02/22/12

Pencils made from wood often come from clear-cut forests. To green up your writing utensils, look for traditional-style pencils using eco-friendly materials. Mainstream stores like Office Depot and Staples sell writing utensils made from recycled tires, rubber and plastic. Green pencils work just as well as regular pencils, and the prices are comparable.

02/21/12

Many beauty products and their containers are still usable well after the makeup expires or is all gone. A clean mascara brush, for example, can clean away dirt and debris from jewelry or watch links. Decorate the stems of wine glasses with unwanted nail polish -- perhaps a color not to your liking -- to give them personality and color. And broken lipstick can be melted in the microwave for 20 seconds and poured into a small mint tin, so you can apply it to your lips with a brush or your fingers.

02/20/12

Even in an age of digital reading, printed books are still in demand. If you're looking to make room on your bookshelf, donate your old books. The rule of thumb for donating books is this: If the book has been in print for only two or three years, donate it to your local library, which will resell the book at a fundraiser. If it's older than that, donate it to the Salvation Army or Goodwill, where the books will be sold in the store. No matter how you donate your books, be sure to get a receipt for tax deduction purposes.