Millions of Americans are facing record heat with temperatures frequently over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat often impacts people of color and low-income residents the most. Mortality records from cities across the country have shown that heat kills along socioeconomic and racial lines. Experts say planting more trees and creating green spaces can help. In Phoenix, efforts are underway to grow the tree canopy. In New York, laws are being passed to increase the tree cover over the next decade. And in Texas, the Houston transit authority is working to redesign bus stops to provide relief from the heat.

It’s true. Modern dishwashers are federally regulated to use no more than 3 1/2 gallons of water per wash, while hand-washing can waste nearly 30 gallons. Dishwashers are in 73% of all homes, so why do more than 17 million American homeowners still run the faucet?

Shopping for school supplies has become both easier and more complicated for families. The websites of major retail chains generate lists of recommended items by school and grade, allowing parents to shop with a click. Some schools partner with vendors to sell premade boxes of student essentials. Despite these conveniences, many families start shopping months before Labor Day to find the best deals. Analysts say concerns about price increases from new U.S. tariffs on imports have motivated early shopping. One market research company estimates back-to-school spending in the U.S. will reach $33.3 billion from June through August. Some of the biggest chains are advertising selective price freezes on key products to hold onto customers.

Americans have one more reason to celebrate this Fourth of July. A market research company's preliminary data shows that getting all the gear needed to host a pool party costs less than it has in years. Consumer data provider Numerator said in an analysis prepared for The Associated Press that the total price to buy beach towels, a beverage cooler, bathing suits and other accoutrements of summer fun averaged $858 in June. That was the lowest amount for the month since 2020. The finding from the firm's seasonal snapshot comports with broader economic measures indicating that U.S. consumers so far haven't seen major impacts from President Donald Trump's vigorous application of tariffs on foreign goods.

Businesses and lawmakers are trying to address the U.S. affordable housing crisis by turning to alternative ways to build homes. These include 3D printing houses out of concrete, building homes in a factory and shipping them to their final destination, and even using the hemp plant in construction. The 3D printing technology is far off from making a dent in the crisis, but proponents hope its speed in building walls can bring down construction time and costs. Modular and manufactured homes, built inside a factory, are gaining ground in the U.S., with homes built in a matter of days. Hemp, a plant related to marijuana, has also shown promise when combined with other materials to build more cheaply and efficiently.

People who make a habit of sleeping on the job comprise a secret society of sorts within the U.S. labor force. Inspired by famous power nappers Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein, today's committed nap-takers often sneak in short rest breaks because they think the practice will improve their cognitive performance but still carries a stigma. So they snooze in parking garages, on side streets before the afternoon school run, or in nap pods rented by the hour. Multiple studies have extolled the benefits of napping, such as enhanced memory and focus. Experts say a short nap up to 30 minutes is best to rejuvenate without disrupting nighttime sleep.

The generative artificial intelligence boom has led to the emergence of more companion chatbots. Similar to general-purpose AI chatbots that answer typical questions, companion bots use vast amounts of training data to mimic human language. But they also come with features — such as voice calls, picture exchanges and more emotional exchanges — that allow them to form deeper connections with the humans on the other side of the screen. On online messaging forums devoted to such apps, many users say they've developed emotional attachments to these bots and are using them to cope with loneliness, play out sexual fantasies or receive the type of comfort and support they see lacking in their real-life relationships.

Like Christmas trees, Santa and reindeer, the poinsettia has long been a ubiquitous symbol of the holidays in the U.S. and Europe. But nearly 200 years after the plant with the bright crimson leaves was introduced in the U.S., attention is again turning to the poinsettia's origins and the checkered history of its namesake. The name "poinsettia" comes from the amateur botanist and statesman Joel Roberts Poinsett, who happened upon the plant during his tenure as the first U.S. minister to a newly independent Mexico. But because of his difficult history as a slaveholder and secretary of war who helped to oversee the forced removal of Native Americans, some fans of the plant would rather use its name among Nahuatl-speaking communities of Mexico: cuetlaxochitl.

Old photos can be a treasure that keeps on giving — if you can get them out of boxes and drawers and get at them. That's where digitization comes in. The options for preserving analog photos that were shot in the decades before smartphones are increasing. It's not always cheap, but it creates a way to take your images from yesterday and not only keep them safe but share them far more easily. And many people are doing it. As one of them says, resurrecting those old images and seeing what's in them can "replace some of the glue that's gone away."

Space disco cowboy. Yacht Shabbat. Burning Man Formal. Dress to Express Your Inner Spirit. More bridal couples are tossing tradition when it comes to what guests should wear. Summer is a busy wedding season. For some guests, that means boomeranging from Dive Bar Semiformal to Whimsical Garden Party. Many guests, with little guidance, are understandably frustrated and confused. Personal stylist Sophie Strauss suggests quizzing the couple when they haven't made themselves clear. She also warns clients not to veer into costume dressing, unless that's what the couple wants. Some bridal couples offer mood boards as a way to guide their guests in the right direction, particularly older ones.

MARSHFIELD, Vt. (AP) — It's the time of year when gardeners are turning their ripe tomatoes into sauces and salsas and cucumbers into pickles. But a boom in gardening and preparing food at home during the coronavirus pandemic has led to a scarcity of supplies with which to preserve them.