You might think placing leftover food into the garbage disposal is better than tossing it into the trash (which goes to the landfill), but all those fruit peels, eggshells and veggie trims still end up in the trash, even if they go down the drain. Water treatment facilities actually skim waste out of our water supply and dispose of it in landfills. So using a garbage disposal is no better than throwing food out. Instead, invest in a sinkside composting container and empty organic matter into a backyard compost bin whenever possible.

Ever find those little silica gel packets inside the packaging of products you buy? They are there to absorb moisture to help keep products like knives, electronics and other goods dry. Instead of tossing them into the trash, save them: They can be used to dry up personal handheld electronics like smartphones and tablets. If your phone gets wet, just wipe off the excess water and place the phone in a mound of silica gel packets overnight. The packets will absorb the moisture and possibly rescue your phone from disrepair.

5/4/14

Hot summer weather also means one more thing: mosquitoes. Instead of using chemical sprays to keep pesky bugs away, reach for something in your medicine cabinet instead. Natural mouthwashes from the supermarket or natural foods store are usually made with food-grade alcohol and eucalyptus oil to freshen breath. By transferring this same mixture into a spray bottle, you can keep mosquitoes at bay. Spray your skin, the table and anything else around with natural mouthwash. The alcohol will dry out mosquitoes and the eucalyptus oil is powerful enough to act as a deterrent. Plus, it all smells nice!