10/29/13

Whether it's for trick-or-treating on Halloween or ringing in the New Year, glow sticks are a popular item to generate light safely and cheaply. The light in glow sticks is created when the two chemicals inside are "cracked," or mixed, and a natural light is emitted. Once this happens, the light output can't be stopped, and the glow sticks can't be reused ... unless you do this one thing: Freeze them. The cold temperature stops the chemical reaction. Keep the glow sticks in the freezer until frozen solid; when you want to reuse them, just thaw them and re-snap to create the natural glow.

10/28/13

More than 11.1 million tons of textiles -- mostly clothes -- are thrown away every year and end up in landfills. Nearly 100 percent of clothing is recyclable and can be donated to charity; plus, many garments are repairable. Your local dry cleaner can do more than clean clothes -- many can replace or repair zippers on jackets, sweaters and your favorite pair of jeans. They can shorten shirtsleeves. And some can even re-dye faded sweaters and shirts so they look almost brand new. The best part? Repairs are inexpensive, fast and save you money in the long run.

10/27/13

When an electronic gadget or appliance breaks, most people simply toss it and buy a replacement. But what if you could try to repair it yourself first? A new website, ifixit.com, is an online community where people share tips, tricks and tutorials about how they fixed their electronics, and how you can, too. Whether it’s a smartphone, gaming device, computer or iPad, you can search the database of free repair manuals. If you're successful, you keep once-broken items out of the waste stream and save hundreds -- if not thousands -- of dollars fixing it yourself.