A touch-screen display that controls all of the energy-related functions in the "Effizienzhaus Plus“ energy-efficient house hangs on a wall on December 7, 2011 in Berlin, Germany. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) The first winter after Danielle Smith bought her house in North Baltimore, the 35-year-old schoolteacher wondered if it even had a furnace, it was so cold and drafty. Now, with almost all new windows and several other energy-efficiency retrofits, Smith said, her four-bedroom single-story home in the mid-Govans neighborhood is...

The Pecan Street Project in Austin, Texas. (Photo: Environmental Defense Fund) (Environmental Defense Fund) From the outside, the Mueller neighborhood looks like any other cluster of residences located in Austin, Texas. However, solar panels on roofs and "smart meters" within houses indicate that this neighborhood is creating a foundation for the future. Dubbed a "", Mueller is part of a $30 million project called , which was developed by the City of Austin, the , Austin Energy and the University...

Long Beach Island, N.J. In this aerial photograph, heavy equipment pushes sand to restore a barrier dune along the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island, N.J., Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, after the region was pounded by Superstorm Sandy the previous week. LONG BEACH, N.Y. — It sounds like the premise for a new reality TV series: "Hurricane House" — people scouring waterside communities looking to buy homes damaged by Superstorm Sandy at a deep discount. While there are bargains out...

The collapsable sink, stove, and bathtub can all be stored in the wall. (Courtesy of the People's Architecture Office, China) With millions of people living on top of each other in small areas that account for some of the highest real estate prices in the world, creative architecture is a must. (MORE: ) While the population in China is booming, they aren't making any more land. The newest design to combat housing problems arrived on a tricycle. Yes, this is...

(Getty Images) When days grow shorter and outdoor temperatures begin to fall, many homeowners begin getting more visitors. Although some two-legged visitors can bother us, those with four legs can be real pests. Critters, large and small, have taken up residency near suburban housing developments. There are possums, raccoons and skunks living in neighborhoods fearless of humans, enjoying backyards with dangling fruit trees, playful vines and ponds. Urban wildlife can pose serious health risks by harboring and spreading diseases such...

A close-up of a Cymbidium at The New York Botanical Garden's 'Orchid Show.' (Ivo M. Vermeulen) The New York Botanical Garden’s orchid show is one of the many signs that spring is officially upon us. “The Orchid Show” is the largest exhibition of orchids in the U.S. and is currently in its 11th year of showing. This year, designer Francisca P. Coelho transformed the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a rainforest oasis. There are more than 7,000 orchids representing 3,075...

This intimate macro shot shows the viewer the tiny details of a common flower in a garden. (Boris Schauer) Boris Schauer would like for you to stop and smell the flowers. "Society doesn't have time to look at the awesome things they are surrounded [by]," explained the German photographer, whose stunning images capture the tiny details of garden flowers. Though you won't be able to smell these beauties from your screen, the collection above features an intimate look at what...

A view of a tulip field in full bloom at the Tanto Tulip Festival on April 22, 2013, in Toyooka, Hyogo, Japan. (Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images) Springtime is synonymous with flowers and the spring festival in this Japanese city doesn’t take their gardening lightly. Hundreds of thousands of tulips in three hundred varieties create a colorful carpet of flowers at the annual Tanto Tulip Festival in the city of Toyooka in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan. In the spring, many tourists flock...

Florida's $9 billion orange crop, the largest in the world after Brazil's, may not survive an incurable disease that threatens to wipe out citrus groves throughout the United States. The disease, known as "citrus greening" or huanglongbing, is caused by a bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The bacteria are spread from tree to tree by a tiny insect called the Asian citrus psyllid, reports. A tree affected by citrus greening may not show symptoms for years. Eventually, however, the leaves turn...

Gorgeous Flowers Around Every Corner (iWitness contributor Alan Land) April showers bring May flowers, and if we're lucky they can come even sooner than that. After a winter filled with brown grass and leafless trees, spring is a welcome sight. Beauty in nature can be found around every corner, and flowers are the ultimate calling card of spring. We browsed through our Home and Garden section of iWitness and found an array of gorgeous flowers that were too pretty to...

(Penny De Los Santos) Grilled lobster is a popular dish in Boston, where shellfish from the Gloucester Seafood Display Auction is plentiful. Serves 2–4 Ingredients 4 oz. unsalted butter, softened3 tbsp. minced cilantro4 Fresno or Holland chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced1 lime, zested and quartered2 2-lb. live lobsters¼ cup extra-virgin olive oilKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Directions In a small bowl, stir together butter, cilantro, chiles, and lime zest; set aside. Plunge the tip of a...

The Dubai Miracle Garden, the world's largest natural flower garden, has over 45 million flowers. (Credit: Dubai Miracle Garden) It's already home to the world's tallest skyscraper and the world's tallest hotel, but Dubai is also now home to the world's largest natural flower garden in the world, the Dubai Miracle Garden. The new 72,000-square meter mega-garden feature more than 45 million flowers, many of which, according to its website, are planted for the first time in the Gulf Region....

In nature and in our man-made world, yellow is a color that is valued for its high visibility. It is commonly associated with gold, sunshine, reason, optimism and pleasure, but also with envy, jealousy and betrayal. Here are some of our favorite photos featuring the color that always commands attention. ...