Dorothy was right: There is no place like home. Home is where we feel safe and relaxed in the familiarity of our surroundings — the sheets are just right, our favorite chair welcomes us, and we know, half-asleep and at 1 a.m., that we can get to the bathroom in exactly 10 steps.
But it turns out we might not be as safe as we think. According to the Home Safety Council (HSC), home-related injuries cause nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits each year. HSC’s State of Home Safety in America report found that unintentional home injuries cost an average of at least $222 billion each year in medical costs between 1997 and 2001, far greater than costs from other home injuries such as violence ($98 billion) or suicidal acts ($96 billion).
Yet most of us, myself included, fail to take these numbers seriously. HSC polled Americans on the injury prevention actions they took in their homes and found that an alarming number failed to appreciate the risk and lacked either the motivation or knowledge to reduce it.
The good news is that most home injuries are avoidable with a few simple modifications, ranging in price from free to $40. Learn how easy and inexpensive it is to protect your family from the five leading causes of injury, as reported by the HSC.
Falls Each year 5.1 million Americans are injured by falls that occur in and around the home. Falls are the leading cause of home injuries and account for one-third of unintentional home injury deaths.
Recommended actions:
Put a nonslip mat or safety treads on the tub floor and use grab bars when you get out of the shower: $4-$10.
Turn on area lights when using stairs, steps, and landings: $0.
Use handrails on both sides of stairs and steps, and shoo pets away from your path (I know, easier said than done): $0.
Use a proper ladder for climbing instead of a stool or furniture: $0-$30.
Poisonings The second leading cause of home injuries, more than 2 million poisonings are reported to the Poison Control Center each year, yet only 1% of respondents in the HSC survey considered it a top concern.
Recommended actions:
Lock poisons, cleaners, medications, and other dangerous substances away from a child’s reach: $0.
Keep all cleaners in their original containers, and do not mix them. Even better? Buy non-toxic all-purpose cleaners from brands like Method or Seventh Generation, or make your own: $2-$6 for 32 ounces of self-made or purchased cleaner solution.
Use medications carefully, following the directions. Use child-resistant bottles, but don’t rely on them: $0.
Install carbon monoxide detectors in bedrooms: $20-$30 per detector.*
If someone is unconscious, is having trouble breathing, or is having seizures, call 911, but if someone seems okay and you think they may have ingested poison or you have a question, call the National Poison Control Hotline. Put the number in your phone’s address book or near the home phone (only one-fifth of polled Americans reported doing so) — it’s 1-800-222-1222: $0.
Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell, or taste. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second only to smoking as the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Test your home at least every two years or when living patterns change: $15 (or free — some state programs offer low-cost or free kits, contact your state radon contact for more information).
Fires and burns Of all fire- and burn-related injuries, 90% occur in the home. We know we should have a fire extinguisher and smoke detectors in the home (93% of the people polled did have smoke detectors installed), but most of us slack off on other precautions such as fire escape ladders (only 6% reported having one) and a family escape plan (just 26% had one).
Recommended actions:
Have working smoke alarms: about $3 to replace batteries, $20 per smoke detector.*
Create a family fire escape plan: $0.
Two story home? Keep a fire escape ladder near each upstairs bedroom window: $35+ per ladder.
Don’t leave the stove when cooking, especially when frying food, and consider keeping an easy-to-use fire extinguisher near the range: $0-$12.
Space heaters should be three or more feet away from anything flammable and turned off when you leave the room or go to sleep: $0.
If you smoke, smoke outside and put water in ashtrays before emptying. Lock matches and lighters away from a child’s reach: $0.
Blow out candles before leaving the room or going to sleep, or replace real candles with flameless ones — new battery-operated candles are made with scented wax and create a flickering glow: $0, or $10 for a 6-inch flameless candle.
Set the hot water heater at or below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent burns, and test bathwater temperature before children climb in: $0.
Choking and suffocation The easiest way to prevent most choking-related deaths? Sit, and require children to sit, while eating. Only 39% of adults require children to do so.
Recommended actions:
If an item can fit through a toilet paper tube, it can cause a young child to choke. Keep small items out of children’s reach: $0.
Don’t put pillows, comforters, or toys in a child’s crib: $0.
Tie or clip the loops in window cords up high where children can’t reach them: $0.
Read the labels on all toys, especially the recommended age: $0.
Cut food into small bites for kids, and both kids and adults should sit down when they eat and chew slowly: $0.
Drowning Most drowning deaths at home are related to swimming pools and spa tubs, but there are easy ways to keep everyone safe this summer.
Recommended actions:
Sounds obvious, but stay within arm’s reach of children in and around water. This includes bathtubs, toilets, pools, and spas (more than half of the HSC survey respondents failed to do so): $0.
Keep the gate around your pool closed and locked: $0.
Empty large buckets and wading pools after use and store upside-down: $0.
To avoid suction entrapment, don’t use a pool or spa if there are broken or missing drain covers: $0, or $15+ for a drain cover replacement.
Research the safest pool cover for your type of pool: price varies.
*Rather than buying separate carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms, install a single unit that does both: $40-$50.
Is your safety to-do list as long as mine? Know any easy fixes that make your home a safer place for your family? I’m embarrassed to say that buying carbon monoxide detectors and testing for radon are two things I have always meant to do, but never got around to doing them. June is Home Safety Month, though, so it’s the perfect time to check it off my list!
Imagination and kids go hand-in-hand. And when it’s playtime, children should have a room filled with toys that spark their imagination and creativity. Whether it’s a kitchen play set for an aspiring chef or a crafting table for all sorts of creations, the options are endless. If you’re looking for a way to highlight your child’s creative mind in your home, this Redfin article is for you.
So, whether you live in a house in Duluth, MN, or a Wilmington, NC, apartment, read on for 12 expert-backed kids’ playroom decor ideas to help spruce up your kids’ spaces.
1. Make sure every item has a dedicated place
First, focus on design and organization. It’s important to design a playroom with purpose so kids can learn valuable skills and make the most out of their space. “A great way to do this is to make sure that there is a place for each of their items,” says Adriano Tori, founder & CEO of RexMont Real Estate. “This not only makes the room less cluttered, but it also teaches kids about organization and respecting their belongings.”
2. Include an organizing system
No matter the space, make sure to include an organizing system. Bins are a great way to do this. “Bins are perfect for filing, categorizing, and storing different things,” says the team at Biltmore Design Galleria. “Use a variety of sizes filled with similar items to make your organized system work best,” they suggest. “You can also bring this system to many areas of your home, including bathrooms, closets, and even small spaces.”
3. Label storage with pictures and words
When using storage bins, take photos of the contents and label them with both the picture and the words. “Not only does this help keep toys organized, but it also promotes literacy skills as children connect the written words to the image,” comments Stacey Grumet, founder & CEO of Paper Pinecone. “And don’t forget to make books easily accessible.”
4. Choose a fun theme
Consider designing a playroom around a theme that reflects your child’s interests, like travel, outer space, or under the sea. “Incorporate fun wallpapers, murals, stencils, and decals, while adding small on-theme decorative touches throughout,” notes the team at GTC Design. “Once you establish your overall theme, complement them with cozy cushions, accessible bookshelves, art supplies, and anything else your kid desires.”
Regardless of your theme or decor, prioritize safety by choosing child-friendly furniture, securing heavy items, using non-toxic materials, and adding soft foam mats as necessary.
5. Use playful colors
One of the first items on your kids’ playroom decor list should be invigorating, playful paint colors for the playroom’s walls. “Options include sky blues, sunshine yellows, or warm greens,” says Heather Sheridan, owner of Decorating Den Interiors. “If you decide to go with a specific theme, such as a jungle theme or princess theme, use wall decals that are easy to peel off the walls,” she suggests. “Regardless, make sure your kid likes the colors and that they will stand the test of time.”
6. Create an engaging art room
Build a colorful art space that will evoke creativity and help kids be naturally attracted to it. “When you’re designing an art room, first, figure out what your kids like to do, what development stage they’re in, and how you want the room to look,” suggests Ann Cox, owner of Ann Cox Design. “Then, display enough art items that encourage without feeling too cluttered,” she says. “If you have room, try to fit some of your kids’ original artwork in the design as well.”
7. Invest in fun, transitional furniture
Furniture should grow with your kids, so it’s important to choose quality items that are safe and fun for your kids’ playrooms. “Instead of getting cutesy tiny chairs, choose a couple of great armchairs or a sectional that you can use solo or for family time,” notes the team at Mecc Interiors. “If you want them to be cleanable, get some custom washable slipcovers that will allow you to clean and swap out simply and easily.”
8. Include ways for kids to get their energy out
Kids need to move, so their playrooms should encourage it. “Incorporate items like a toddler trampoline, nugget play couch, and wood climber that take the place of small toys and get all that toddler energy out,” suggest Kyle and Kim Griffiths from State of Play Kids.
9. Create zones for maximum efficiency
Since kids tend to get bored with the same toys each day, use zones to create an area where items can be rotated out every day. “This way, you don’t have to have each and every toy organized and out on display all of the time,” advises Jess Klein, owner of Jess Klein Studio. “For toy storage, consider getting a bunch in one color, since toys can already be visually overwhelming.”
10. Carve out a hideaway underneath the stairs
A fun, space-saving option is to create a secret hideout by adding some fun, festive lights and shelves to the nook area under your stairs. “This is a great area to build towering block castles, do puzzles and experiment with science kits,” says the team at Green Piñata Toys. “Plus, a monthly subscription to a toy or science rental service keeps your hideout freshly stocked and clutter-free.”
11. Stock the playroom with open-ended, age-appropriate materials
Toys should have multiple uses, especially if they’re going to last for more than a year. “Examples include wooden blocks, art supplies like play dough, and even things from nature like sand, water, rocks or sticks,” notes Lauren Besack, Ducklings Early Learning Franchise Director of Curriculum Development. “These toys encourage creativity, experimentation, trial and error, problem-solving, and critical thinking.”
