12/14/13

Old cardboard boxes are easily recyclable, but they can also be used to make festive ornaments for your holiday Christmas tree. Cut out gingerbread men from old cardboard boxes, and “frost” them using puffy paint from any craft supply store. Allow the ornaments to dry, punch a hole at the top and run a piece of string through it. This is a fun eco-craft project to do with kids. The best part? The ornaments can be saved and hung year after year on the Christmas tree.

12/13/13

Here’s a smart way to upcycle an old bath towel to save energy at home: Use it as a draft dodger. Roll the towels into a tight sausage shape, and tie string or rope at the ends and in the middle to keep it secure. Jam it along the base of a door or window, and it will keep chilly drafts at bay. And here’s another simple idea: Cover your ironing board with an old towel before ironing. The soft surface will protect clothes, speed up the ironing process and is easily removable in case you need to wash it.

12/12/13

Since 2005, office supply store Staples has been accepting old ink and toner cartridges for recycling and rewarded customers with $2 in store credit for each one. Now there’s no need to visit a store to recycle. Visit Staples.com, and you can recycle your used ink and other toner cartridges through its online recycling program. It’s simple: You can recycle up to 10 cartridges at a time, and Staples will provide a free prepaid shipping label to ship the store the cartridges. And you still get the $2 reward for each item you recycle.