The Cool Down

In Canada, Alberta says illegal dumpers could face $1 million fines and up to 6 months in jail

Alberta is looking to crack down on illegal garbage dumping with $1 million dollar fines and possible jail time.
The Cool Down

Colorado Ford Lightning recall stretched 11 months, even though the fix took about an hour

A Ford F-150 Lightning owner said a rear light bar safety recall Ford announced on Oct. 29, 2025, wasn't completed on his ...
The Cool Down

Glass recycler began with one bottle at a time, then built a facility that handles thousands

Turning used bottles into sand can make glass easier to manage than storing piles of intact containers, especially for a team ...
The Cool Down

Solar owners warn against cheap DIY battery packs as garage safety questions grow

Homeowners comparing systems can explore EnergySage, which has teamed up with electrification brand Qmerit to help homeowners ...
The Cool Down

Tesco rolls out AI meal planner that uses Clubcard buys to suggest what to cook

Tesco has begun rolling out an AI meal-planning assistant in its app that uses customers' Clubcard purchase histories to ...
The Cool Down

In Massachusetts, Adams homeowners are set to pay about $130 more in property taxes

In fiscal year 2027, the typical single-family homeowner in Adams, Massachusetts, will pay $130.51 more in property taxes ...
The Cool Down

Solar owner wants to add a different-brand lithium battery, then learns both must hit '100%' first

A DIY solar user weighing a battery upgrade wanted to know whether mixing brands would work safely: After nearly two years of ...
thecooldown

Price monitoring finds Walmart offers lowest price for P&G household staples

WCPO spent more than a year monitoring prices at Walmart, Target, and Kroger for a set of P&G household staples in Cincinnati, finding Walmart to have the lowest listed price on nine of 12. Even still ...
The Cool Down

Ikea shoppers can now sell used furniture, as the chain says prices average 60% below new

Ikea is moving further into the resale market with a new members-only venue for reselling Ikea furniture and homewares.
The Cool Down

Ontario stores sold e-scooters for kids, and some staff showed how to override speed limits

A hidden-camera probe in Ontario found retailers selling some e-scooters as kids' products, and several salespeople explained ...
The Cool Down

Homeowner's power bills rise, then warm water is found running to a basement drain

A mysterious stream of warm water heading straight to a basement drain immediately raised red flags for one homeowner, who ...
The Cool Down

Homeowner sees water at drain valve, then plumbers say rust in pan means the tank is done

A homeowner noticed a small amount of water at the drain valve and rust around an aging unit, suggesting an internal tank ...