12. Incorporate custom millwork to maximize space
No matter the room, custom millwork is great for tailoring a space to your kids’ specific needs. “You can add multi-use, custom-crafted built-in furniture to fit a variety of play styles,” says Genevieve Chambliss from Vieve Interiors. “Options include bunk beds with lots of cozy features, a built-in desk, a reading nook, or a custom closet,” she suggests. “These options will maximize space and give your kids more floor space to spread out and play.”
Anchorage, Alaska, holds a distinct place in the hearts and minds of adventurers, nature enthusiasts, and culture seekers alike. Nestled within the dramatic backdrop of the Chugach Mountains, Anchorage is a city that embodies the spirit of the ‘Last Frontier.’ Renowned for its awe-inspiring landscapes, it’s a gateway to glaciers, national parks, and wildlife encounters that stir the soul. But Anchorage is more than just a base camp for outdoor adventures. From world-class museums to the warm and welcoming spirit of its people, many things put Anchorage on the map. Whether you are looking to rent an apartment in Anchorage or purchase a home in the area on Redfin, get to know 10 things that Anchorage, Alaska, is known for.
1. It’s the largest city in Alaska
Anchorage is the state’s largest and most populous city. With a population of around 285,000 residents, it serves as Alaska’s economic, cultural, and transportation hub. Residents love living in Anchorage for its unparalleled access to breathtaking natural landscapes, offering endless opportunities for outdoor adventures and a deep connection with nature, and enjoying a strong sense of community.
2. Alaska Zoo
The Alaska Zoo showcases the unique wildlife and rich biodiversity of the ‘Last Frontier.’ Established in 1969, the zoo spans about 25 acres and provides a home to over 100 species of animals, including native Alaskan species and exotic animals from around the world. Visitors can encounter iconic Alaskan wildlife, such as grizzly bears, moose, musk oxen, and wolves, as well as exotic animals like Amur tigers, snow leopards, and African elephants. The zoo also hosts educational programs, interactive exhibits, and special events to promote awareness and appreciation for wildlife conservation.
3. Access to the outdoors
Anchorage offers unparalleled access to the outdoors, making it a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. Stunning natural landscapes surround the city, including the Chugach Mountains, Cook Inlet, and nearby national parks like Denali National Park. Chugach State Park offers vast wilderness areas for hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing. The best trails include Flattop Mountain Trail, Thunderbird Falls Trail, and Mount Baldy Loop.
For those who love to be on the water, the Cook Inlet provides opportunities for kayaking, fishing, and boating. The nearby Turnagain Arm is a popular spot for birdwatching and observing the fascinating tidal bore phenomenon. During the winter months, residents can enjoy activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and dog sledding. The city also hosts the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a thrilling event celebrating Alaska’s rich dog sledding heritage.
4. Glaciers
Alaska is well known for its spectacular glaciers, but did you know Anchorage serves as a gateway to some of the most impressive icy landscapes in the state? One of the most iconic glaciers near Anchorage is the Portage Glacier. Located within the Chugach National Forest, the glacier was formed thousands of years ago during the last ice age when massive ice sheets covered the region. Visitors can take a boat tour or hike to the glacier’s viewing area, where they can check out the blue ice and towering walls of the glacier up close.
5. Kincaid Park
Kincaid Park is a hidden gem known for its expansive, diverse outdoor scenery and access to outdoor recreation. Spanning over 1,500 acres, the park has a lot to offer. One of the park’s highlights is its extensive trail system, which winds through coastal forests, meadows, and the scenic bluffs overlooking the Cook Inlet. Hikers and trail runners can explore over 40 miles of trails, ranging from easy strolls to challenging treks, whereas bikers can enjoy the exhilarating singletrack trails designed specifically for mountain biking.
6. Northern Lights viewing
Although Anchorage is located at a lower latitude than other parts of Alaska, it occasionally experiences the dazzling display of the Aurora Borealis. To increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights in Anchorage, it’s advisable to visit during the winter months, particularly from late September to early April, when the nights are longer and darker. Look for nights with clear skies and head to locations away from city lights to reduce light pollution, such as nearby parks or open areas. The most common colors visible in Anchorage are green and sometimes pink, with the lights dancing across the night sky.
7. Anchorage Museum
The largest museum in the state, Anchorage Museum is a vibrant cultural institution that celebrates the art, history, and diverse heritage of Alaska. From indigenous peoples and early explorers to the modern era, the Anchorage Museum takes visitors on a journey through time, highlighting the stories of various communities. The museum also houses an extensive collection of contemporary and traditional artwork. Visitors can explore a range of mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and installations.
8. Whale watching
Anchorage serves as a convenient starting point for whale-watching adventures, with various opportunities available along the state’s stunning coastline. One of the most popular whale-watching destinations near Anchorage is the Kenai Fjords National Park, located a few hours south of the city. The park is home to several species of whales, including humpback whales, orcas, and gray whales. Boat tours departing from Seward, a scenic coastal town, offer visitors the chance to observe these magnificent creatures up close.
9. Eklutna Lake
Eklutna Lake is a freshwater lake located approximately 40 miles northeast of Anchorage. Nestled within the Chugach Mountains, the lake offers a tranquil retreat. One of the primary attractions of Eklutna Lake is its stunning natural beauty. Surrounded by rugged peaks and lush forests, the lake boasts crystal-clear turquoise waters. The scenic backdrop makes it an ideal location for photography, picnicking, and relaxing.
10. The midnight sun
Situated at a high latitude, Anchorage lies within the Arctic Circle, resulting in extended daylight during the summer. From late May to early August, the city experiences the phenomenon known as the “midnight sun,” where the sun remains above the horizon even at midnight. This creates a surreal and magical atmosphere, with a twilight-like glow that bathes the city throughout the night.
We all like to have good style, and to be noticed. But sometimes, people are so eager to be cool and unique that they end up just revealing their own insecurities. It’s one thing to be interesting and have unique opinions. It’s another thing entirely to try so hard you just look desperate. We asked Redditors for the top things they’ve observed people doing to look cool that just don’t.
1. Unnecessarily Loud Cars
One user posted, “Loud *ss car/motorcycle. You’re not impressing anyone…”
Another commenter replied, “There’s a video by some YouTube guys satirizing this. They’re sitting at home when they hear a motorcycle start up, and they run to the window to cheer them on, saying how cool it is that it’s so loud and unnecessary. It’s very funny. Can’t find it, though.”
Another user shared, “I used to have a loud exhaust on my motorcycle, not to show off or anything but so that people could hear me. A lot of the time, people don’t see motorcyclists, and that’s how accidents happen. After I got into a close call on the highway (not speeding, someone just casually switching lanes on me), I decided to put on a loud exhaust.
“I don’t ride anymore, but when I drive my car around, if I hear a loud exhaust, I double check my mirror to see where the motorcycles are, and that’s the whole point. In the US, no driving school teaches you to watch for motorcycles. That’s something you will notice when you go to Europe, people constantly check their mirrors for motorcycles because they have been taught to do so.”
2. Disliking Trends Just to Be Unique
One Redditor posted, “Those who think hating anything popular just because it’s popular makes them special.”
A second user added, “I swear, this is such a child mentality. Like when you’re going through your ‘Not like the other kids’ phase and think you’re so cool bc you don’t like the popular thing, but eventually you grow out of it and realize it’s ok to like popular shit and enjoy things regardless of what other people think or like….. But, obviously, some people never grow up and grow out of it.”
One commenter replied, “And it’s ok to be an adult and like uncommon or unusual things. People also love to spit on people who like ‘alternative things.’ The goal is that you find intrinsic value and enjoyment in your choices. When people just slide into what’s popular because it’s what they’re fed, that seems insincere. But if they wear it because they see it and genuinely like it, then that’s good. and the same when flipped to ‘alternative’ styles.
But with strangers, that can be hard to read at first blush. With people you know or get to know, it’s easier. I do think it’s easier for people to swallow when other adults look more traditional than when they look unusual. But should that matter? Edit: And when I say ‘love to [spit] on,’ I mean to say they almost always believe some looks are only for attention or to convey a specific personality trait. Which is as ridiculous as believing someone only wears fancy branded clothes to be seen.”
“I used to be that person! Then I grew up and realized how obnoxious it was to just have an opinion about anything I didn’t enjoy that other people did, and it feels amaaaaazinnggg. I think people need to realize how cyclical that kind of attitude is. People who are super critical of other people are often paranoid about what people think of them, and it just goes round and round,” one user confirmed.
3. Calling Themselves Alpha
One user commented, “Calling themselves ‘alpha’. It just makes them just seem insecure imo.”
Another user added, “It’s like telling people you’re rich. If you have to tell people…you aren’t.”
One Redditor replied, “If you have to tell people you’re alpha, you’re not alpha.”
“If those kids could read, they’d be pretty upset by that statement,” another user exclaimed.
4. Modifying Your Car for Noise
One user posted, “Modifying your car to make it obnoxiously loud.”
Another user replied, “Add to this, all the guys that peel out in parking lots because they think their car is so cool and everyone is impressed. No… we just think you are an attention seeking dbag making annoying noises and making the air smell like burnt tires.”
Another user responded, “To be fair, the primary goal of modifying the exhaust is usually to add power. Added noise is a secondary consequence. That said, I agree that some people take it way too far. ”
5. Designer Things Covered in Logos
One user shared, “To me it’s designer stuff that just has some brand’s logo or name all over it. Why be a walking billboard for a company that isn’t even paying you? It’s weird. Being overly flashy is a big yuck to me.”
Another user added, “Same reasons kids today sh*t on Android users for not having an iPhone. It’s not about having a quality product, it’s about showing people that you have more money than them.”
One user replied, “iPhones and Androids are the same price? Flagship Android phones are actually more expensive, and iPhone budget options reach all the way down to $430 brand new. I know there are cheaper Androids far below that, but this statement is just stereotypical ‘Apples are bad and expensive.’ There’s nothing wrong with either phone, it’s great that people have options. The iPhone is not a status symbol, it’s a preference, and anyone who thinks otherwise has some insecurities they’re projecting onto others. Time to get over it.”
6. Education as a Status Symbol
One user commented, “People who look down on education.”
