11/19/13

Clogged sink drains are one of the biggest problems that many of us face in our homes. Often, you reach for chemical drain cleaners or spend money on a plumber to come and clear it for you. The simplest solution: Prevent the clogs to begin with. For your kitchen sink, fill an ice cube tray with 50 percent white vinegar and 50 percent tap water. Freeze it. Turn on the garbage disposal and throw in the vinegar/water cubes. The mild acid of the vinegar will clean the disposal and drain while the ice will freeze the grease on the walls and scrape it away. Do this every few months to keep your kitchen sink as good as new.

11/18/13

Next time you think about throwing a penny into a pond to make a wish, remember you’re only wishing illness on the fish that live there. When you throw spare change into a fountain or pond, the copper in the coins interacts with fish blood cells and increases mucus production in their gills, which makes it more difficult for the fish to breathe and absorb oxygen. When they struggle to breathe, they gasp at the surface for oxygen, and, ultimately, could die. If you want to make a wish, do so, but leave the coins in your pocket.

11/17/13

Leftover foreign currency -- whether it’s Japanese yen or Mexican pesos or Canadian dollars -- doesn't have to live stashed away in a junk drawer. Collect all of your foreign currency and donate it to UNICEF. Its Change for Good program takes your foreign currency and uses it to fund programs to support children all over the world who do not have access to education, food and clean water. Send your money to U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Attn: Change for Good Program, 125 Maiden Lane, New York, N.Y., 10038. Be sure to include your name, address and email so the organization can send you a receipt for your donation for tax purposes.