10/5/10

Over time, rust and mineral deposits can build up in your dishwasher. This can affect the performance, and detergents -- with or without phosphates -- end up being totally ineffective. Raid the pantry to clean out your dishwasher. Empty a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid into the compartment where you'd put detergent and run a full cycle on hot. The citric acid in the mixture helps clean away the gunk inside the machine.

10/4/10

If you're an avid tennis player, don't toss the balls out once they start to lose their bounce. Many nursing homes and hospitals are in need of clean, lightly used tennis balls to place under the legs of walkers. This allows people to easily glide walkers across the floor without scratching them.

10/3/10

If you're shopping for pasta sauce and you have a choice between sauces packaged in glass, metal or plastic containers, choose glass. Recycling glass is one of the easiest and most commonly recyclable items today. And recycling glass creates big energy savings. For instance, according to recycling-revolution.com, by recycling just one glass bottle, you can save enough energy to light a 100-watt lightbulb for four hours!