02/25/12

Look for new bioplastic bottles made from sugarcane that are currently hitting the marketplace. Sugarcane is grown on abandoned pasture land (so no deforestation), harvested and used not only to make plastic bottles, but also to power the factory in which they're made. This practice uses up to 70 percent less energy than using petroleum. The new bioplastic blended bottles, found in products like Pantene shampoo, can be recycled, too.

02/24/12

Here's something to think about the next time you're out shopping for that new pair of jeans. A New York University study found evidence of grimy things like bacteria and viruses on brand-new clothes sold in stores. The germs come from people trying on clothes in dressing rooms or taking clothes home, wearing them and then returning them to the store. When you buy new garments, one way to sanitize them is to blast them with high heat in the dryer. The high temperature will kill the germs and make your new purchases fresh and clean.

02/23/12

Do you ever wonder if your car is really getting the fuel efficiency you were told when you bought it? The app GasHog (available for iPhone and iPod Touch) will help you find out. Enter your odometer reading and the amount of fuel you add when you fill up; the app automatically calculates the fuel economy each time you buy gas and offers a historical average. Based on that info, GasHog provides tips on how you can improve the fuel economy for your car.