Another user shared, “Also educated people who look down on those who didn’t go to college or university. You’re not a more valuable human being just because you have a degree. [Jerks] are found at every level of education, and it works both ways.”
“It doesn’t matter if every human being on this planet has a PhD, somewhere there’s still gonna be a pile of sh*t that needs shoveling,” one Redditor responded.
One commenter added, “Exactly. It is simply not viable for everyone to be a business manager, doctor or lawyer. Society NEEDS truck drivers, construction workers, plumbers and cleaners too. Edit: And since this is the case, it’s only natural and fair that we pay those people enough to live a dignified life befitting a human being.”
7. Calling Yourself a Bad Girl
One Redditor posted, “Girls who call themselves certified bad b*tches.”
Another user added, “‘Queens.’ So ghetto and trashy.”
One user laughed, “Queens with no job, no skills and no responsibilities lol.”
Another user shared, “Women who try to be a ‘bro’ to fit in. I cringed at whatever her name was in ‘Love is Blind’ when she was like, ‘I’m one of the bros’…”
8. Revving at Red Lights
One user commented, “Idiots who stop at red lights and constantly rev their engines like they’re about to participate in a drag race.”
Another Redditor replied, “It must feel amazing to win a race no one else is participating in.”
One user shared, “That was me when I was young, but not for the usual reason. I had just earned my license and my friend gave me his rusted out [car] as a ‘gift.’ The problem was it needed a valve adjustment and I couldn’t afford to take it to the shop, nor did I know how to adjust it myself. The problem is it would stall at idle, so anytime I’d come to the lights, I’d put the car in neutral (it was a manual) and gently rev the engine until the lights turned green.
“I felt obnoxious doing it, it probably looked even more embarrassing to everyone else. It was particularly awkward when a cop would pull up beside me at the lights, and we’d make eye contact while gently [revving] the engine. I’m surprised I never got pulled over for it.”
9. Bragging about Intimate Encounters
One Redditor posted, “Bragging about how much s-x they’re supposedly having. It’s a clear sign of someone who peaked in high school.”
Another user shared, “That’s my dad perfectly described.”
“My uncle is almost 300lbs and married a woman he knew for 2 weeks and brags about their [intimate] life. It’s just gross man,” one user added.
“Back in high school my friends would do this. I was single at the time and I would tell them how shitty it felt that everyone around me was doing it but me. Then they kept bragging about it. That’s when I realized these guys weren’t really my friends,” one commenter shared.
Do you agree with the list above? Share us your thoughts and leave a comment!
Source: Reddit.
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Living in a 1,400-square-foot home, Xiyin Tang and Paul Laskow wanted more space for their growing family. Now, they have it: A 320-square-foot prefab accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, that extends their floor plan while preserving their historic 1936 Streamline Moderne home.
The couple purchased the historic-cultural monument in the Fairfax District for $1.5 million in the summer of 2020 after it had sat on the market for several months.
The three-bedroom, two-bath home was designed by architect William Kesling as a Hollywood hideaway for actor Wallace Beery and was problematic for several reasons, including that it was tenant-occupied and has historic status, which could prove challenging for future renovations. And to top it off, it was small.
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However, small-space living was not a deal breaker for the former New Yorkers, who had rented an 850-square-foot apartment in Dimes Square before moving to an apartment in West Hollywood.
“It was big for two people by New York standards,” says Tang, 35, a professor at UCLA’s School of Law, about the house.
When the couple and their 2-year-old daughter, Catherine, finally moved in, Tang was pregnant with the couple’s second child.
Suddenly, with another baby on the way, the couple worried they couldn’t accommodate visits from their greatly missed parents who lived on the East Coast.
“We felt like we needed more space,” says Tang. “We intended to build something in the back, but the timeline changed when I got pregnant. We needed to build something very quickly.”
Because of the home’s historic status — it was designated a historic-cultural monument in 2018 after a developer purchased it and filed plans to build condos on the site — the couple was required to work with the Cultural Heritage Commission on exterior and interior alterations.
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They loved the home’s Streamline Moderne details and decided to preserve the house with minor changes, including a new roof and kitchen. They added the ADU behind their home on the spacious 7,000-square-foot lot.
Working with Los Angeles-based Cover, which specializes in one-story prefabricated ADUs manufactured in L.A., the couple wanted to install a custom ADU (priced between $275,000 and $295,000, depending on site-specific conditions) before Tang delivered their second daughter, Maggie, in November 2021.
For its part, Cover offers fixed pricing upfront and manages all aspects of the building process. But it could not contain the issues that arose during the pandemic.
“One of the advantages of a prefab ADU is that it can be built more quickly than a traditional ADU,” Tang says. “Unfortunately, we tried to build an ADU at the worst possible time because of COVID. There was a lumber shortage. Permitting took a year. Everything was back ordered.”
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After the permits were finally issued, the ADU was installed on site in 43 days using a panelized building system manufactured in Los Angeles. Seven months later, the permits for occupancy for the ADU were completed in time for Maggie’s first birthday party.
“One thing that is different about our prefab system is that we ship flat-packed panels from our Gardena factory rather than shipping large room-sized parts that require a massive crane,” says Alexis Rivas, co-founder and chief executive of Cover. “Overhead power lines and trees can prevent you from building with a big crane.”
The steel studio comprises an open-plan bedroom, kitchen and living area with a small desk between the kitchen and full-height built-in storage. A bathroom with a walk-in shower faces a stacked washer and dryer that is a hit with guests. A floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door allows easy access to the backyard, and narrow floor-to-ceiling windows look onto the main house and the pool, connecting the two homes. There are also integrated wall-mounted LED lights that add illumination and help keep lighting things simple.
“The main house has a lot of windows, and you can see people coming and going to the back house,” Tang says. “It’s nice to talk to your friends and family through the doors and windows.”
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Tang, who loves to cook, was drawn to Cover because of its high-end kitchen appliances, including an under-counter Sub-Zero refrigerator and a Wolf induction cooktop, oven and hood.
Sitting side by side, the austere square-box ADU, with its warm oak floors and white composite exterior, complements Kesling’s curved walls and ocean liner details.
“The main house is so distinctive,” Rivas says. “I think it’s much better to contrast it than try to match it.”
In an ideal world, one home would be able to accommodate multiple families, but that’s not always possible. Tang says one of the hardest things about moving to L.A. was leaving family. Now, the ADU allows everyone to stay close.
“Our parents have come out to stay with us multiple times,” she says. “The ADU allows us to put them up in the back, and everyone can go their separate ways. Catherine loves going out back and waking up our guests. Recently she went outside early in the morning in her rain boots and umbrella and brought my mom an umbrella to ensure she didn’t get wet. It’s a wonderful image in my mind. It’s so nice to be able to share those moments.”
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“About a third of our customers have put them in for their family members to live in full-time,” says Rivas, who lived in one of Cover’s 450-square-foot ADUs for a year.
Tang and Laskow also have a lot of friends from New York who come to stay in the ADU, which is in use every month. “This past month, we’ve had one friend, their dog and 2-year-old stay for a week — and another couple stay for three weeks,” says Laskow, 35, who heads transportation at online resale site the RealReal. “Our friends from New York always say, ‘Wow, this is so big. This ADU would be a covetable apartment in New York.’”
Despite the many challenges and delays because of COVID-19, the couple is happy with the outcome. Their modern ADU blends well in the historical context and allows them plenty of room to accommodate their family and work-from-home needs.
“It’s such a wonderful change,” Laskow says. “And not just the house. We love having outdoor space. We are so happy we could add the ADU and retain some patio space and grass for the kids.”
In some parts of the U.S., vegetable and flower seeds can be successfully planted directly into the garden. But in many areas, the growing season is too short to allow this.
Cool spring soil temperatures and cold weather can prevent seeds from germinating or kill young seedlings. If you wait until the weather warms, the plants get off to a late start only to be zapped by fall’s first frost; they don’t get a chance to bear a full crop or to put on a full floral display.
There are three solutions for home gardeners:
Buy all of your vegetables and flowers as plant starts, once the weather warms.
Extend the growing season outside with coldframes and rowcovers.
Start your own seeds inside while the wintry weather lingers.
The first choice is best for beginning gardeners who are working on a small scale. The second option is nice for committed gardeners who want to test the limits. Starting from seed, however, is easy, is cheaper per plant and allows a greater variety of choice among both ornamentals and crops than buying nursery plants.
I’m eager each (early) Spring to get my seeds going. On March 1st, I began seven types of flowers and my basil seeds. (As of March 5th, the basil has sprouted, as have a couple of the flowers.) In two weeks, I’ll start tomatoes and a few others, and the squash, cucumbers and more flowers will follow. How do I do it, and how do I know when to start? Here are my tips:
When Should I Start My Seeds?
In order to decide when to sow your seeds, you need to find the average last frost date for your region. In Oregon’s wet and unpredictable Willamette Valley, published last frost dates range from March 23 to May 14. Based on my own experience, I pick the latter end of this range and count backward from May 1st.
Click for full version of our 2009 seed-starting agenda.
I start my tomato plants six or seven weeks before this date. Slow-to-germinate flowers get an eight-week head start. Squashes and cucumbers don’t transplant especially well, but I germinate them inside to protect them from marauding slugs. I move them outside two weeks later before they’ve developed much of a root system.
What Should I Plant Indoors?
To determine what to plant indoors, read your seed packets. Many will list instructions for both inside and outdoor seed sowing. Knowing which to do will depend on your climate. With flowers, I often do both. I’ll start a limited number indoors for “insurance” and then sow the remainder of the packet directly in the garden once true Spring arrives.
Some crops should not be started indoors because they don’t transplant well or because they need an impractical amount of room. I would not recommend starting the following inside:
These cool season plants can withstand planting directly outside even before the weather fully warms. Likewise, things you are going to plant in large numbers should wait until they can be sown into the garden soil. The following are usually grown in sizable quantities:
Corn
Peas
Beans
If you are worried about your short growing season for crops like corn, look for varieties that have a short days-to-maturity period.
