10/17/12

Cooler weather means many of us may take advantage of fireplaces to warm our homes. Take the time today to make sure the fireplace damper is properly working and that it can fully open and close with ease. A broken damper that leaves the flue open is like having a small window open in your home all day long. By having it properly closed when not in use, you can save around 8 percent of the heated air from escaping up the flue.

10/16/12

One of the new items clogging up junk drawers is the small, portable flash drive. These little drives shouldn't be tossed when you don't have a need for them. First, erase all the files and data that might be on the drive. Then find a local school where fast Internet access may not be prevalent. Many students who do not have lightning-speed Internet access have a hard time sending electronic files from home to school. By giving schools your old flash drives, you can help kids do homework.

10/15/12

According to Just Label It, the five "must avoid" products that are likely to contain genetically modified foods or ingredients include corn, soy, canola, cotton and sugar made from beets -- not sugar made from cane, which is not genetically modified. If you do buy products with any of these ingredients, one way to be 100 percent sure they're not genetically modified is to look for the USDA certified organic mark, which prohibits the use of genetic engineering.