Smart living tips at the fair

Where can you learn how to make a light fixture out of a milk jug and design a net-zero home? At the Minnesota State Fair's Eco Experience in the Progress Center building. The ReUse Room offers hands-on DIY recycling projects, while Sustainability Stage programs cover topics such as creating an allergy- and toxin-free home and the best solar energy technologies. Climb into a huge sink to see what happens to water that goes down the drain. Check out a Minnesota-made Earth-friendly alternative to the RV camper that uses a solar-charged battery, LP tanks for lights, and can be pulled by a small car. This year's new exhibits highlight reduce-reuse-recycle how-tos, healthy cooking, innovations in green technology and topics on eco-friendly living, through Sept. 7. Go to mnstatefair.org for a schedule of events.

'Rehab Addict' tools

Hands-on remodelers can now get their hands on some new tools. Nicole Curtis, the self-taught rehabber, Realtor and designer who stars on HGTV's "Rehab Addict," has launched a line of branded home-improvement products. Curtis, a Detroit native who has a home in Minneapolis and has rehabbed multiple properties in the Twin Cities, has made a name for herself as a passionate preserver of old houses. The Nicole Curtis Home collection, which includes paint sprayers, heat guns, stud finders and decorative wallpaper, is available exclusively at Evine Live. For more information, visit evine.com/NicoleCurtis.

Trees and shrubs

Planting the right tree in the right spot can be tricky. Learn what you need to know before you buy or dig, at a seminar led by Bachman's nursery buyer Doug Danielsen. You'll learn what to consider when choosing trees and shrubs and how to plant properly to ensure success. The seminar will be offered 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 2 in the Heritage Room at Bachman's, 6010 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. Cost is $10, which includes a coupon for $5 off a purchase of $25 of more. To register, visit bachmans.com or call 612-861-7311.

KIM PALMER, LYNN UNDERWOOD