2/25/14

The main ingredient in antifreeze -- ethylene glycol -- has a very sweet flavor and a strong candylike aroma. For wild animals and pets, it can be tempting to lick the highly poisonous antifreeze where there are spills on the ground, so clean up spills right away. Avoid temptation entirely by not walking pets near areas with lots of parked cars. Another thing you can do to help lessen the poison risk is to choose antifreeze that contains propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol. It is far less toxic to animals and will also still have the high-performance benefits your car needs.

2/24/14

Single cup coffee brewing machines like Keurig have become common fixtures in homes, offices and hotels all over the world. The biggest environmental culprits of these machines are the disposable plastic cups -- otherwise known as K-Cups -- that you use once and throw away. To save money and cut back on the environmental waste, you can actually reuse them. Simply peel back the foil cover on the K-Cup and dump the coffee grounds inside into your compost bin. Rinse and dry it. Then scoop in ground coffee and secure a reusable cap -- search "Kaps for K-Cups" on Amazon.com -- that lets you reuse your plastic cups until it's time to throw them away.

2/23/14

The majority of recyclable glass in the United States is clear glass, which is made from a simple combination of sand, soda ash and limestone. But just because it's clear doesn't mean it is accepted in your curbside recycling bin. Generally, clear glass that is used to package food products is safe to recycle. Clear glass you should keep out of the recycling bin includes heat-resistant glass like Pyrex, mirrors, window glass, leaded crystal, light bulbs and glass used for television screens and computers. The general rule of thumb when recycling glass? When in doubt, toss it out.