Do Just One Thing

Thinking about giving the outside of your house a fresh paint job? The color of the paint you choose can have a big impact on how energy-efficient your home can be. Homeowners in warmer climates who choose a lighter color can increase the light reflective value (LRV) of their homes. For example, pure black measures 0% LRV, and pure white has a 100% LRV. By choosing a lighter tint, you reflect light away and your home uses less energy to stay cool. For homes in predominantly colder climates, a darker color can help absorb heat and reduce heating costs.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Here's an old wives' tale to avoid: Don't leave dryer lint outdoors in the hopes birds will use it to feather their nests. Dryer lint contains chemical detergents from your clothes that can harm birds; even eco-friendly laundry detergent can irritate their sensitive skin and feathers. If you want to help birds, leave piles of dried grass (untreated with chemical fertilizers or pesticides), hair clumps (human, horse and dog fur, also untreated) and the good old basics: twigs, moss and pine needles. Just leave them wherever you think birds may find them, and they'll weave them into a nest for their young.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Can you recycle a greasy pizza box with your cardboard recyclables? Yes and no. If a portion of the box is covered in grease, cheese and other food debris, it can contaminate a load of recyclable cardboard, so tear off the greasy part and only recycle the clean cardboard. To prevent greasy boxes, ask the pizzeria to place a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the box with the pizza on top. This helps keep the grease from seeping into the cardboard, and it even keeps the pizza hotter, longer. And don't forget: Aluminum foil is recyclable, so if it's clean enough, just crumple it up and toss it into the recycling bin!

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION