SAN FRANCISCO—Here's something you might not know about being a locavore, the new-fangled term for the old-school tradition of eating food grown close to home: Coffee is almost always negotiable.
Here's another: The people practicing this new-old (and currently quite hot) trend may surprise you. Suburban moms? Check. Artisanal-cheese sniffing foodies? Double check. And how about denizens of the decidely un-hippie halls of Wal-Mart?

One out of every 10 local households has at least one member suffering from an environment-related disease, the Ministry of Environment said Friday.

According to research conducted between Oct. 16 to 30 on 1,000 adults nationwide, 10.5 percent said they or their family members have an ``environmental disease'' such as eczema, hay fever or asthma. Such diseases are caused by pollutants in the air and man-made structures, which build up in the human body.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — For those who love "green" compact fluorescent bulbs but hate their cold light, here's some good news: Researchers are closer to flipping the switch on cheaper, richer LED-type room lighting.

DARMSTADT, Germany — From the outside, there is nothing unusual about the stylish new gray and orange row houses in the Kranichstein District, with wreaths on the doors and Christmas lights twinkling through a freezing drizzle. But these houses are part of a revolution in building design: There are no drafts, no cold tile floors, no snuggling under blankets until the furnace kicks in. There is, in fact, no furnace.