tofu Came to the West

Tofu is a favored Chinese dish. Its lightness makes it suitable for all kinds of cooking. It is an economical, nutritious, and tasty delicacy. It is a popular and healthy food not only in China, but also in East Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam, and its popularity is growing around the ...

David Jirard

Stir-fry is one of many ways to prepare tofu.

About Building a House in a Forest

For many, living in the concrete landscape of the cities becomes tiring and so they seek refuge in nature from time to time. A vacation in a forest region can be truly refreshing. However, true nature lovers are going beyond that and making plans to build homes in natural settings. While living in such a ...

Emma Lu

A very small model of a simple house made out of wood sitting on a forest floor amidst the moss and ferns.

Tips for Maintaining Femininity and Health While Studying

Life while in college can seem to be all about studying, going to class, and writing papers. But women may find themselves losing their sense of femininity if they are constantly running around in sweat pants wearing yesterday’s shirt and the makeup they didn’t wash off from the day before with their hair in a ...

Emma Lu

Stressed female college student rubbing her temples while reading from a laptop screen sitting outside on campus.

The Ugliest Woman in the World

Her name is Mary Ann Bevan, and she was once called “the ugliest woman in the world.” Behind the sad title is the story of a devoted mother who suffered endless humiliation to raise her children. Early years Mary was born in East London in 1874, one of the eight children raised by a working-class ...

David Jirard

A photo of Mary Ann Bevan before the acromegaly began.

Is Keeping Chickens on a Balcony Possible?

Keeping pets in the house is nothing new or uncommon. Generally, dogs, cats, fish, and various kinds of birds are the preferred pets. But nowadays, many people want to try keeping chickens as pets. With chickens in the house, you will have eggs as a bonus, too. It is quite interesting to see that people ...

Raven Montmorency

Closeup of a white hen with an outdoor background.

A Greek-Australian Beekeeper Who’s Been Making Honey for 82 Years

A good beekeeper must possess good management skills and stewardship, which take both time and knowledge. General maintenance requires periodic inspections during the warm months to ensure the queen is laying eggs, the workers are building up honey stores, and the colony has enough space to expand. The colony clusters and eats through their honey ...

Raven Montmorency

A honeybee on a white flower.

Zayaan Khan, the Seed Librarian in South Africa Preserving Traditions

South Africa has a food system that is not in sync with what its land is capable of growing. However, efforts are on to restore the native and age-old horticulture. A skilled seed librarian named Zayaan Khan is among the pioneers spearheading this movement. She is also a talented horticulturist.  Located on the western coast ...

Armin Auctor

Zayaan Khan with a slice of horned cucumber in her mouth.