Tomatoes and peppers, broccoli, eggplants, cauliflower, melons and squashes can all be started successfully indoors. Herbs and flowers, too, benefit from the controlled environment of indoor seed starting. Let’s get started!
How Do I Start Plants From Seed?
The two most important factors for seed germination are temperature and humidity. The seed contains all the nutrients the plant needs to germinate, so it doesn’t need fertilizer or fertile soil.
Note: Fertilizer may actually prevent some seeds from sprouting. Generally, I avoid fertilizing until plants have grown their first set of “true leaves”, which look different than the first pair that emerges.
To start my seeds, I used the bio-dome from Park Seeds, a device that looks like a plastic greenhouse dome with a styrofoam tray. The tray holds little soil-less planting plugs called bio-sponges. Each plug has a hole in it for the seeds. I don’t normally advocate one product over another, but I really like these.
Seeds sprout best in a light soil; don’t use potting soil or garden dirt at this first stage! You can buy seed starting mix or make your own from peat moss, sand, and compost.
Note: Take care if using vermiculite; it can be a respiratory hazard. I prefer the little soil-less planting plugs because they’re mess free and they pop out easily for transplanting, doing minimal damage to the roots, but other methods work fine too.
Any device that keeps the environment moist and fairly warm will work. You can cover trays of soil with saran wrap or a dry-cleaning bag — poke plastic forks into the soil to hold the plastic layer up off the growing sprouts. Commercial peat pots, yogurt cups or milk cartons (poke drainage holes in the bottoms) or pots made from newspapers (avoid colored ink) all work fine, too.
Set your pots in a tray, tub or rimmed cookie sheet so you can water from the bottom, letting the moisture soak up through the soil. This helps keep the moisture level constant and prevents dislodging seeds with a fountain of water. Do not let the soil dry out! Little tiny seedling rootlets need constant moisture.
Seeds vary widely in size. I like to use tweezers to place them exactly where I want them. In general, seeds should be planted approximately four times deeper than their diameter. Some seeds need light to germinate and should be scattered just on the surface of the soil. Again, read those packets!
I usually put two seeds into each hole. I use three if I think the germination rate will be low. You can test your germination rate by placing ten seeds between layers of moist paper towels in putting them in a Ziploc bag in a warm place. This is a good idea if you have saved the seeds yourself or they are several years old. Do this 2-3 weeks before you want to actually start your seeds.
As you’re planting, take good notes! Make a planting diagram and jot down how many days it takes each type of seed to germinate. Some germination times are given as huge ranges (5-20 days). The happier the seed is (warm and wet), the speedier germination may be.
If you are using individual pots, mark them with labels or masking tape, unless you know for sure that you will recognize what the leaves of your young plants will look like. There’s nothing worse than getting your plants mixed up. This is especially important if you are starting different varieties of the same crop! Free plant stakes can be made simply by cutting up a plastic yogurt tub. Store your leftover seeds in a ziploc bag or glass jar in the refrigerator.
Now that the seeds are snug in their beds, cover them to retain moisture and put them in a warm place. A temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) is ideal, but in March our house is nowhere near 70 degrees! I like to set my mini-greenhouse on a heating pad (a wet/dry safe heating pad set on low) to maintain a more constant temperature, since our thermostat drops to 54 degrees (12 Celsius) at night. Some people recommend putting the seed tray on top of the refrigerator. If your house is more temperate, the heat source is unnecessary. I have often started seeds without a heat source, but peppers and eggplants seem especially fussy about the temperature.
What Happens After the Seeds Sprout?
Once the seeds have germinated (keep them moist!), they’ll need light, nutrients and air. Give them some ventilation and move them to a very sunny window, supplemented with artificial light. There is no need to buy an expensive grow light or full spectrum light. For these purposes, a basic 48″ fluorescent shop light is all you need.
Tip: The type I own has two tubular bulbs per light; they’re available at home improvement stores for less than $20. The critical thing is to hang them in such a way that they can be raised as the plants grow; I use a link-type chain that can be doubled-up on itself to different lengths.
As your plants grow, keep the light about 6″ from their tops. If the light is too far away, the plants will grow spindly as they stretch for it. This can be rather tricky if you are starting different types of seeds at the same time, because they will grow at varied rates. You can lift the shorter ones with shoeboxes or phonebooks to alleviate this difficulty. Once all the seeds in your tray have germinated, remove the cover completely. Too much humidity at this stage can encourage mildew and harm the seedlings.
As you water, fertilize with a weak solution of water-soluble all-purpose fertilizer. I make mine about one-quarter the strength called for. Watch out for crystallized salts forming on your soil surface — that’s a sign you’re over-fertilizing and need to cut back. Turn the lights off for your plants at night (they need a dark cycle to grow properly) but leave the heat on (temperature fluctuations can stunt them).
What About Transplanting?
When the seedlings first sprout, they will usually have a pair of first leaves that look nothing like the true leaves that come later. (Many crops are dicots, but not all.) Watch closely, and soon after they have two sets of true leaves, it’s time to move the teenage seedlings into their first real apartment. Water your seedlings thoroughly an hour or two ahead of time, and then, working carefully and quickly, remove each seedling into its own pot.
At this point I generally use an all-purpose potting soil. Scooping them up from below, try your best to get all their little roots, and handle their tops as little as possible, and always by the leaves, rather than the stem. A damaged leaf can be replaced; a damaged stem often dooms a plant at this stage.
Depending on how long your plants will be living inside, you may perform only one transplant, or you may need two. For my tomatoes, I’ll move them into 4-inch plastic nursery pots first, then into gallon-sized pots before they go outside. Everything else gets one transplant, then into the garden.
Once your seedlings are thriving, it’s tempting to treat them a bit too carelessly. Being started inside in a safe environment, they can’t stand the shock of an immediate change in their conditions. Basically, they are weak, coddled little things. Expose them gradually to the out-of-doors by setting them outside on nice days for a few hours, being sure to bring them inside at night and making sure they don’t get sunburned or blown over. Some gardeners like to have a fan blow on their indoor starts, saying it strengthens the stems to withstand windy outdoor conditions. I can’t vouch for that, but I do think it helps prevent mildew.
Happy Planting
Wow, that seems like a lot of work when I write it all out. But it’s not really! Watching my garden plants grow from tiny seeds is a thrill every year. I love trying new things each spring and learning from my successes and failures. I hope these tips get you well on your way to learning what works best for you. Happy gardening!
High above the Las Vegas Strip, solar panels blanketed the roof of Mandalay Bay Convention Center — 26,000 of them, rippling across an area larger than 20 football fields.
From this vantage point, the sun-dappled Mandalay Bay and Delano hotels dominated the horizon, emerging like comically large golden scepters from the glittering black panels.Snow-tipped mountains rose to the west.
It was a cold winter morning in the Mojave Desert. But there was plenty of sunlight to supply the solar array.
“This is really an ideal location,” said Michael Gulich, vice president of sustainability at MGM Resorts International.
The same goes for the rest of Las Vegas and its sprawling suburbs.
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Sin City already has more solar panels per person than any major U.S. metropolis outside Hawaii, according to one analysis. And the city is bursting with single-family homes, warehouses and parking lots untouched by solar.
L.A. Times energy reporter Sammy Roth heads to the Las Vegas Valley, where giant solar fields are beginning to carpet the desert. But what is the environmental cost? (Video by Jessica Q. Chen, Maggie Beidelman / Los Angeles Times)
There’s enormous opportunity to lower household utility bills and cut climate pollution — without damaging wildlife habitat or disrupting treasured landscapes.
But that hasn’t stopped corporations from making plans to carpet the desert surrounding Las Vegas with dozens of giant solar fields — some of them designed to supply power to California. The Biden administration has fueled that growth, taking steps to encourage solar and wind energy development across vast stretches of public lands in Nevada and other Western states.
Those energy generators could imperil rare plants and slow-footed tortoises already threatened by rising temperatures.
They could also lessen the death and suffering from the worsening heat waves, fires, droughts and storms of the climate crisis.
Researchers have found there’s not nearly enough space on rooftops to supply all U.S. electricity — especially as more people drive electric cars. Even an analysis funded by rooftop solar advocates and installers found that the most cost-effective route to phasing out fossil fuels involves six times more power from big solar and wind farms than from smaller local solar systems.
But the exact balance has yet to be determined. And Nevada is ground zero for figuring it out.
The outcome could be determined, in part, by billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
The so-called Oracle of Omaha owns NV Energy, the monopoly utility that supplies electricity to most Nevadans. NV Energy and its investor-owned utility brethren across the country can earn huge amounts of money paving over public lands with solar and wind farms and building long-distance transmission lines to cities.
But by regulatory design, those companies don’t profit off rooftop solar. And in many cases, they’ve fought to limit rooftop solar — which can reduce the need for large-scale infrastructure and result in lower returns for investors.
Mike Troncoso remembers the exact date of Nevada’s rooftop solar reckoning.
It was Dec. 23, 2015, and he was working for SolarCity. The rooftop installer abruptly ceased operations in the Silver State after NV Energy helped persuade officials to slash a program that pays solar customers for energy they send to the power grid.
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“I was out in the field working, and we got a call: ‘Stop everything you’re doing, don’t finish the project, come to the warehouse,’” Troncoso said. “It was right before Christmas, and they said, ‘Hey, guys, unfortunately we’re getting shut down.’”
After a public outcry, Nevada lawmakers partly reversed the reductions to rooftop solar incentives. Since then, NV Energy and the rooftop solar industry have maintained an uneasy political ceasefire. Installations now exceed pre-2015 levels.
Today, Troncoso is Nevada branch manager for Sunrun, the nation’s largest rooftop solar installer. The company has enough work in the state to support a dozen crews, each named for a different casino. On a chilly winter morning before sunrise, they prepared for the day ahead — laying out steel rails, hooking up microinverters and loading panels onto powder-blue trucks.
But even if Sunrun’s business continues to grow, it won’t eliminate the need for large solar farms in the desert.
Some habitat destruction is unavoidable — at least if we want to break our fossil fuel addiction. The key questions are: How many big solar farms are needed, and where should they be built? Can they be engineered to coexist with animals and plants?
