8/22/10

To protect your clothes when you wash them, be sure to zip up. Unzipped zippers on cardigans, pullovers and even jeans can snag onto clothes and cause tears and pulls. The solution? Just zip everything up and you'll protect your clothes while they're spinning around inside the washing machine.

8/21/10

Aluminum foil has become a kitchen staple for many cooks and it's a great eco-friendly choice because foil is easily recyclable in most curbside bins. Here's a quick reuse idea before you toss that ball of foil away: Use it to sharpen scissors. Fold the piece of foil six or seven times into a square and then cut into it with dull scissors; the foil will sharpen the blades and help you get your cutting shears back into great working order.

8/20/10

While the greenest choice for shampoos is one that is free of sodium lauryl sulfate -- the chemical foaming agent found in almost every shampoo that is not biodegradable -- there are many people who do not want to give up their beloved hair care products. Instead, do the next greenest thing and wash your hair properly. Beauty experts agree that you only need a quarter-size amount of shampoo to wash your hair. The key is to use that small amount and bring it to a lather, massaging your scalp and working it from the roots to the tips of your hair. As for rinse and repeat? Forget about it.