1/19/14

Ever wonder what to do with leftover art supplies, foam core, textiles (like yarn and fabric), buttons, beads, wires and crafting notions? The nonprofit organization Scroungers Center for Reusable Art Parts (or SCRAP) takes perfectly good art supplies and helps divert them to teachers, nonprofit organizations, parents, artists and others who can use them. SCRAP's website, scrap-sf.org, has the full list of items the organization accepts as part of the 250 tons of materials it helps divert from landfills.

1/18/14

If your home has its own private septic tank, simple measures you do inside the home can help maintain the lifespan of your septic tank. In addition to minimizing use of the kitchen garbage disposal and instead composting organic matter, you should also avoid these top culprits of infected or damaged septic tanks: Never flush pharmaceuticals down the toilet; don't pour flammable or blatantly obvious toxic products (like chlorine bleach and fertilizers) down the drain. Also, be aware of the types of body washes and body oils you use in the shower and bath; excessive amounts can discourage natural microorganisms from growing in your septic tank, which are vital toward breaking down organic matter.

1/17/14

One of the side effects of winter weather is that deicing pellets and rock salt can wreck havoc on your leather shoes. The melted salt can leave stains and streaks on your shoes that are almost impossible to remove. One nontoxic way to clean your shoes during the winter months is to simply cut a lemon in half, and rub it on the outside of the shoe, buffing with a soft cloth as you go. The more juice you use, the more the salt will be neutralized and the stain will disappear.