9/1/10

One of the drudgeries of laundry is hauling the heavy jug of detergent home from the grocery store. It was only in 2007 that Wal-Mart mandated that by the following year it only would sell concentrated laundry detergent, which led to smaller bottles and a savings of 95 million pounds of plastic resin and less watered down formulas, saving 400 million gallons of water. So conserve water by looking for the highest concentrated laundry detergent you can find.

8/31/10

If you're in the market for a new computer, consider a laptop over a desktop computer, which can be a lighter and more energy-efficient choice. A laptop computer will use significantly less energy than a desktop. Newer laptops feature even bigger environmental savings, including LED-lit screens that are free of harmful mercury. Look for laptops that are Energy Star-certified and be sure to recycle your old computer wherever you buy your new one. RadioShack will even appraise the recycling value of your old PC or Mac laptop and give you a gift card for the value of it right on the spot.

8/30/10

When it comes to mowing the lawn, think self-propelled instead of push. The old-fashioned push mowers used to be a pain to use; they'd drag, get clogged up and did an inefficient job cutting the lawn. Today's integrated chain-and-gear technology (like a bicycle) helps propel the self-pushing lawnmowers faster and more efficiently. So you get a trim lawn and a good workout in half the time.