12/5/11

One simple way to determine if you have a water leak in your home is to examine your winter water usage. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a typical family of four may have a serious leak problem if "their winter water use exceeds 12,000 gallons per month." If so, it's worth calling a plumber to detect where the leak is. You can also check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If it doesn't read exactly the same, you may have a leak.

12/4/11

Banana peels, leaves and grass clippings aren't the only things that can be added to the backyard compost bin. Cotton swabs, facial tissues and newspaper can also be added to the bin where they will degrade down naturally and turn into beneficial mulch for your garden. Anything that is made entirely from paper pulp and cotton -- no plastic -- can be composted. It's amazing to think just how much trash we could divert from landfills if we composted!

12/3/11

With many of us cooking meals at home during the holidays, it's a good time to get the oven as clean as a whistle. Instead of using toxic oven cleaner that can leave a chemical residue behind, just mix a thick paste of baking soda and water. Cover the inside of the oven with the paste and wait three hours. Wipe the paste off with a damp rag and all the baked-on mess will come right off.