While ABC News has tips on how to make this Friday the 13th a more positive, less dread-ridden one, I thought I'd offer up seven lucky green home news items to make you more at ease. Crazy to think, but according to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated $800 to $900 million will be lost in business today because folks — 17 to 21 million Americans suffer from Friday the 13th jitters, clinically known as paraskevidekatriaphobia — are too freaked out to leave their homes. 

 

In addition to these freshly picked links, be sure to check out MNN business blogger Melissa's ongoing coverage of Greenbuild 2009 including a recap of Al Gore's keynote address. 

 

TreeHugger goes cuckoo for forest-preservation-supporting cuckoo clocks made from sustainable wood. That's one of 'em pictured on the left. 

The Los Angeles Times has the dirt on dirt in a blog post about commercial bagged soils available for purchase at garden centers and home improvement stores.

Re-Nest paints the town green with a look at biodegradable/compostable painting paraphernalia — putty knives, scrapers, mixers, trim guides, etc. — from Warner Tools. 

Dwell invades Normandy for a look at architect Jean-Baptiste Barache's beautiful, electricity-free home in the tiny village Auvillier. 

Popular Mechanics clears up a few misconceptions in a fascinating article titled: "Recycling Myths Debunked: PM Debunks 5 Half Truths about Recycling." 

Gaiam discusses "Affordable Green Ways to Tackle 6 Home Decorating Challenges." 

Grist gets the low-down on urban farming from Fresh Food From Small Spaces: The Square-Inch Gardener’s Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting author R.J. Rupenthal. Topics of conversation include in-apartment root cellars, beekeeping and zoning laws, and composting dog poop.