4/12/12

For food storage, the greenest, healthiest and most energy-efficient choice is glass. Glass storage containers keep cold better and longer than other materials (like plastic). The colder the glass containers stay, the less the refrigerator and freezer have to work. Plus, glass containers don't absorb odors or stains, so smells aren't transferred to other foods when you use them over and over again.

4/11/12

When installing a programmable thermostat in your home, you want to avoid a few places. Don't install it anywhere temperatures can fluctuate dramatically. Avoid the kitchen, where the stove heats up the room quickly; anywhere near a fireplace; and anywhere bathrooms steam can read as hot air. Make sure the thermostat isn't located anywhere sunlight streams through windows during the day -- if the light hits the thermostat, the hot rays can force the air conditioning system to go into overdrive.

4/10/12

If your home needs to be illuminated with lamps at night, try this simple tip to get the maximum light from the least number of lamps possible: Place floor, table and hanging light fixtures in the corner of the room instead of in the middle of the room. Corners allow the light to reflect off two walls instead of one, which gives you more usable light. It's a designer trick that really works!