ArcaMax

Do you use protective gloves when you're cleaning around the house or washing dishes? Almost all gloves are made from nonbiodegradable synthetic materials like polyvinyl chloride. If you want to protect your hands, look for gloves that are made with natural materials like rubber or latex. Just be sure they're 100% plant-based rubber or latex and...Read more

Though it’s more energy-efficient to dry your clothes on a clothesline, there are times when you need to use a dryer. To make it as efficient as possible, place your dryer in a warm spot in the home (a cold garage or basement may not be the best place), since this will reduce the time the machine needs to warm up. Use the delay function to ...Read more

When storing your recyclables outdoors, be sure to keep them in a shaded area and not in direct sunlight. In the warmer months (and in climates that are drier than others), keeping metal cans and glass bottles outside with bright, shining light on them can create a fire hazard. Keeping them in shaded areas ensures the recyclables won't get ...Read more

Among the most annoying things when painting a room are all of the drips along the edges of the can. It can become extremely messy and make it difficult to reseal the can when you’re finished. To prevent drips, do this: Stretch a rubber band over the paint and across the center of the opening. Each time you dip the brush, run it across the ...Read more

Drones look cool, but to animals, they can feel like predators or noisy intruders. Low, fast or unpredictable flights can cause birds to abandon nests, prompt mammals to stop feeding or hide (wasting energy), and even increase stress levels that harm reproduction and survival. If you are using a drone, keep your distance and stay high, avoid ...Read more

If your wedding gown is destined to stay in storage, why not let it do some good instead? Brides for a Cause accepts once-worn gowns and sells them to raise money for charity. With nearly 40,000 dresses sold and close to $3 million raised, more than 55 nonprofits have benefited from their efforts. They accept gowns up to five years old, in any ...Read more

Using a full dishwasher is more water- and energy-efficient than cleaning by hand. But be sure to use your dishwasher properly. Using too much detergent doesn't get dishes and glassware cleaner; it actually leaves a film on everything. Hand-wash items that can break, splinter or rust in the dishwasher -- things like wood cutting boards and bowls...Read more

In the cold fall and winter months, your car's average miles per gallon can decrease by as much as 22%. The reason? Colder air is denser, which adds drag. But there's a bigger culprit: heat. All the energy used to warm the car with the defrosters, heaters and seat warmers gobbles up gas. To be more fuel-efficient, try to park your car where it's...Read more

Do you have a backyard compost pile? In the spring, summer and fall months, composting kitchen scraps and yard waste is an ecological way to use naturally occurring microbes to break down organic matter into beneficial mulch. But in the winter months, these microbes either slow down or stop completely. In the cold months, you should protect your...Read more