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And if not, should Americans be willing to sacrifice a few endangered species in the name of tackling climate change?
To answer those questions, Los Angeles Times journalists spent a week in southern Nevada, touring solar construction sites, hiking up sand dunes and off-roading through the Mojave. We spoke with NV Energy executives, conservation activists battling Buffett’s company and desert rats who don’t want to see their favorite off-highway vehicle trails cut off by solar farms.
Odds are, no one will get everything they want.
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The tortoise in the coal mine
Biologist Bre Moyle easily spotted the small yellow flag affixed to a scraggly creosote bush — one of many hardy plants sprouting from the caliche soil, surrounded by rows of gleaming steel trusses that would soon hoist solar panels toward the sky.
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Moyle leaned down for a closer look, gently pulling aside branches to reveal a football-sized hole in the ground. It was the entrance to a desert tortoise burrow — one of thousands catalogued by her employer, Primergy Solar, during construction of one of the nation’s largest solar farms on public lands outside Las Vegas.
“I wouldn’t stand on this side of it,” Moyle advised us. “If you walk back there, you could collapse it, potentially.”
I’d seen plenty of solar construction sites in my decade reporting on energy. But none like this.
Instead of tearing out every cactus and other plant and leveling the land flat — the “blade and grade” method — Primergy had left much of the native vegetation in place and installed trusses of different heights to match the ground’s natural contours. The company had temporarily relocated more than 1,600 plants to an on-site nursery, with plans to put them back later.
The Oakland-based developer also went to great lengths to safeguard desert tortoises — an iconic reptile protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, and the biggest environmental roadblock to building solar in the Mojave.
Desert tortoises are sensitive to global warming, residential sprawl and other human encroachment on their habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has estimated tortoise populations fell by more than one-third between 2004 and 2014.
Scientists consider much of the Primergy site high-quality tortoise habitat. It also straddles a connectivity corridor that could help the reptiles seek safer haven as hotter weather and more extreme droughts make their current homes increasingly unlivable.
Before Primergy started building, the company scoured the site and removed 167 tortoises, with plans to let them return and live among the solar panels once the heavy lifting is over. Two-thirds of the project site will be repopulated with tortoises.
Workers removed more tortoises during construction. As of January, the company knew of just two tortoises killed — one that may have been hit by a car, and another that may have been entombed in its burrow by roadwork, then eaten by a kit fox.
Primergy Vice President Thomas Regenhard acknowledged the company can’t build solar here without doing any harm to the ecosystem — or spurring opposition from conservation activists. But as he watched union construction workers lift panels onto trusses, he said Primergy is “making the best of the worst-case situation” for solar opponents.
“What we’re trying to do is make it the least impactful on the environment and natural resources,” he said. “What we’re also doing is we’re sharing that knowledge, so that these projects can be built in a better way moving forward.”
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The company isn’t saving tortoises out of the goodness of its profit-seeking heart.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management conditioned its approval of the solar farm, called Gemini, on a long list of environmental protection measures — and only after some bureau staffers seemingly contemplated rejecting the project entirely.
Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the conservation group Defenders of Wildlife show the bureau’s Las Vegas field office drafted several versions of a “record of decision” that would have denied the permit application for Gemini. The drafts listed several objections, including harm to desert tortoises, loss of space for off-road vehicle drivers and disturbance of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail, which runs through the project site.
Separately, Primergy reached a legal settlement with conservationists — who challenged the project’s federal approval in court — in which the company agreed to additional steps to protect tortoises and a plant known as the three-corner milkvetch.
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The company estimates just 2.5% of the project site will be permanently disturbed — far less than the 33% allowed by Primergy’s federal permit. Regenhard is hopeful the lessons learned here will inform future solar development on public lands.
“This is something new. So we’re refining a lot of the processes,” he said. “We’re not perfect. We’re still learning.”
By the time construction wraps this fall, 1.8 million panels will cover nearly 4,000 football fields’ worth of land, just off the 15 Freeway. They’ll be able to produce 690 megawatts of power — as much as 115,000 typical home solar systems. And they’ll be paired with batteries, to store energy and help NV Energy customers keep running their air conditioners after sundown.
Unlike many solar fields, Gemini is close to the population it will serve — just a few dozen miles from the Strip. And the affected landscape is far from visually stunning, with none of the red-rock majesty found at nearby Valley of Fire State Park.
But desert tortoises don’t care if a place looks cool to humans. They care if it’s good tortoise habitat.
Moyle, Primergy’s environmental services manager, pointed to a small black structure at the bottom of a fence along the site’s edge — a shade shelter for tortoises. Workers installed them every 800 feet, so that if any relocated reptiles try to return to the solar farm too early, they don’t die pacing along the fence in the heat.
“They have a really, really good sense of direction,” Moyle said. “They know where their homes are. They want to come back.”
Primergy will study what happens when tortoises do come back. Will they benefit from the shade of the solar panels? Or will they struggle to survive on the industrialized landscape?
And looming over those uncertainties, a more existential query: With global warming beginning to devastate human and animal life around the world, should we really be slowing or stopping solar development to save a single type of reptile?
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Moyle was ready with an answer: Tortoises are a keystone species. If they’re doing well, it’s a good sign of a healthy ecosystem in which other desert creatures — such as burrowing owls, kit foxes and American badgers — are positioned to thrive, too.
And as the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, human survival is inextricably linked with a healthy natural world.
“We take one thing out, we don’t know what sort of disastrous effect it’s going to have on everything else,” Moyle said.
We do, however, know the consequences of relying on fossil fuels: entire towns burning to the ground, Lake Mead three-quarters empty, elderly Americans baking to death in their overheated homes. With worse to come.
The shifting sands of time
A few miles south, another solar project was rising in the desert. This one looked different.
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A fleet of bulldozers, scrapers, excavators and graders was nearly done flattening the land — a beige moonscape devoid of cacti and creosote. The solar panel support trusses were all the same height, forming an eerily rigid silver sea.
When I asked Carl Glass — construction manager for DEPCOM Power, the contractor building this project for Buffett’s NV Energy — why workers couldn’t leave vegetation in place like at Gemini, he offered a simple answer: drainage. Allowing the land to retain its natural contours, he said, would make it difficult to move stormwater off the site during summer monsoons.
Safety was another consideration, said Dani Strain, NV Energy’s senior manager for the project. Blading and grading the land meant workers wouldn’t have to carry solar panels and equipment across ground studded with tripping hazards.
“It’s nicer for the environment not to do it,” Strain said. “But it creates other problems. You can’t have everything.”
This kind of solar project has typified development in the Mojave Desert.
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And it helps explain why the Center for Biological Diversity’s Patrick Donnelly has fought so hard to limit that development.
The morning after touring the solar construction sites, we joined Donnelly for a hike up Big Dune, a giant pile of sand covering five square miles and towering 500 feet above the desert floor, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The sun was just beginning its ascent over the Mojave, bathing the sand in a smooth umber glow beneath pockets of wispy cloud.
On weekends, Donnelly said, the dune can be overrun by thousands of off-road vehicles. But on this day, it was quiet.
Energy companies have proposed more than a dozen solar farms on public lands surrounding Big Dune — some with overlapping footprints. Donnelly doesn’t oppose all of them. But he thinks federal agencies should limit solar to the least ecologically sensitive parts of Nevada, instead of letting companies pitch projects almost anywhere they choose.
“Developers are looking at this as low-hanging fruit,” he said. “The idea is, this is where California can build all of its solar.”
We trekked slowly up the dune, our bodies casting long shadows in the early morning light. When we took a breather and looked back down, a trail of footprints marked our path. Donnelly assured us a windy day would wipe them away.
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“This is why I live here, man,” he said. “It’s the most beautiful place on Earth, in my mind.”
Donnelly broke his back in a rock-climbing accident, so he used a walking stick to scale the dune. He lives not far from here, at the edge of Death Valley National Park, and works as the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity’s Great Basin director.
As we resumed our journey, the wind blowing hard, I asked Donnelly to rank the top human threats to the Mojave. He was quick to answer: The climate crisis was No. 1, followed by housing sprawl, solar development and off-road vehicles.
“There’s no good solar project in the desert. But there’s less bad,” he said. “And we’re at a point now where we have to settle for less bad, because the alternatives are more bad: more coal, more gas, climate apocalypse.”
That hasn’t stopped Donnelly and his colleagues from fighting renewable energy projects they fear would wipe out entire species — even little-known plants and animals with tiny ranges, such as Tiehm’s buckwheat and the Dixie Valley toad.
“I’m not a religious guy,” Donnelly said. “But all God’s creatures great and small.”
After a steep stretch of sand, we stopped along a ridge with sweeping views. To our west were the Funeral Mountains, across the California state line in Death Valley National Park — and far beyond them Mt. Whitney, its snow-covered facade just barely visible. To our east was Highway 95, cutting across the Amargosa Valley en route from Las Vegas to Reno.
It’s along this highway that so many developers want to build.
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“We would be in a sea of solar right now,” Donnelly said.
Having heard plenty of rural residents say they don’t want to look at such a sea, I asked Donnelly if this was a bad spot for solar because it would ruin the glorious views. He told me he never makes that argument, “because honestly, views aren’t really the primary concern at this moment. The primary concern is stopping the biodiversity crisis and the climate crisis.”
“There are certain places where we shouldn’t put solar because it’s a wild and undisturbed landscape,” he said.
As far as he’s concerned, though, the Amargosa Valley isn’t one of those landscapes, what with Highway 95 running through it. The same goes for Dry Lake Valley, where NV Energy’s solar construction site is already surrounded by energy infrastructure.
What Donnelly would like to see is better planning.
He pointed to California, where state and federal officials spent eight years crafting a desert conservation plan that allows solar and wind farms across a few hundred thousand acres while setting aside millions more for protection. He thinks a similar process is crucial in Nevada, where four-fifths of the land area is owned by the federal government — more than any other state.
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If Donnelly had his way, regulators would put the kibosh on solar farms immediately adjacent to Big Dune. He’s worried they could alter the movement of sand across the desert floor, affecting several rare beetles that call the dune home.
