As we roll into July, summer goes into full effect. It’s the season of road trips, beach days, pool hangs and picnics. And that means fun, yes! But also—trash. Can we waste less this summer?

In summers, we drive more, fly more, and produce more trash. What if this summer we kept it simple? Here are five ideas for a more relaxing, economical and sustainable summer.

We spend so much time in default mode, operating on the conditions that seem required by modern life. But are they required? Is this way of life inevitable? What happens if we slow down, take stock, and find our own way?

If you love cold coffee but don’t have 8-12 hours to wait for cold brew, you can make excellent iced coffee with a pour over method and a few simple tricks.

Need coffee for a crowd? Want to set it and forget it? A humble drip coffeemaker can make café-level results.