1/2/14

Ever wonder what to do with the shells of nuts from walnuts, pecans and pistachios? One idea is to save them and scatter them as mulch in the garden. If there is any residual salt on the shells, it will help deter slugs from attacking your plants. Use the shells for indoor houseplants, too. If there is residual salt on the shells, simply soak them in water first to remove it. Line the bottom of a planter with shells and fill it with soil. This will help provide draining for the plant, and the shells will eventually decompose.

1/1/14

Did you know buying a pre-loved kitchen knife from a resell site like eBay can save as much as 90 percent on energy costs needed to make a new knife? You can sanitize a used knife at home in seconds. If the knife does not have a plastic handle, place it in boiling water for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and let the knife sit in the hot water and slowly pour the boiling water out; allow the knife to cool, and you're ready to go. If the knife has a plastic handle, fill a pot with the hottest water that comes out of the tap and let the knife soak for 15 seconds. Remove it with tongs and scrub with an old toothbrush to remove any debris.

12/31/13

One of the greenest ways to ship packages and send mail is to use the United States Postal Service. With more than 200,000 vehicles on the road -- 25 percent of which are alternative fuel-powered, making it one of the greenest and leanest delivery systems in the country. But in many parts of the country, the USPS incorporates an even greener approach: walking. Thousands of postal workers hand deliver mail in cities and communities all over the country, making it a truly carbon neutral choice.