But if the feds want to allow solar projects along the highway to the south, near the Area 51 Alien Center?
“Might not be the end the world,” Donnelly said.
He shot me a grin.
“You know, one thing I like to do …”
Without warning, he took off racing down the dune, carried by momentum and love for the desert. He laughed as he reached a natural stopping point, calling for us to join him. His voice sounded free and full of possibility.
Some solar panels on the horizon wouldn’t have changed that.
Shout it from the rooftops
Laura Cunningham and Kevin Emmerich were a match made in Mojave Desert heaven.
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Cunningham was a wildlife biologist, Emmerich a park ranger when they met nearly 30 years ago at Death Valley. She studied tortoises for government agencies and later a private contractor. He worked with bighorn sheep and gave interpretive talks. They got married, bought property along the Amargosa River and started their own conservation group, Basin and Range Watch.
And they’ve been fighting solar development ever since.
That’s how we ended up in the back of their SUV, pulling open a rickety cattle gate off Highway 95 and driving past wild burros on a dirt road through Nevada’s Bullfrog Hills, 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
They had told us Sarcobatus Flat was stunning, but I was still surprised by how stunning. I got my first look as we crested a ridge. The gently sloping valley spilled down toward Death Valley National Park, whose snowy mountain peaks towered over a landscape dotted with thousands of Joshua trees.
“Everything we’re looking at is proposed for solar development,” Cunningham said.
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Most environmentalists agree we need at least some large solar farms. Cunningham and Emmerich are different. They’re at the vanguard of a harder-core desert protection movement that sees all large-scale solar farms on public lands as bad news.
Why had so many companies converged on Sarcobatus Flat?
The main answer is transmission. NV Energy is seeking federal approval to build the 358-mile Greenlink West electric line, which would carry thousands of megawatts of renewable power between Reno and Las Vegas along the Highway 95 corridor.
The dirt road curved around a small hill, and suddenly we found ourselves on the valley floor, surrounded by Joshua trees. Some looked healthy; others had bark that had been chewed by rodents seeking water, a sign of drought stress. Scientists estimate the Joshua tree’s western subspecies could lose 90% of its range as the world gets hotter and droughts get more intense.
But asked whether climate change or solar posed a bigger threat to Sarcobatus Flat, Cunningham didn’t hesitate.
“Oh, solar development hands down,” she said.
Nearly 20 years ago, she said, she helped relocate desert tortoises to make way for a test track in California. One of them tried to return home, walking 20 miles before hitting a fence. It paced back and forth and eventually died of heat exhaustion.
Solar farms, she said, pose a similar threat to tortoises. And at Sarcobatus Flat, they would cover a high-elevation area that could otherwise serve as a climate refuge for Joshua trees, giving them a relatively cool place to reproduce as the planet heats up.
“It makes no sense to me that we’re going to bulldoze them down and throw them into trash piles. It’s just crazy,” she said.
In Cunningham and Emmerich’s view, every sun-baked parking lot in L.A. and Vegas and Phoenix should have a solar canopy, every warehouse and single-family home a solar roof. It’s a common argument among desert defenders: Why sacrifice sensitive ecosystems when there’s an easy alternative for fighting climate change? Especially when rooftop solar can reduce strain on an overtaxed electric grid and — when paired with batteries — help people keep their lights on during blackouts?
The answer isn’t especially satisfying to conservationists.
For all the virtues of rooftop solar, it’s an expensive way to generate clean power — and keeping energy costs low is crucial to ensure that lower-income families can afford electric cars, another key climate solution. A recent report from investment bank Lazard pegged the cost of rooftop solar at 11.7 cents per kilowatt-hour on the low end, compared with 2.4 cents for utility solar.
Even when factoring in pricey long-distance electric lines, utility-scale solar is typically cheaper, several experts told me.
“It’s three to six times more expensive to put solar on your roof than to put it in a large-scale project,” said Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems researcher at Princeton University. “There may be some added value to having solar in the Los Angeles Basin instead of the middle of the Mojave Desert. But is it 300% to 600% more value? Probably not. It’s probably not even close.”
There’s a practical challenge, too.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has estimated U.S. rooftops could generate 1,432 terawatt-hours of electricity per year — just 13% of the power America will need to replace most of its coal, oil and gas, according to research led by Jenkins.
Add in parking lots and other areas within cities, and urban solar systems might conceivably supply one-quarter or even one-third of U.S. power, several experts told The Times — in an unlikely scenario where they’re installed in every suitable spot.
Energy researcher Chris Clack’s consulting firm has found that dramatic growth in rooftop and other small-scale solar installations could reduce the costs of slashing climate pollution by half a trillion dollars. But even Clack said rooftops alone won’t cut it.
“Realistically, 80% is going to end up being utility grid no matter what,” he said.
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All those industrial renewable energy projects will have to go somewhere.
Sarcobatus Flat may not be the answer. Federal officials classified all three solar proposals there as “low priority,” citing their proximity to Death Valley and potential harm to tortoise habitat. One developer withdrew its application last year.
Before leaving the area, Cunningham pointed to a wooden marker, one of at least half a dozen stretching out in a line. I walked over to take a closer look and discovered it was a mining claim for lithium — a main ingredient in electric-car batteries.
If solar development didn’t upend this valley, lithium extraction might.
On the beaten track
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The four-wheeler jerked violently as Erica Muxlow pressed her foot to the gas, sending us flying down a rough dirt road with no end in sight but the distant mountains. Five-point safety straps were the only things stopping us from flying out of our seats, the vehicle leaping through the air as we reached speeds of 40 mph, then 50 mph, the wind whipping our faces.
It was like riding Disneyland’s Matterhorn Bobsleds — just without the Yeti.
Ahead of us, Muxlow’s neighbor Jimmy Lewis led the way on an electric blue motorcycle, kicking up a stream of sand. He wanted us to see thousands of acres of public lands outside his adopted hometown of Pahrump, in Nevada’s Nye County, that could soon be blocked by solar projects — cutting off access to off-highway vehicle enthusiasts such as himself.
“You could build an apartment complex or a shopping mall here, and it would be the same thing to me,” he said.
To progressive-minded Angelenos or San Franciscans, preserving large chunks of public land for gas-guzzling, environmentally destructive dirt bikes might sound like a terrible reason not to build solar farms that would lessen the climate crisis.
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But here’s the reality: Rural Westerners such as Lewis will play a key role in determining how much clean energy gets built.
Not long before our Nevada trip, Nye County placed a six-month pause on new renewable energy projects, citing local concerns about loss of off-road vehicle trails. Similar fears have stymied development across the U.S., with rural residents attacking solar and wind farms as industrial intrusions on their way of life — and local governments throwing up roadblocks.
For Lewis, the conflict is deeply personal.
He moved here from Southern California more than a decade ago, trading life by the beach for a five-acre plot where he runs an off-roading school and test-drives motorcycles for manufacturers. His warehouse was packed with dozens of dirt bikes.
“This is my life. Motorcycles, motorcycles, motorcycles,” he said, laughing.
Lewis has worked to stir up opposition to three local solar farm proposals. So far, his efforts have been in vain.
One project is already under construction. Peering through a fence, we saw row after row of trusses, waiting for their photovoltaic panels. It’s called Yellow Pine, and it’s being built by Florida-based NextEra Energy to supply power to California.
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Lewis learned about Yellow Pine when he was riding one of his favorite trails and was surprised to find it cut off. He compared the experience to riding the best roller-coaster at a theme park, only to have it grind to a halt three-quarters of the way through.
“I don’t want my playground taken away from me,” he said.
“Me neither!” a voice called out from behind us.
We turned and were greeted by Shannon Salter, an activist who had previously spent nine months camping near the Yellow Pine site to protest the habitat destruction. She and Lewis had never met, but they quickly realized they had common cause.
“It’s the opposite of green!” Salter said.
“On my roof, not my backyard,” Lewis agreed.
Never mind that conservationists have long decried the ecological damage from desert off-roading. Salter and Lewis both cared about these lands. Neither wanted to see the solar industry lay claim to them. They talked about staying in touch.
It’s easy to imagine similar alliances forming across the West, the clean energy transition bringing together environmentalists and rural residents in a battle to defend their lifestyles, their landscapes and animals that can’t fight for themselves.
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It’s also easy to imagine major cities that badly need lots of solar and wind power — Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix — brushing off those complaints as insignificant compared with the climate emergency, or as fueled by right-wing misinformation.
But many of concerns raised by critics are legitimate. And their voices are only getting louder.
As night fell over the Mojave, Lewis shared his idea that any city buying electricity from a desert solar farm should be required to install a certain amount of rooftop solar back home first — on government buildings, at least. It only seemed fair.
“Some people see the desert as just a wasteland,” Lewis said. “I think it’s beautiful.”
The view from Black Mountain
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So how do we build enough renewable energy to replace fossil fuels without destroying too many ecosystems, or stoking too much political opposition from rural towns, or moving too slowly to save the planet?
Few people could do more to ease those tensions than Buffett.
Our conversation kept returning to the legendary investor as we hiked Black Mountain, just outside Vegas, on our last morning in the Silver State. We were joined by Jaina Moan, director of external affairs for the Nature Conservancy’s Nevada chapter. She had promised a view of massive solar fields from the peak — but only after a 3.5-mile trek with 2,000 feet of elevation gain.
“It’ll be a little StairMaster at the end,” she warned us.
The homes and hotels and casinos of the Las Vegas Valley retreated behind us as we climbed, looking ever smaller and more insignificant against the vast open desert. It was an illusion that will prove increasingly difficult to maintain as Sin City and its suburbs continue their march into the Mojave. Nevada politicians from both parties are pushing for legislation that would let federal officials auction off additional public lands for residential and commercial development.
Vegas and other Western cities could limit the need for more suburbs — and sprawling solar farms — by growing smarter, Moan said. Urban areas could embrace density, to help people drive fewer miles and reduce the demand for new power supplies to fuel electric vehicles. They could invest in electric buses and trains — and use less water, which would save a lot of energy.
