6/29/10

One of the easiest ways to reduce cooling costs during the summer months is to have large trees casting shade onto the home. But, of course, it takes time and lots of work to plant trees around a home. A quick fix is to place container trees around sunny windows; they'll still do the job, and the trees will love the warm, sunny rays. In the fall months, bring the trees indoors as houseplants.

6/28/10

The Environmental Protection Agency says there are simple ways to save money when keeping your home cool during hot summer months. One easy way is to just increase your thermostat by 2 degrees and turn on ceiling fans. You can lower your cooling costs by 14 percent with this one step. When you leave the room, make sure to turn the fans off, so the fans cool you, not the room.

6/27/10

Be wary of donating clothes to those drop-off donation boxes often found in supermarket parking lots. Yes, the clothes dropped in those bins are collected and recycled, but they are often designated for questionable for-profit companies that make money selling used clothes for textile recycling. It's best to donate to reputable charities -- like Goodwill and The Salvation Army -- where you know your donation will go to good use.