4/25/14

The Environmental Protection Agency has identified more than 90 known contaminants in drinking water, and many of them are odorless and almost impossible to detect. One way to make sure your water is safe to drink -- especially if you travel abroad where some countries have more lax standards -- is to purify the water yourself. The eco retailer company Real Goods sells a portable UV purifier that can purify 1 liter of water in just 90 seconds. Simply crank the handle on the side and an integrated UV light on top will destroy bacteria and viruses. It's reusable and can replace the need for thousands of plastic water bottles.

4/24/14

Here's one reason to let your local auto body shop or car dealership service your car when it needs an oil change: Improperly changing the oil yourself can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water. Motor oil is insoluble, has heavy metals in it, is very slow to biodegrade and can contaminate water and hurt wildlife. Trying to save a few dollars to change the oil yourself can have environmental consequences. If you create a spill trying to change the oil yourself, just a small amount can contaminate 1 million gallons of water. By bringing your car to a trained professional, you know your car will get the new motor oil it needs to function properly and that not only will the old oil not contaminate water, it will be recycled and refined into new oil.

4/23/14

Before turning unwanted towels and blankets into rags or throwing them away, consider donating them to animal rescue charities. When stray cats and dog are brought into shelters, they often need warm blankets and towels to comfort the scared animals and keep them warm at night. You can contact your local animal rescue organization to see if it needs these items, or you can give to the organization DELTA Rescue, which will gladly take them from you through the mail. Just give them a thorough wash before sending. Learn more at deltarescue.org.