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“As our spaces become more crowded, we’re going to have to come up with more creative ideas,” Moan said.
That’s where Buffett could make things easier.
The billionaire’s Berkshire Hathaway company owns electric utilities that serve millions of people, from California to Nevada to Illinois. Those utilities, Moan said, could buck the industry trend of urging policymakers to reduce financial incentives for rooftop solar and instead encourage the technology — along with other small-scale clean energy solutions, such as local microgrids.
That would limit the need for big solar farms — at least somewhat.
Berkshire and other energy giants could also build solar on lands already altered by humans, such as abandoned mines, toxic Superfund sites, reservoirs, landfills, agricultural areas, highway corridors and canals that carry water to farms and cities.
The costs are typically higher than building on undisturbed public lands. And in many cases there are technical challenges yet to be resolved. But those kinds of “creative solutions” could at least lessen the loss of biodiversity, Moan said.
“There’s money to be made there, and there’s good to be done,” she said.
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It’s hard to know what Buffett thinks. A Berkshire spokesperson declined my request to interview him.
Tony Sanchez, NV Energy’s executive vice president for business development and external relations, was more forthcoming.
“The problem for us with rooftop solar,” he said, is that it’s “not controlled at all by us.” As a result, NV Energy can’t decide when and how rooftop solar power is used — and can’t rely on that power to help balance supply and demand on the grid.
Over time, Sanchez predicted, a lot more rooftop solar will get built. But he couldn’t say how much.
Rooftop solar faces a similarly uncertain future in California, where state officials voted last year to slash incentive payments, calling them an unfair subsidy. Industry leaders have warned of a dramatic decline in installations.
As we neared the top of Black Mountain, the solar farms on the other side came into view. They stretched across the Eldorado Valley far below — black rectangles that could help save life on Earth while also destroying bits and pieces of it.
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Moan believes the key to balancing clean energy and conservation is “go slow to go fast.” Government agencies, she said, should work with conservation activists, small-town residents and Native American tribes to study and map out the best places for clean energy, then reward companies that agree to build in those areas with faster approvals. Solar and wind development would slow down in the short term but speed up in the long run, with quicker environmental reviews and less risk of lawsuits.
It’s a tantalizing concept — but I confessed to Moan that I worried it would backfire.
What if the sparring factions couldn’t agree on the best spots to build solar and wind farms, and instead wasted years arguing? Or what if they did manage to hammer out some compromises, only for a handful of unhappy people or groups to take them to court, gumming up the works? Couldn’t “go slow to go fast” end up becoming “go slow to go slow”?
In other words, should we really bet our collective future on human beings working together, rather than fighting?
Moan was sympathetic to my fears. She also didn’t see another way forward.
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“We really need to think holistically about saving everything,” she said.
The sad truth is, not everything can be saved. Not if we want to keep the world livable for people and animals alike.
Some beloved landscapes will be left unrecognizable. Some families will be stuck paying high energy bills to monopoly utilities, even as some utility investors make less money. Some tortoises will probably die, pacing along fences in the heat.
The alternative is worse.
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The summer months are here, so you know what that means, entertaining and lots of it. Indoor and outdoor summer soirees demand new home decor items perfect for entertaining an intimate group of loved ones or having a backyard bash. Although it may be daunting at first, shopping for summer decor and entertaining essentials can be fun, especially if you have impressive new collections to peruse.
From colorful serving treys to funky hues and prints, Black women designers are stepping out of any comfort zone to think outside the box and provide their audiences with elegant, fresh, and timeless decor items. Tabitha Brown is never out of creativity or colorful decor options. Although her new outdoor entertaining collection for Target launched earlier in May, it’s well sought after, as the line boasts colorful prints, rich hues, and creative solutions for summer entertaining. Next up, we have Ayesha Curry’s Sweet July collaboration with Pottery Barn. The entrepreneur and lifestyle maven has a more subtle approach to color palettes and design. Still, her home decor collection offers sensible solutions to the stress of entertaining loved ones at home. Curry offers everything from beautiful plates and glassware to artisan string lights.
Last but certainly not least, we have the eclectic maximalist herself, Justina Blakely. The designer is known for partnering with international artists to curate intricate textiles and woven pieces that catch your eye, like her gorgeous cake stand. Check out 13 fabulous buys to help you entertain your guests in style.
01
Grilling Tool Set with Fabric Sleeve – Tabitha Brown for Target
This Grilling Tool Set with Fabric Sleeve from Tabitha Brown for Target adds flair and convenience to your backyard barbecue. The tool set includes a fork, a grilling turner with a serrated edge, a pair of tongs, and a black brush. Each tool has a wood-finish handle, hanging metal hook, and stainless steel top. The sleeve with slot pockets for the four grilling tools completes the set in a vibrant style. Available at
02
Striped Palm Outdoor Throw Pillow – Tabitha Brown for Target
Amp up the look and feel of any outdoor retreat with the Palm Throw Pillow from Tabitha Brown for Target. This square throw pillow features palm leaves embroidery in vibrant hues to offer depth and dimension to your outdoor setting. The decorative throw pillow provides plenty of cushioned comfort while you sit and relax in your fave chair. Available at
03
Acrylic Serving Bowl Yellow – Tabitha Brown for Target
Add timeless style to your kitchenware collection with this Acrylic Serving Bowl from Tabitha Brown for Target. Made of acrylic and featuring an embossed floral pattern for added shine and appeal, this yellow serving bowl features a round shape that is perfect for easily displaying or serving up anything from chilled salads to hot dishes. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. Available at
04
Outdoor Lounge Mat – Tabitha Brown for Target
Stay comfy as you enjoy a sunny afternoon on this Outdoor Lounge Mat from Tabitha Brown for Target. Featuring bright leaves print and stripes for charming flair, the lounge mat is made from water-repellant material that will help keep it looking great for seasons to come. Plus, the top handles make it easy to carry the folded lounge mat around, and the large-size attached pillow is great for reading and sipping a drink. Available at
05
14″ Serving Tray – Tabitha Brown for Target
This Serving Tray from Tabitha Brown for Target brings extra cheer to entertaining. Designed in an oval silhouette, this melamine serving tray features raised edges to help keep the items in place and make carrying items a breeze. It’s designed with two side cutout handles, and you can toss it in the dishwasher for easy cleanup after meals. Available at
06
Woven Utensil Caddy – Tabitha Brown for Target
Style up your kitchen while adding functionality to it with this Utensil Caddy from Tabitha Brown for Target. Designed in an oval silhouette, this decorative utensil caddy features one large section to stash small plates and three smaller sections for storing knives, forks, or spoons. Plus, it’s designed with two side tote handles for easy carrying. Made from paper rope and seagrass, it brings natural flair to your kitchen decor. Available at
07
Sweet July Stoneware Serve Platter
Vivid patterns and rich texture come together in this eye-catching serve platter. Available at
08
Sweet July String Lights
Create an intimate setting outdoors with these stylish string lights. Available at
09
Sweet July Handcrafted Marble Condiment Bowls
Featuring rich, caramel-colored veining of Calacatta marble, these handcrafted bowls elevate any gathering. Each bowl has a bronze-finished spoon for a warm accent to the stone. Available at
10
Sweet July Stainless Steel Party Bucket
With a bronze finish, this party bucket has a classic rimmed look and plenty of space for a party of drinks. Available at
11
Sweet July Herringbone Handcrafted Glass Highball Drinking Glasses – Set of 4
Add an extra touch of style to happy hour with these sophisticated glasses. Faceted with a herringbone pattern, this handblown highball glass offers modern elegance. Available at
12
Jungalow Tall Wavy Pitcher
This clay planter is the perfect color pop for your home and will impress your guests. Available at
13
Jungalow Nanda Neon Cake Stand
This statement piece is striking alone or as a display for your fave dessert. Available at
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Last Friday I arrived home from New York City after a week of Broadway, museums, twinkling holiday lights, and more cannoli than any one person should consume. (Thankfully, I spent plenty of time walking them off!) Visiting the city in December was on my life list of things I wanted to do, and it didn’t disappoint.
Of course, New York City isn’t inexpensive. But my husband and I stayed with a friend, which meant we didn’t have to pay for a hotel room, and we lucked into a few deals. For example, our friend used his corporate discount to get reduced-price tickets to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and we scored $25 tickets for front-row seats to Wicked through a lottery drawing held two hours before the show. I’d also prepared myself to expect higher prices so that I could relax a little and enjoy the first big vacation we’ve taken in almost three years. I can say in all honesty that every expense was worth it — especially the cannoli.
But want to know what travel expenses are not worth it? The new fees airlines charge for everything imaginable! Need to check two bags? That’ll be $60. Want a pillow? That’s $7, and we only take credit cards.
Luckily, we avoided paying these fees because we have the incredible willpower it takes to pass on airplane food — delicious as it is — and we only packed one carry-on each. But while writing this article, I learned that if we had been on Spirit Airlines, we would have paid $60 extra for two carry-on bags. And I learned that not all of these new fees are disclosed upfront.
Sneaky fees or a buffet of services? Airlines say the extra fees keep overall ticket prices low, allowing passengers to only pay for the services they want. But some of these fees pop up at the end of a transaction or while a passenger is checking in luggage, making it feel less like a “menu of services” and more like a mob-style shakedown — an offer you can’t refuse. If you want to catch your flight, that is.
One group working to require fee transparency is Mad as Hell About Hidden Fees (MAH). An initiative of the American Society of Travel Agents, Business Travel Coalition, and Consumer Travel Alliance, MAH started a petition urging the Department of Transportation to “require airlines to make their fees fully and easily accessible to both consumers and intermediaries in the travel industry.”
In a press release, Paul Ruden, Senior Vice President of Legal and Industry Affairs for the American Society of Travel Agents, said:
This issue is not about fees, but about fairness. Although more than half of all airline tickets are booked through traditional or online travel agencies, the airlines have chosen to hide their fees from the systems that power those bookings. Airlines should be able to make a fair profit and set fares and fees that allow them to do so, as long as travelers can see and compare all of those fees in advance.
