6/13/13

With thousands of environmental and animal-related charities vying for your donation dollars, it can be hard to pick just a few to support. To make the most informed choice about a charity's use of funds, look up their status on the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance site at give.org. You can see a nonprofit's financials, how it spends its donations, its tax status and even the salary of the organization's highest-ranking officials. Armed with accurate information, it should help you give to the right nonprofit for the work you support.

6/12/13

Did you know the color of your cookware could affect your health? According to the Food and Drug Administration, red, yellow and orange enamel cookware is often made with toxic substances like cadmium and lead. The good news: All enamel cookware made in the United States is free of these chemicals. So be sure to buy American or steer clear of those colors when buying enamel cookware made by foreign companies.

6/11/13

Simple repairs to major kitchen appliances can save you money, extend the life of expensive equipment and reduce waste in landfills. But sometimes it's better to replace the items for safety reasons. A microwave oven is staple in most kitchens because it's a fast and energy-efficient way to heat up food. But if yours is more than 10 years old, radiation can leak from worn-out gaskets around the door. Replace your microwave and be sure to recycle it.