10/2/12

Another reason to avoid artificial fragrance: it can confuse bees. Bees are vital to the natural world thanks to the important work they do to pollinate flowers. They are attracted to the sweet-smelling scent from actual flowers, and are also attracted to artificial scents found in body washes, perfumes, shampoo, air fresheners and scented candles. This confusion by bees can lead to fewer pollinated flowers. One way to help is to choose fragrance-free options whenever possible.

10/1/12

Has the power gone out to your home recently? Not sure what's safe to eat or what to toss from the refrigerator? The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a website that lists foods you can keep and ones you should throw away. The department warns that appearance and odor are not good indicators of which foods are safe to eat. For example, milk should be tossed, but butter and processed cheese are fine to keep. Fresh fruits that are cut should be tossed, but an open jar of fruit juice is fine to keep. For the whole list, visit foodsafety.gov.

9/30/12

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, an astounding 40 percent of food in the United States ends up in a landfill. To help cut back on food waste, try this simple tip to save leftovers at home. Invest in small, reusable flat containers with matching lids, and divide leftovers into smaller containers. This will help the food cool down faster, which prevents bacteria spores from germinating like they do in large containers. The benefit of several containers also helps with portion control, so family members can opt to reheat one container instead of an entire batch of food.