7/29/12

Have a bumper crop of tomatoes, corn or other healthy fruits and vegetables in your garden? If you hate to see your cornucopia of produce go to waste, donate it. The nonprofit organization AmpleHarvest.org has a complete database of food pantries around the U.S., which helps gardeners donate excess harvests. Even if you don't garden, you can help update the database by working with local food banks to see what they need throughout the year.

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.