9/19/11

Apples, bananas and pears are good, fresh fruits to pack whole in kids' lunches. They don't need wrappers or extra containers to hold up well in a lunch box. If you do pack cut pieces of fruit, consider making a pouch using aluminum foil. The foil can be crumpled and tossed into the recycling bin.

9/18/11

In my new book "Upcycling," I share more than 100 recycling projects that take everyday things we usually toss and transform them into beautiful new functional things for the home. My favorite idea is to stack mismatched plates, cups and saucers into a tiered serving tray. Start with the largest plate as the base, center a cup in the middle, add a plate on top and continue. Glue them all together with E-6000 glue for a strong hold (wait 24 hours for the glue to set). Then throw a party!

9/17/11

If you have to use disposable paper plates for a party, make the green choice and go with uncoated ones that can be composted afterward. Look for packages of paper plates that bear a composting symbol on the front; this means the plates can be tossed into a compost bin to break down and biodegrade into beneficial nutrients for your garden. To speed up the composting process, used plates should be soaked with water and tossed into the compost pile. But, if you can, always go with reusable plates first.