3/12/14

The Environmental Protection Agency says the active ingredient in oven cleaners is lye, which does an effective job to break down grease and grime, but is extremely corrosive and can burn skin and eyes. It's also potentially fatal if swallowed. Instead of using chemical products where you prepare food, try this nontoxic way to keep your oven clean. First, set the self-cleaning mode so it gets very hot and naturally breaks down all the grease and grime into a darkened ash. Allow the oven to completely cool. Then mix a few cups of baking soda with a squirt of dish soap and a splash of white vinegar. Apply this mixture with a sponge to scour away the baked-on mess for a sparkling clean oven.

3/11/14

The Polar Vortex that has gripped much of the country this winter has meant using every means necessary to keep snow and ice from building up on our driveways and sidewalks. While many of us reach for salt as a deicer, there are many reasons to avoid it as much as possible: Salt can be detrimental to plants, burn the paws of dogs that walk on it and heavy metals in it can leach into waterways. But when all you can find is salt to make your morning commute easier, do this one thing: choose wisely. Look at the packaging and choose deicing salt made from calcium chloride, not sodium chloride. Calcium chloride actually has a more efficient and effective composition than sodium chloride. You can reduce the environmental damage and still get the same results with less salt.

3/10/14

The Dell computer company has partnered with Goodwill stores to make electronics recycling a breeze. The used computer equipment program, called Dell Reconnect, lets you drop off your old computer equipment of any brand in any condition at any of the more than 2,000 Goodwill stores across the country, free of charge. The recycling program makes sure all the components are separated and recycled or refurbished. Computers that can be fixed are refurbished by Dell and then resold through Goodwill. Learn more at dellreconnect.com.