5/18/09

On a warm, sunny day, hang your laundry outside on a clothesline to dry, instead of using the energy-hogging dryer. Your dryer is the second biggest use of energy in your home, so line-drying can be a huge energy- and money-saving idea. To capture the true scent of summer, mow the lawn right before you hang laundry; the sheets take on the smell of freshly cut grass. P.S. -- Make sure you are allowed to hang clothes outside to dry; some neighborhoods don't allow it.

5/17/09

To unclog a shower drain, try some home remedies before pouring down the caustic drain cleaner. First, use a toilet plunger to force the clog away. If that doesn't do the trick, pour a box of baking soda and white vinegar down the drain; the combination of the two causes a fizzing chemical reaction. Follow that mixture with boiling hot water to flush away the clog and use the plunger -- again -- to blast the clog down the drain.

5/16/09

Buy local brewskis for the weekend. Organic beer is the greenest choice, but since it's not the easiest to find, do the next best thing and go local. Local breweries are a greener option because the brew has traveled the fewest miles. Fancy imports mean that gas-guzzling freighters lugged the beers here from their country of origin to your local store.