Spectators at the 50th Swallows’ Day Parade in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday will see plenty of horses bearing riders or pulling carriages, children dancing, colorful costumes of Mexico and the Old West and probably pet dogs in red wagons.

What they won’t see are cars, trucks, motorcycles or motor vehicles of any sort.

Can we shop our way to salvation? That's what advertisers would like us to think, as companies shift into high gear trying to toss our old stuff and replace everything with "green" products. But in many cases the greener answer when something breaks is to get it fixed. Here's a local guide to how to get that done.

Going green doesnt mean moving to a yurt off the grid. With some simple changes you can safe money, energy -- and help protect the environment. Weve got some ideas about where to start.

Being green on Halloween doesn’t have to be a scary proposition. Many of the activities you do -- like wearing a Dracula costume to work or dressing up your little monsters as monsters -- is a once-a-year gig. Remember that and think recycling and reusing. 

Here are a few tips for making your Halloween black, orange and green.

Carbon calculators help individuals determine their carbon "footprint" -- the amount of carbon dioxide produced through daily activities such as driving a car or flicking on a light switch. Many calculators offer carbon offsets -- purchases that mitigate, or offset, an individual’s greenhouse gas emissions.

With increased light being shed on global warming and climate change, carbon calculators are sprouting like wildflowers across the online landscape. In fact, there’s a new one right in this site -- and its aimed at Sacramentans.