3/16/09

The next time you're feeling under the weather, be sure to disinfect your toothbrush when you're finally rebounding. If you don't, you risk re-infecting yourself simply by brushing your teeth! To disinfect, place a wet toothbrush in the microwave for about a minute on high; it'll radiate the germs away. When in doubt, replace the brush with a new one. (What an opportune time to give a recycled Preserve toothbrush a try!)

3/15/09

Wash only full loads in your dishwasher, using short cycles for all but the dirtiest dishes. This saves water and the energy used to pump and heat it. Air-drying, if you have the time, can also reduce energy use. Also, look for eco-friendly dishwasher detergents free of phosphates and chlorine bleach, like Method's Smarty Dish. They're in capsule form and will make eco-washing easy as pie.

3/14/09

When baking, don't preheat the oven too soon when making a batch of cookies. Ovens can be energy hogs, so it pays to prep first, then heat. Also, if your oven needs a good cleaning, use the self-cleaning function AFTER you've baked something. It's already heated up and will take less time for the function to run its course.