11/5/12

If you're washing your hands in a public bathroom, one crank of the paper towel roller (or one sheet of paper towel) is enough. Don't crank the roller five or six times to get a one giant sheet of paper. A small piece will do just fine, even if it still leaves your hands a bit damp, because your hands will dry in a few seconds. But don't be tempted to avoid hand-washing altogether -- a healthier environment is better than no regard to the environment at all.

11/4/2012

Here is one more reason to say "no receipt" the next time you buy something: Cash register receipts are loaded with the chemical BPA, which changes the color of the receipt when it's exposed to heat. Instead of installing ink cartridges into registers, this chemical allows stores to print receipts by heating it to transfer the information to the paper. Since many paper receipts end up in our waste recycling stream, it gets made into products like paper napkins, toilet paper and food packaging, which can be a method of transferring the chemical into our bodies. The problem? BPA is linked as a possible endocrine disrupter in human beings, and studies show it can have effects on our reproductive development and other neurological functions. The best solution is to avoid taking receipts whenever possible and to never recycle them with your regular paper recycling.

11/3/12

Doing some home improvement work this weekend? When painting walls, make sure you buy just enough paint. Go to popular home improvement store websites, and search for "paint calculator." Type in the dimensions of your room, and the program will compute exactly how much paint you need to buy. No more overbuying means a lot less waste.