4/26/13

When it's time to replace your old toothbrush, don't toss it in the trash before you do a quick marathon of household chores. First, scrub the grout clean in the bathroom and around the seams of the faucet and handles in the shower and sink. Then, scrub between the buttons on the remote control, telephone and computer keypad to dislodge debris and dirt. Finally, scrub grime and dirt off the bottom of sneakers to help them look as good as new. After that, toss it in the trash.

4/25/13

Ever wonder what to do with your broken DVD player, GPS device or flat-screen TV? You can recycle them -- for free, regardless of where you bought them -- at any Best Buy store. The store will responsibly recycle your old electronics so they don't end up in a landfill. For heavy items like old refrigerators, washers and dryers, Best Buy has an at-home haul away program. It costs $100 to remove up to two items. Learn more at bestbuy.com.

4/24/13

Bees are necessary for the pollination of flowers to help keep our food supplies robust and the natural world thriving. With the bee population declining, there are small things a backyard gardener can do to help protect the insects. The biggest thing you can do is to make your yard an insecticide-free zone -- employ organic methods to control invasive species whenever possible. Since bees need a safe habitat, bundle twigs and dried brush together and place it in a corner of the yard; the bees will make it home and will pollinate your garden at the same time.