ArcaMax

Buying vintage blankets, T-shirts and fabric is a great way to reuse and keep textiles out of the landfill, but you might wonder: Are they really clean? Instead of washing these items when you bring them home, toss them straight into the dryer. Just mist everything with water and run it on high for 30 minutes. This will destroy bedbugs and ...Read more

That delicious chocolate bar is obviously a no-go treat for dogs, but have you thought about the plastic wrapper that encased it? The residual smears of chocolate could be irresistible for a dog to eat, and when they do, that wrapper can attach itself to the lining of your pet’s stomach, which could lead to a pricey visit to the veterinarian. ...Read more

There are a billion reasons why you should choose a more eco-friendly toothbrush; that’s the number of brushes that are thrown into landfills every year in the United States. Instead of plastic, look for environmentally friendly alternatives that use renewable and biodegradable materials like bamboo for the handles. And save your old brushes ...Read more

If you want to keep your home warm without using more energy to heat it up, remember this fact: A naturally warm home is also a humid one, because humid air retains heat better than dry air. One easy way to add some humidity to your home is to open the door to your bathroom after a shower, which naturally allows humid air to make its way into ...Read more

Invited to a potluck dinner party, and cooking or baking isn’t your strong suit? Offer to be the “green” participant who brings reusable plates, napkins and utensils to the party. At the end of the event, load them all back up in a box and wash everything at your own home. This cuts back on waste and doesn’t mess up the kitchen of your ...Read more

Do you want the freshest eggs? Get them from a farm or farmer’s market. Conventional eggs at the supermarket are often up to eight weeks old before they reach consumers. When you buy direct, they are usually just a day or two old. To keep them fresh longer, Mother Earth News recommends that you never wash your eggs before you are about to use ...Read more

A lighter suitcase has a huge impact on your carbon footprint when you fly. A recent study shows that reducing your carry-on by just 15 pounds on a 10-hour flight equals a reduction of 80 pounds of emissions. Multiply that by 150 people on your flight who do the same thing, and that’s 12,000 pounds saved. Some tips to lighten the load include ...Read more

Warm, sunny days are a great time to harness the power of the sun to help deodorize, disinfect and dry items inside your home. Obviously, hanging towels, clothes and sheets on a clothing line is an energy-efficient alternative to machine-drying. But also consider hanging bed and throw pillows on the line to freshen and disinfect. Rinse out trash...Read more

If you’re lucky enough to have your own backyard in-ground pool, you know one of the most expensive costs is heating the water. An eco-conscious investment that will pay for itself is a solar-powered pool heater. It harnesses the power of the sun and pumps your pool water through tubes mounted to solar panels. As the water goes through the ...Read more

Do you have room in your yard to grow something for your local fauna to enjoy? Go with flat-leaf parsley. It’s easy to grow and prolific, and it’s a favorite for wild animals to eat. Unlike other types of parsley, flat-leaf varietals don’t flower much, so it’s desired by both humans and animals all season long. And it’s hearty enough ...Read more

If your home was built before 1978, there's a very good chance lead paint was used inside. There are simple tests you can do to find out if your paint is lead-based, and you can find them at any home improvement store. If your home does have lead-based paint, there's no need to actively remove it. In fact, sanding or chipping away at lead paint ...Read more

Do you use a laser printer in your home office? Every time you print out a page, you might be inhaling ultrafine toxic particles. Scientists at the Queensland University of Technology studied the particle emissions of 62 common printers. Around 40% emitted particles, and among those, 27% emitted a high level. Cardiovascular problems have been ...Read more

Whether you're in a hotel, restaurant, office building or at the gym, if you see a water leak, you should say something. The managers of these commercial buildings often are completely unaware that they may be wasting water, and it helps when someone like you brings it to their attention. Even slow drips of water -- which may not seem like a big...Read more

This week, "Do Just One Thing" has seven tips to help reduce your microplastic consumption. Here’s tip No. 7: Brew loose tea instead of using tea bags. Almost all tea bags are made with a mix of materials that includes plastic. When you steep your favorite Earl Grey from a tea bag, you also are steeping plastics into your beverage. Fill a ...Read more

This week, "Do Just One Thing" has seven tips to help reduce your microplastic consumption. Here’s tip No. 6: Stop using glitter. Glitter is what’s known as an “intentional” microplastic: It’s literally designed to be microscopic and has no purpose outside of decorating. If you must have glitter for a project, look for plastic-free ...Read more

This week, "Do Just One Thing" has seven tips to help reduce your microplastic consumption. Here’s tip No. 5: Air-dry your synthetic fiber clothing. While it’s best to have a wardrobe filled with natural fibers like cotton, linen, hemp and wool, many of us own at least a few fleece pieces. The best practice for these items is to wash them in...Read more

This week, "Do Just One Thing" has seven tips to help reduce your microplastic consumption. Here’s tip No. 4: Opt for wooden cutting boards. Whether they're made from hardwood or bamboo, natural fiber cutting boards are far better than plastic boards. When you slice, dice and chop on plastic boards, small plastic particles come loose and can ...Read more

This week, "Do Just One Thing" has seven tips to help reduce your microplastic consumption. Here’s tip No. 3: Only drink filtered tap water. We know to avoid plastic water bottles, but unfiltered tap water can have microplastic pollution in it as well. The best type of filtration is called reverse osmosis, which is designed to remove ...Read more

This week, "Do Just One Thing" has seven tips to help reduce your microplastic consumption. Here’s tip No. 2: Never reheat food in plastic containers in the microwave. Whether you're reheating leftovers from a restaurant or warming up a cup of soup, transfer the food out of plastic and into ceramic or glass. This includes frozen meals that are...Read more

The shocking statistic that humans -- on average -- have enough microplastics in our bodies to make a small spoon is motivation enough to do anything to avoid ingesting them. Here’s tip No. 1 of seven this week to help reduce your microplastic consumption: Vacuum on a regular basis in your home. All home furnishing items made from synthetic ...Read more