1/16/10

If a pile of old woolen scarves are weighing you down, recycle them into a cozy blanket perfect for curling up in. Simply pin scarves together in a pattern you like and bring them to a local dry cleaner for sewing (or sew it yourself if you're handy). For a few dollars, they'll finish off the blanket for you. Got lots of scarves? Make an extra one for the car to keep your passengers warm, too.

Running errands today? Try doing them back-to-back to save gas. When you start up a car that has a warm engine, it pollutes up to five times less than one that hasn't been driven recently.

Tip: If you stop at a strip mall where you need to make two stops, try parking between both stores and walking to each one, instead of driving to both stores.

When the old-fashioned incandescent lightbulb burns out yet again, choose a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) to replace it. They use up to one-tenth the energy (translation: savings on your electric bill), and last up to five times longer, which means fewer moments risking your life to change that ceiling fixture! If the bright, white light from the CFL is too bright for you, be sure to look for CFLs with lower lumen rating; a higher lumen is bright white, while a lower lumen mimics a soft, yellowy glow.

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