1/12/14

Ever wonder what to do with a metal cookie sheet when it’s time to replace it? If it’s aluminum, the easiest way to dispose of it is to simply toss it in your curbside recycling bin. Just like aluminum soda cans, the cookie sheet will be melted down and made into new aluminum products. If you feel like doing something crafty, try this upcycling idea: Paint a few layers of chalkboard paint on the sheet, and turn it into a message board. It’s quick, quirky and fun way to keep messages and to-do lists handy in the kitchen.

1/11/14

One of the fastest ways to ruin a smartphone can be blamed on Mother Nature. When your phone is exposed to the hot rays of the sun too long, it can overheat and degrade the performance of the battery and melt the internal components, potentially ruining the phone for good. The easiest way to avoid this is to keep the phone out of the sun, and to never leave a phone inside a hot car (including the glove box, which still gets very hot). When charging a phone on a hot day, take off the protective case before charging, which can hold on to heat and cause the phone to overheat, too.

1/10/14

While paper towels may not be the greenest option to clean up spills and messes, sometimes they are a convenient option when rags and cotton towels aren’t available. When buying paper towels, look for 100 percent post-consumer recycled ones, which are usually a brownish color and unbleached. These towels are a great addition to a compost bin after being used. Adding layers of used paper towels creates small air pockets, which help beneficial microorganisms grow and make the compost rich and moist.