Do Just One Thing

Want a beautiful bouquet of cut flowers to live longer? Do just one thing: Give it filtered water. Since flowers need water to live, regular hard tap water can be difficult for the flowers to take in. The hard water can cause blockage of plant cells, which leads to the flowers getting inadequate hydration. By giving the flowers filtered water, the hardness is significantly reduced, and the flowers live longer. The same tip can also work for potted household plants.

When you replace your old toilet for a water-efficient one, it is possible to recycle your old toilet. Some communities have programs that turn the porcelain thrones into material used for concrete. Unfortunately, these recycling programs are new and not widely available. Your second-best bet is to put the old toilet to the curb for recycling, but with one caveat: Smash it first. Believe it or not, there are trash pickers who will pick up old toilets and try to resell them. So, smash your toilet into pieces so the water hog won't have the possibility of guzzling any more water.

Have an old leather jacket that you've outgrown or that feels a little out of date? Don't let it gather dust in the closet; have it upcycled into a cool new bag instead. Designer and recycler Shannon South takes vintage, unwanted and ill-fitting leather jackets and transforms them into chic, custom handbags. All you do is send her the jacket, and the customization service is as simple as choosing a style of bag you want made, sending in a picture of your jacket (to make sure it's possible), and mailing in the jacket. In a few weeks, you have a brand-new bag that's uniquely yours. Learn more about how it all works at remadeusa.shannonsouth.com.