Back to school is about more than school supplies, new clothes and a return to familiar routines.  It is also about good times, social gatherings and renewing acquaintances.  But for parents of teens who drive, or ride with new teen drivers, it is also a time of concern.

“If I only knew.”

The words of an anguished mother involved in a car crash in which her young child died haunt us, but also inspire us each day as we work to help make sure that every person – regardless of age – is safe on the road.

Pictured: The chlorofluorocarbon coolant widely used in air conditioners through the 1980s was phased out because it was damaging the Earth’s protective ozone layer, but the chemicals that replaced it are some 2,100 times stronger as greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide. We may have saved the ozone layer, but -- whoops! -- there goes the climate.

Dear EarthTalk: Has an alternative to air conditioning to keep rooms cool been invented that is significantly cheaper and/or that uses significantly less energy than traditional air conditioning?                                        -- Ashutosh Saxena, Allahabad, India

Add a little extra color and motion to your summer garden with containers designed to attract birds and butterflies. Many garden centers continue to sell annuals throughout the summer and many of these mid-season annuals are a bit bigger, providing instant impact.

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) -- Vacation partnering is on the rise among women. With many people facing the rising costs of caring for families, paying down debt and still wanting to live 'the good life,' traveling for pure relaxation seems out of reach. That is why partnering with sisters and friends is a way to enjoy traveling while sharing the cost and having a fun experience.