Germs can hide in wooden plates
Wooden plates and small serving boards are a popular way to serve food at home. They are durable and made from all-natural materials, which makes them a sustainable choice, but scratches and small cracks can harbor germs over time. To clean them, never put them in the dishwasher; lengthy exposure to water and heat can make the cracks worse, since it can expand the wood. Instead, hand wash them thoroughly in warm soapy water, then use a little hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar to sanitize. Rinse, and you’re good to go.
DOG/BIRD FOOD
Dry climates can make life difficult for birds when the soil is parched and there is very little food to be foraged. You can help by putting high-fat seeds or a cup of dry dog food inside your bird feeder. The rule of thumb, according to the Humane Society, is simple: Never give human food; but dog food is totally fine. It contains ingredients birds crave, and if it gets a little wet, it becomes mushy enough for them to eat. Of course, never leave too much food out in a feeder for too long. Replace, wash and keep clean.
HOT PAWS
Here’s another good reason to get up early during the hot summer months: It’s the safest time to walk the family dog. Between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. is when temperatures are at their hottest, and the surfaces your dog’s paws walk on are dangerously hot, too. Walking on surfaces like macadam and concrete during those peak-heat hours can cause burns and make your dog very uncomfortable. Try to move their regular walks to morning and early evening hours to protect their paws, or limit them to shaded or grass-covered areas instead during the day.
BIRD NESTS
Homeowners may see it as a way of protecting their investment, but think twice about removing bird nests that may be in nooks and crannies on the outside of your house. For the few short weeks birds are raising their young, the noise and mess will be worth it; the nesting birds will soon leave and become your best insect killers around the house, eating hundreds of insects every single day. Wait until the babies leave the nest before removing it, and the birds will repay your hospitality tenfold.
PLANT BOOST
If you have a little leftover brewed coffee from the morning, there’s no need to pour it down the drain later in the day. While coffee is acidic, when it’s brewed with water the acidity is diluted significantly. And while caffeine has yet to be proven beneficial to plants, coffee is high in good things like magnesium and potassium, which are building blocks for plant growth. So pour some cold coffee over your outdoor plants and garden to give them a nutritious boost. And the leftover grounds are always a welcome addition to your compost heap.
TEA BAGS
After you’ve brewed a cup of tea, you might think the tea bag, used tea and paper label are all fine to throw into the compost bin, right? The reality is the bag is not paper at all, but polypropylene, which is a synthetic, plasticlike resin. And the string and label are usually attached with a metal staple, which is not compostable. To compost, rip open the bag for the contents, then dispose of the rest. Or try loose tea. Brew it in a reusable filter for zero waste.
PARTY BALLOONS
When shopping for party goods, you may be tempted to get something marketed as “biodegradable” balloons. The reality is these latex balloons may degrade, but it can take up to four years for them to degrade completely. In those four years, the small pieces of latex can still end up as “food” ingested by wildlife. And if these balloons were released with strings attached, the nylon ribbon string can tangle and strangle animals, too. The solution? No balloon is the right solution for a party, especially when so many other greener and cleaner options exist.