11/4/11

Here's something you probably didn't know you could compost: pencil shavings. The thin wood shavings with residual graphite (pencils today are lead-free) are perfectly fine to toss into the compost bin. Mix them with all sorts of degrading organic matter and they'll break down into beneficial mulch for your garden in no time.

11/3/11

When doing business with others, it is customary to exchange paper business cards so you have each other's contact info. In an age of smartphones, this may become obsolete with the use of the Bump app for iPhones and Android phones. You simply bump your smartphone with another person's smartphone and you automatically swap contact information digitally. No cards, no mess and no need to ever carry a single business card ever again.

11/2/11

A roaring fireplace on a cold night may not be the most energy-efficient way to heat up a home, but we still like a fire for its ambiance and its nice smell. One way to improve the fire's efficiency is to place a small fan on the floor a few feet in front of the fireplace and turn it on; the fan will help spread the hot air in the room to warm it up more quickly.