Beware of fires on windy days
Forest fires are usually created by human carelessness, so take these steps to prevent them the next time you burn brush or start a campfire. First, never burn on a windy day; if you see trees swaying, flags that are extended or waves appearing in open water, it’s too windy. If you do a burn pile (though the preference is to mulch or compost natural vegetation), do it at least 50 feet away from any structure and at least 500 feet away
from any forested area. And always have a garden hose or at least 5 gallons of water and a shovel handy to extinguish a fire.
KITCHEN THROWAWAYS
If you’re going through a kitchen renovation, you might be surprised how much of your old stuff is actually recyclable. Stainless steel from kitchen sinks, appliances and even old pots, pans and flatware are all coveted recyclables. Not only can you take these items to most scrap metal yards, they’ll pay you for the material. Plus, they’ll make sure to drain all of the harmful fluids in your fridge properly. Steel, cast iron and aluminum are often used in kitchens and are all recyclable materials.
REFRIGERATED SPREADS
What condiments are safe to keep out on the counter, and what must go in the fridge? Generally speaking, if it has dairy, veggies or fruit in it, it must be refrigerated, and this includes things like vinaigrettes and the popular Asian sauce ponzu (because it contains citrus). Soy sauce, vinegars, oils, hot sauce and even peanut butter can be kept out, but never use the same knife to spread jelly and peanut butter onto a sandwich, as this can lead to cross-contamination and bacterial growth. Use separate knives, or always keep the PB and the J refrigerated.
VACUUM COMPOST
Can you compost what’s in your vacuum dirt canister? It depends. If you use your vacuum on hardwood or solid floors and on natural-fiber carpets, it’s likely fine to dump the canister full of dust, debris and fibers right into the compost. But if you used it to clean wall-towall carpet (like nylon), it’s not safe for composting; adding those synthetic fibers to your compost can contaminate it. As always, when in doubt, toss it out.
STRAWS, STIRRERS
Here’s an astonishing environmental fact worth repeating: Americans throw away over 138 billion straws and stirrers every single year. Ordering beverages with the phrase “with no straw” is a simple way to cut down on plastic straw waste. But what do you do about your morning cup of joe? You can prefill your reusable cup with whatever you need (sugar, creamer) and then pour the coffee on top so it automatically mixes it. While it sounds simplistic, if everyone did this, we’d seriously cut back on billions upon billions of straw and stirrer waste.
ORPHAN SOCKS
It happens — if you do enough laundry, you end up with orphan socks. When you’re stuck with just one lonely sock, why not upcycle it into something soothing to help sore muscles and aches and pains? Just fill the sock with dried beans or dry rice and tie a knot at the end. The choice of ingredient will depend on how tightly woven your sock is. You can also add dried lavender inside for extra aromatherapy. Then toss the sock into the microwave for about 30 seconds. Voila! Instant heat pad that molds around the neck or anywhere you need a little TLC.