7/28/12

A garbage truck that picks up curbside trash or recyclables can be susceptible to something called a "hot load." In a hot load, the truck catches fire and smolders as a result of toxic chemicals that have been illegally dumped. Items like motor oil, antifreeze, paint, pesticides, batteries and even cooking oil can all trigger fires when they interact with other chemicals inside the truck. If you have household hazardous waste to dispose of, contact your local municipality and drop it off on designated days. It isn't worth the risk.

7/27/12

Hand wash or use a dishwasher? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, using an Energy Star-qualified dishwasher is the eco winner. By going automated, you can save about $40 on your utility bill, 230 hours of your time and up to 5,000 gallons of water -- every year! It all adds up to a huge reduction in greenhouse gases and helps protect our lakes, streams and oceans.

7/26/12

Did you know most people throw away their tubes of toothpaste with 10 to 15 percent of the minty stuff still in there? One way to squeeze out every last drop is to grab a bobby pin and use it to force out the paste. Clip the pin at the end, and push it up -- the last of the toothpaste will come out. When you get to the top, you'll know you're done with the tube for real.