12/29/11

The next time you do a home renovation project and gut out perfectly good, workable items like light and bathroom fixtures or appliances and countertops, don't toss them in the dump. Many Habitat for Humanity organizations around the country have ReStore shops that will gladly take these items and resell them to people who are doing their own home renovation projects. All the proceeds go back to their good works, and your donation is also tax deductible.

12/28/11

Do you ever wonder how much power your TV or refrigerator actually use? One way to get an accurate measure is to use a device called the Kill A Watt, which connects to your appliance and displays its true measurement of energy consumption on a large LCD display. You can figure out if the fridge is draining energy and make a smart choice if it needs to be replaced. These devices normally cost about $25 to buy, but your local library may have one that you can borrow for free.

12/27/11

The Environmental Protection Agency has created a new label on consumer products called Design for the Environment. The DFE label helps consumers quickly identify and choose products that are designed to be safer for their families and are more environmentally friendly. In 2011, Americans who chose DFE products helped cut the use of hundreds of millions of pounds of harmful chemicals. Learn more at epa.gov/dfe.