Posted on: Monday, August 30, 2004

ISLAND LIFE SHORTS
Watch less, want less

Advertiser Staff

Watching too much TV can triple our hunger for more possessions, while reducing our personal contentment by about 5 percent for every hour a day we watch, a 1998 University of Michigan study found.

"Turn (the television) on only when there is something on that you want to watch," wrote David Niven, author of "The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People." "Your newly liberated hours can be spent doing something with family or friends, or finding a rare quiet moment."

Green gardens organically

Is the grass always greener on the other side? Follow these organic tips to get your own healthy garden, courtesy of USA Weekend:

• Add organic material, such as compost, leaf mold or mushroom soil (available at garden centers), to your soil.

• Pick up any leaves that have fallen to help prevent fungus from spreading.

• Water early in the morning before the sun has risen. Water just one to two times a week, but for longer durations so the water has a chance to seep deep into roots of plants.