01/31/12

While a fireplace is not the most efficient way to heat a home, it can be a nice way to keep Old Man Winter's chill at bay. One simple way to boost your fireplace efficiency is to add a fire grate inside the hearth, which holds logs and lifts them off the ground, forcing heat forward into your home. Another idea is to add a hearth reflector to wood-burning fireplaces; these are sheets of metal that are placed on the back wall to help radiate and reflect heat into the room. And finally, having your chimney cleaned regularly helps keep your fireplace in tiptop shape.

01/30/12

You can stop unwanted junk mail using a new app on your iPhone. Using Catalog Choice's MailStop Mobile app is as simple as taking a picture of your unwanted junk mail and uploading it. The company will do the rest to opt you out of mailing lists, so you don't have to send emails, fill out forms or call customer service lines. You can download the free app at catalogchoice.org, where the first five opt-outs are free.

01/29/2012

According to the Stanford University School of Earth Sciences, if every Starbucks customer used mugs instead of paper cups, it would save over 1 million tons of wood, 2 million pounds of carbon dioxide and 4 billion gallons of water every year. There are many styles of reusable coffee mugs that are sturdy and keep your latte piping hot, and many mimic the shape and feel of disposable cups. You can save money, too: bringing your own mug to Starbucks means a 10 cent discount each time you use it.