6/16/13

It's summer, which means going to the pool to cool down. After taking a dip in the pool, be sure to rinse off with fresh water to remove as much residual water from your bathing suit as you can. When you get home, wash any clothing you brought to the pool, including T-shirts, cover-ups and swimsuits. Even in low levels found in pools, chlorine can still oxidize to fabrics, causing it to fade, stiffen and wear out quickly.

6/15/13

Empty aerosol cans -- used for products from spray paint to hair spray -- can be recycled in most communities. The trick is to recycle only completely empty cans, so be sure to use up the product or spray it empty onto sheets of scrap paper. Contact your local waste hauler to ask if your empty cans can be deposited into your curbside recycling or if there is a special drop-off location for them.

6/14/13

Even the greenest-minded people sometimes buy bottled water, so the question is: Is it OK to refill a plastic water bottle? While these bottles are considered safe for one-time use, it's best to avoid refilling them since scratched bottles have the potential to leach the chemical DEHP, a plasticizer, if reused. If you do want to reuse the bottle, refill it and drink it immediately, then recycle it.