11/3/12

Doing some home improvement work this weekend? When painting walls, make sure you buy just enough paint. Go to popular home improvement store websites, and search for "paint calculator." Type in the dimensions of your room, and the program will compute exactly how much paint you need to buy. No more overbuying means a lot less waste.

11/2/12

Here's a time-tested tip, and a good one worth repeating: Don't drink your morning coffee from a disposable coffee cup. Americans toss about 25 billion Styrofoam and paper disposable cups away every year. Not only are those cups almost impossible to recycle and nonbiodegradable, they contain chemicals like BPA and styrene that have been linked to significant health problems. Make the pledge to buy a reusable BPA-free thermos and fill it up in the morning instead. It will keep your hot beverage hot longer, and you won't be tossing anything away.

11/1/12

Thinking your antibacterial soap is doing a good job of keeping you healthy by killing germs? Think again. According to a recent study by Tufts University, triclosan -- the active ingredient in antibacterial products --actually breaks down when exposed to chlorinated water. Most public water, which is what most people use, unless they have their own well, has levels of chlorine in it, which means your antibacterial soap is worthless. The best option for clean hands is regular old soap and hot water.