Plastic recycling affects a range of products, from drink containers to shopping bags to pipes. Plastic is almost always the product of petroleum, a non-renewable resource. This makes recycling plastic even more important. Curbside programs often make recycling plastic containers easier than other plastic products. You’ll likely be unable to recycle plastic bags, packaging and…
Resolving to save money? And the planet? Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs promise a win-win: according to the industry and U.S. government’s Energy Star program, which promotes CFL bulbs and other substitutes for energy-hogging incandescents, a CFL uses 75 percent less energy than its incandescent counterpart, lasts up to 10 times longer and prevents more than 450…
Once a pen has finished its serviceable life, or lost – which is most often the case, it doesn’t simply disappear into thin air, although it may seem that way the rate they seem to vanish when you need one. These disposable pens ultimately wind up in landfills and in waterways. Being made of plastic,…
Recycling saves trees and conserves energy, but how do you know if you’re doing your part? Manufacturers have created various symbols to let consumers know if a product is made from recycled materials or can be recycled after use. So which symbols mean what? The following recycling symbols are the most commonly used in the…
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling accounts for 56% of the energy use in a typical U.S. home. With rising fuel costs and increasing concerns about our planet’s health, maybe this is the perfect year to asess your home’s energy efficiency. And, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, you can…
Food is such a large portion of what we consume every day. Do you ever think about how the food choices you make can influence the world and your health? Learn more at SmartLivingProject.org
For many people, a computer is the central tool at work. Optimizing the energy settings for computers and other devices can be more than a modest energy saver.
Plug-In To eCycling with US EPA is a partnership between EPA and consumer electronics manufacturers, retailers, and service providers that offer you more opportunities to donate or recycle – to “eCycle” – your used electronics.
The best way to increase your home’s value is to add features that will enhance its appearance and function, without breaking your bank. This may sound like a tall order, but porches, patios, decks, terraces, gardens, lawns and manicured foliage around a home fulfill these goals in a number of ways.
Your home should be comfortable, nurturing and aesthetically pleasing. But most importantly, it should meet all of your needs by providing the right kind of spaces for a broad and evolving range of activities, including adequately housing all family members by accommodating their physical needs (such as bathing, sleeping, exercising and eating) and personal possessions,…