Lots of links this week about how to communicate environmental messages to people. Apparently “retrofitting,” “weatherization,” and “climate change” don’t test well. And talking about how much people save money by saving energy doesn’t work as well as talking about how much they lose money if they don’t save energy.

• Don’t Call It Retrofitting – Green Tech Enterprise. Focusing on health or comfort motivates people more than focusing on weatherization.
• In Kansas, Climate Skeptics Embrace Cleaner Energy – New York Times. In conservative areas, environmental groups promote saving money and getting off foreign oil.
• How Going Out to Dinner Can Save a Kid’s Life – Change.org. A UNICEF program makes tap water more appealing at restaurants by donating to clean water in developing countries.
• Saturday Throwback: Weekly Menu Planning for Singles, Couples, and Working People – Cheap Healthy Good. We did this religiously for a few years, but now have gotten out of the habit. Time to get back into it.
• Winter Squash 101 (Plus 18 Recipes!) – Cheap Healthy Good. Just what we need: more squash recipes.
• Seven tasty ways to stop wasting food – Salon. I don’t go off-recipe very often, but here’s a good reason to.
• Where Does My Money Go? – Energy Star. Interesting stats on where energy is used in the home.
• Turning on the Fan and Turning off the A/C – Energy Savers. Time to switch the ceiling fan to its winter setting.
• A Kind of Hunt That Even Deer Can Get Behind – New York Times. This is interesting. If hunters really care more about the sport than killing things, I’d think they’d support this.
• Mass. gets ready to power electric cars – Boston Globe. Charging stations will be installed around Massachusetts, including at Boston’s City Hall.
• Offshore Wind Power Line Wins Backing – New York Times. A 350-mile line down the east coast would encourage windmill production.
• What is a “Benefit Corporation”? – Green Light Distrikt. They’re not non-profits, but for-profit companies that exist for a specific public good.
• A green guide to getting along for parents and the childfree – Grist. We’ve heard everything in the “What not to say to GINKs” column many, many times over.
• Insulation Made out of Gap Jeans: How’s That for Sexy? – Energy Circle. The jean trade-in is back. (Hopefully they’ll be able to keep up with demand this time.)

In other news, we were the Boston Globe’s Money Makeover for October! In exchange for the potential public embarrassment, we got some great advice. (Like if you’re worried that you might need the money you’re saving before retirement, invest in a Roth IRA—you can withdraw your own contributions penalty-free at any time.)

As always, send along any interesting green news that you see this week.