According to an online survey, two-thirds of travelers have been surprised by add-on fees after arriving at the airport. Another study showed that hidden fees can increase the original ticket price for a typical traveler with a single bag 10% to 82%, or 21% to 153% for a traveler with two bags.
Not all fees are disclosed online Okay, I thought, why not just look up the fees before you book? Turns out it’s difficult, if not impossible, to find all of the fees on an airline’s website. Consumer Travel Alliance put together a video of their attempt to find add-on fee amounts on seven different airline websites:
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Be aware of “gotcha” fees Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to get around the extra fees, but being aware of some of the common ones can help. The following are surprising add-ons to note and avoid:
Booking by phone or in person. Most airlines charge extra when customers don’t book online. US Airways, for example, charges $25 to book a domestic flight on the phone and $35 to book in person.
Credit card “convenience” fee. Think paying online is the way to go, then? Not on Allegiant Air. The airline adds a $14 surcharge to tickets booked through its website, but waives the fee if you buy in person at one of its ticket offices.
Carry-on fee. As mentioned earlier, Spirit charges for carry-ons (anything smaller than 16″ x 14″ x 12″). Downsize, or choose another airline. So far, others haven’t added this fee.
Unaccompanied minor fee. This isn’t a surprise fee, but the amount can be a shock considering that the flight attendant does little more than escort the child to and from the gates. Two unaccompanied minors flying round trip with JetBlue, for example, adds $300 to the base fare.
Ticket change. Southwest is the only airline that doesn’t charge you extra to change your itinerary, all others will charge anywhere from $50 to a whopping $300 (international flight on Continental).
Baggage fees. These are easier to locate on an airline’s website than many of the other fees, so be sure to look them up before you pack. Most airlines charge $15-$25 for the first checked bag. If you try to stuff everything into a carry-on and your bag is just one pound overweight, you’ll probably pay even more: starting at $25 (Hawaiian Airlines) and up to $200 (US Airways). Weigh your carry-on after packing and before heading to the airport, and be sure pack lighter if you plan to bring home souvenirs.
Earlier this year the Department of Transportation announced that it was proposing regulations to protect air travelers against hidden charges, and was accepting public comment through September 23, the date MAH declared as Mad As Hell Day! and submitted its petition. Maybe the day will come when all fees are clearly listed on airline websites, but until then, check out sites like Airfarewatchdog and Expedia for airline fee charts, as well as SmarterTravel.com’s Ultimate Guide to airline fees.
Have you ever been charged a “gotcha” fee by an airline? Share your stories and advice in the comments!
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Sculptural Vase
Puthiac White Ceramic Vase
Sculptural Vase
Puthiac White Ceramic Vase
Now 46% Off
These unique vases are gorgeous enough to hold real, dried, fake, or even no flowers at all.
Customer review: “These came packaged very well and were larger then I thought! I filled with the bundle of pampas grass and really love the look. They look beautiful even on their own. A great addition to a mantle or side table. Highly recommend!”
Selfie Mirror
NeuType Arched Full Length Mirror
Selfie Mirror
NeuType Arched Full Length Mirror
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Large standing mirrors can get EXPENSIVE. This might not be cheap, but it’s a darn good deal.
Customer review: “This Gold mirror is stunningly gorgeous!!! I can’t believe it was so inexpensive. Great quality, sturdy and very stable. It’s a MUST BUY for any room. I just wish I had more places to put another one.”
Vibey Lighting
Bavcieu Sunset Lamp Projection Led Lights with Remote
Vibey Lighting
Bavcieu Sunset Lamp Projection Led Lights with Remote
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A standalone product image doesn’t do this light justice. It provides the most stunning colored lighting for normal life or your next selfie session.
Customer review: “This light is perfect! I love all the color options. It’s great for a small party as well as a photoshoot.”
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Drink Coasters
Folkulture Beaded Coasters
Drink Coasters
Folkulture Beaded Coasters
Now 20% Off
I have no patience for people who don’t use coasters—especially when they look this good.
Customer review: “I have received so many compliments on these! Asking If I got them from Anthropologie, lol. They are in shock when I tell them Amazon! Get them.”
Groovy Baby
Alytimes Mirror Disco Ball
Groovy Baby
Alytimes Mirror Disco Ball
Now 12% Off
Alexa, play Beyonce’s Renaissance from start to finish. Full volume.
Customer review: “Such a bold but cute, and very worth it purchase! Light enough; needs one small nail to hold onto the ceiling, and no need for spackle after. Brings character to the pics I take in the hallway mirror.”
Shower Mat
mDesign Spa Mat Bathroom Rug
Shower Mat
mDesign Spa Mat Bathroom Rug
Bathrooms are, understandably, a little harder to decorate than a living room or bedroom. Add a little pizzazz where you can with a fun bath mat.
Customer review: “It’s so cute and so soft!!”
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Black & White
Vintage Headline Posters
Black & White
Vintage Headline Posters
For whatever it’s worth, I’m adding this to my personal cart.
Decorative Plant
Bannifll 110 PCS Dried Pampas Grass Bouquet
Decorative Plant
Bannifll 110 PCS Dried Pampas Grass Bouquet
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No watering schedule or sunlight required here.
Customer review:“These are so pretty! Soft and fluffy, and the ones that are cascading are my favorites…They were packaged very carefully in the box. I would buy again.”
Chic & Functional
OUSHENG Blanket Ladder
Chic & Functional
OUSHENG Blanket Ladder
What’s the use of having chic throw blankets if you keep them wadded up in a basket?
Customer review:“I love these! I use them for more than blankets. I have one in my husband’s bathroom and one in my dressing room. We use his for towels and I use mine for clothes that I’m planning to wear/wore…They’re relatively sturdy, offer plenty of room, and are cute.”
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For Your Bookshelf
OTTIMO Polished Stone Marble Bookends
For Your Bookshelf
OTTIMO Polished Stone Marble Bookends
Nothing says “adult” quite like bookends.
Customer review:“Top two shelves have the marble bookends. Heavier than I expected. I would love to receive these as a gift.”
Surrealist Art
Generic Retro Cocktail Print
Surrealist Art
Generic Retro Cocktail Print
Get the vintage look without having to spend hours at the flea market.
Customer review:“Love it! Perfect art above bar cart.”
Coffee Table Books
LUMNEST Decorative Books for Home Décor
Coffee Table Books
LUMNEST Decorative Books for Home Décor
If you’re looking for coffee table books that won’t break the bank, Amazon offers this matching set.
Customer review:“The books are so cute and have empty pages so you can add pictures or write your own travel stories inside if you want. Can’t wait to put these on the shelf.”
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Set of Prints
YELLOWBIRD ART & DESIGN Matisse Style Poster Print
Set of Prints
YELLOWBIRD ART & DESIGN Matisse Style Poster Print
These sophisticated prints will match almost any aesthetic.
Customer review:“Such a good deal! Can’t wait to put these up. These will definitely brighten up my room.”
Window Cling
d-c-fix Window Privacy Stained Glass Cling
Window Cling
d-c-fix Window Privacy Stained Glass Cling
Prior to a few weeks ago, I never would have gone for an item like this, but I recently stayed in an AirBnb that had stained glass clings on its windowed bedroom doors and I was utterly charmed.
Customer review:“I used this as a substitution for curtains in my bathroom for the window by my tub. It adds a pop of color and the sunlight brings in such a beautiful array of colors. Neighbors can’t see in, added bonus.”
Faux Greenery
Der Rose 3-Pack Potted Fake Plants
Faux Greenery
Der Rose 3-Pack Potted Fake Plants
Now 21% Off
No home is complete without a little greenery (even if it is fake).
Customer review:“I love having plants, but with two toddlers and two cats it’s hard to manage real plants…This set adds the perfect touch…They look great and are good quality. I thought the pot might be cheap plastic, but it’s a nice stone material…you can’t even tell they’re fake.”
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Bedside Lighting
BSOD Mushroom Lamp
Bedside Lighting
BSOD Mushroom Lamp
Now 31% Off
Hi, my name’s Meg. I’m 25, and TikTok made me buy it.
Customer review:“This lamp just glows wonderfully at my bedside. It soothes just looking at it. I will be ordering two more to sit atop my bookcases just for the pleasure of looking at them! Arrived intact, packaged well, and is like a glowing gem.”
Personality Piece
Jack Meets Kate Cocktail Posters
Personality Piece
Jack Meets Kate Cocktail Posters
The perfect gallery wall is as easy as hanging these six posters.
Customer review:“These are perfect to jazz up any wall! I used them in my living room and my roommate and I are obsessed! Everyone that comes into our apartment compliments them!”
Novelty Item
ban.do Decorative Ceramic Vase
Novelty Item
ban.do Decorative Ceramic Vase
Ban.do is one of my favorite décor brands, and I love that they sell on Amazon. Reviewers like this funky vase with or without flowers.
Customer review:“I loved this little orange juice carton vase! It was so adorable, and it looks even better in person. It feels very durable and heavy, but if it breaks I would definitely purchase again. It holds pampas grass and flowers really well.”
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Polished Touch
FAREVER Salvador Dali Watch Melted Clock for Décor
Polished Touch
FAREVER Salvador Dali Watch Melted Clock for Décor
Now 15% Off
You almost had me fooled into thinking you’re an art student.
Customer review:“This clock is beyond cute! I kind of expected it to be metal but it was plastic, which is fine considering the cost and look. It looks super high-end.”
Colorful Candles
XINAOBAOLUO 10 inch Roses Scented Taper Candle Sticks
Colorful Candles
XINAOBAOLUO 10 inch Roses Scented Taper Candle Sticks
Personally, I’m in love with these taper candlesticks’ color scheme.
Customer review: “They smell delicious and the fragrance lasts a long time. They are exquisite.”
Associate Fashion Commerce Editor
Meg is the Associate Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com where she researches trends, tests products, and looks for answers to all your burning questions. She also co-writes a monthly column, Same Same But Different. Meg has previously written for Cosmopolitan and Town & Country. Her passions include travel, buffalo sauce, and sustainability. She will never stop hoping for a One Direction reunion tour.