9/22/13

Most of us bring reusable shopping bags to the grocery store in lieu of using disposable paper or plastic bags. Do this one thing to make sure your groceries are safe to eat: Separate what you buy into different bags. Keep meat products in one bag so any drips can be self-contained. Fruits and vegetables should get their own bag, as should canned and boxed goods and eggs and milk. You can place frozen items with perishables so they act double duty to keep food that needs to be chilled cooler longer. And remember to launder your reusable bags once in a while so any germs and bacteria can be washed away.

9/21/13

Many of us know that using an automatic dishwasher instead of washing by hand is a faster, more energy- and water-efficient way to clean dishes. But did you know you can wash more than just plates, utensils and cups in the dishwasher? If you have a clogged showerhead, place it on the top rack of the dishwasher and use your regular detergent. This will help sanitize, clean and reopen the nozzles to help your showerhead work and look as good as new.

9/20/13

In the past, curbside recycling programs mandated that caps on plastic bottles be taken off before being tossed into the bin. The reason? The type of plastic in caps is different than the plastic used to make bottles. But new technologies and advancements in recycling have made it possible to leave caps on bottles so both can be recycled. Just remember to ask your trash collector if their policy on recycling bottle caps has recently changed. You may be surprised to find out it has changed for the better.