(BPT) - Outdoor living spaces cry out for an eco-friendly touch. Whether you’re adding a patio, updating a deck or livening up your landscaping, the last thing you want to do is harm the environment. Greener decorating and building practices can help you protect and pay homage to Mother Nature while creating a space where you’ll enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

(BPT) - When it comes to simple, low-cost home improvements that can add value and completely change the look of a room, you just can’t beat painting. From giving a room a whole new look to protecting the walls and boosting the value of your home, painting delivers many benefits – all at a fraction of the cost of other improvements.

(BPT) - Indoors or outdoors, your home decor needs some TLC to look its best. Replacing worn or dated furniture or flooring inside your home is considered fairly easy. But when outdoor spaces start to appear shabby, do you decide to live with the tired look because you think freshening the space will be too time-consuming or costly?

Block parties in New York City turn traffic-clogged streets into a pedestrian paradise made for lazy weekends, elephant ear consumption and sunburns. The Queens Council on the Arts will continue the tradition on June 22 with a celebratory feel and a quirky touch.

The arts nonprofit recently moved into the Kaufman Astoria Studios complex from its former home in Forest Park. At the Saturday event it will officially cut the ribbon on the new space.

Something is out of joint on the stretch of 156th Avenue between 77th and 78th streets in Lindenwood. The street here is twice the width it is on adjacent blocks.

The odd layout has existed for more than three decades, since this part of the neighborhood was developed. It has led to residents parking in the middle of the street, sometimes with two cars next to each other, in what many say is an unsafe traffic condition.

Queens Historical Society art exhibit — Practicing Equality: Quakers in Queens. 2:30-4:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. $5 adults; $3 students, seniors; free for members. Reception: 2 p.m., Sunday, June 23. RSVP by June 14. Kingsland Homestead, 143-35 37 Ave., Flushing. Information: (718) 939-0647, ext. 17.

The New York State Court of Appeals has cleared the way for implementation of Mayor Bloomberg’s Outer Borough Taxi Plan.

The ruling, issued by the court on June 6, paves the way for livery car operators to get licenses that will allow them to accept street hails with the exception of Midtown and Downtown Manhattan and the city’s two airports.

Two key Howard Beach parks will be part of a federal program to clean up greenspace in Gateway National Recreation Area that was badly affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced that the federal agency has established a youth corps and volunteer program aimed at repair and maintenance work in Gateway parkland in New York and New Jersey, which is operated by the National Park Service, a subset of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Last Wednesday Astoria got a little cooler.

The White Roof Project, a nonprofit that paints flat tar roofs white to combat global warming, transformed its first Queens location — Trinity Lutheran Church on the corner of 37th Street and 31st Avenue in Astoria.

It’s a case of art vs. progress, or at least what some see as progress, in the ongoing clash over the proposed construction of two high-rise apartment buildings in the space occupied by the 5 Pointz open-air art exhibit in Long Island City, a hot topic that comprised the majority of the June 6 Community Board 2 meeting.

The complex, an artists’ haven featuring one of the world’s most celebrated collections of legal graffiti, is located on the block between Davis and Crain Sreets, with frontage on Jackson Avenue. It is owned by the Wolkoff family, which hopes to see the demolition begin by the end of the year.

(NAPSI)—When it’s time to move to your college dorm, your first apartment, your family house, your scaled-down empty nest or whenever you have a new home, you may be able to save time, trouble and money by doing it yourself.

(BPT) - Whether you own a cozy cottage or mega mansion, as a homeowner, you likely embrace the outdoor living trend. But when you look at your deck or patio, does it leave something to be desired? By taking a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach, you can affordably create outdoor spaces that enhance the style and functionality of your home, plus add to the overall value of the property.

(BPT) - With Father’s Day right around the corner, give Dad a break from his “to do” list by taking care of the easier DIY tasks for him. From simple fixes to bigger projects, sometimes all you need is the right tool at the right time, to get the job done.

(BPT) - In this instant-gratification era, instant makeovers – from week-long juice diets to weekend home renovations – are a top 2013 trend. And according to Yahoo! Homes, so are instant kitchen updates achieved by refacing cabinets.

(BPT) - Minor kitchen updates can result in enhanced appearance, enjoyment and increased home value. With a free weekend and a modest budget, you can accomplish some do-it-yourself projects that will give your kitchen a whole new look.

“Gravity of the Sculpture: Part II” will remain on display at The Dorsky Gallery, 11-03 45 Ave., Long Island City, through July 3. Call (718) 937-6317, email david@dorsky.org or visit dorsky.org.

Jorge Posada’s works take anatomy to another level.

His several-foot-tall paintings suggest knees, legs and sometimes just the act of an arm whisking through the air. The smoothly painted tendons twist and bend on the canvases, appearing both strong and vulnerable.

The Parks Department has repainted areas of Doughboy Park in Woodside shortly after a group of volunteers painted many of the appointments in the park a lime green color.

In early May, Edgar Cartegena, the superintendent of a local apartment building along with Edward Bergendahl, a Korean War veteran and president of the Woodside Civic Association, led a group of volunteer veterans and children in painting the park.