7/25/13

Summer gardens need lots of water to thrive. Smartly watering your potted plants not only helps you save water, but it trains them to become heartier and healthier. When watering hanging baskets, put other potted plants underneath; the water that drips down will also water those plants. Don't water every day: Give plants a deep soak at the roots every few days; they'll retain water and send roots deeper into the ground. And when using a hose, don't spray water into the air. Instead, send water below the foliage line. More water will get to the base of the plant and into the roots, where it counts.

7/24/13

Recycled paper is good for the environment. It's also more energy- and water-efficient to make new paper products from old paper than from virgin wood pulp. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, contaminants in paper recycling can ruin a load of recyclable paper, forcing the recycler to send it to the landfill. So be sure to remove plastic covers and spiral bindings from reports, peel off stickers and labels, and toss paper if there is any food waste on it.

7/23/13

You've heard of staycations, but have you heard of traincations? When traveling for work or play, choosing a train instead of driving or flying is the greenest way to go. The carbon emissions savings by using a train instead of a car is about 50 percent; instead of flying, it saves a whopping 68 percent. Most major cities have train stations in the heart of town, unlike airports that are often far away. Instead of the stress of driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic, you have views from a comfortable seat where you can also plug in personal electronics. If half the fun is getting there, why not try a traincation?