5/8/13

Adding mulch to your garden or landscaping is an easy way to help plants thrive, since it locks in moisture and blocks out weeds. It can also be expensive: about $11 for an 8-gallon bag. Instead, get mulch for free. Your local parks and roads departments regularly haul away dead or fallen trees and grind them into mulch. It's free for the taking. If you’re worried the mulch may come with weed seeds, simply seal it in black garbage bags and let the sun’s rays exterminate the seeds. Spread the mulch, and reuse the bags for garbage. Savings: hundreds of dollars.

5/7/13

Outdoor weddings are popular in the spring and summer months. When the bride and groom leave the ceremony, instead of littering with paper or causing health problems for birds who may ingest the dry rice, toss what the lawn already needs: organic grass or wildflower seeds. The seeds are inexpensive and a kinder alternative on the big day.

5/6/13

Since 2009, more than 500,000 empty cosmetics bottles and tubes have been returned to Kiehl's skincare stores to be recycled. When you return an empty full-sized Kiehl's bottle to any of its stores, you'll receive a stamp. Get three stamps, and you'll get a free lip balm. Earn five stamps, and you'll get a free travel-size product. Earn 10 stamps, and you can pick any full-size product (worth up to $25) as your eco-reward. Other cosmetics companies like Origins and MAC have recycling programs -- proving products that help you look beautiful can also help keep our planet stay beautiful.