Do just one thing
EMPTY CARDBOARD BOXES
If you’ve just moved into a new home, you might wonder what to do with the cache of now-empty cardboard boxes. Sure, you can flatten them and either save them for future moves or recycle them, but you can also give them to someone to reuse. The easiest solution is to post on a website like Craigslist or Freecycle that you have free moving boxes to give away. But you can also let your real estate agent know, and they can connect you with someone in the neighborhood who may be moving, too. Local nonprofits like Goodwill are also in need of boxes to move things.
KEEP FIREWOOD ON PROPERTY
When you’re chopping your own firewood at home, it’s typically from dead or dying trees. And often with dead trees come invasive species like the emerald ash borer, which is a highly damaging species of insect. There’s a simple way you can help prevent the spread of invasive species: Don’t let your firewood leave your property. Moving just a few logs to gift to others or use on a camping trip can spread invasive species farther. It takes just one infected log to have a devastating impact.
DEALING WITH SAND
Even accidentally taking a little bit of sand from the beach (like stray sand that ends up in sneakers or in the bottom of bags) can add up to significant erosion when you multiply by the number of people who visit the beach every day. To help prevent accidental sand loss, try these tips. Use a mesh tote bag so sand can easily fall through the holes. Avoid sneakers and closedtoe shoes; choose flip-flops, which can be easily shaken clean, instead. And choose a chair over a beach towel when lounging; chairs can be dipped in the water so any sand is easily washed off and returned to the beach.
RUN DISHWATER AT NIGHT
If you want to help lessen strain on the electrical grid and save money, try this: Run your dishwasher at night. You can load up your dishwasher throughout the day and after dinner, then turn it on right before you head to bed. The grid is less strained during overnight hours, and it’s cheaper, too. Energy costs decrease during the hours when we’re traditionally away from home, before 4 p.m. and after 9 p.m. Running appliances like the laundry machine and dishwasher at night is both economical and ecological.
READ THE LABELS
Many of us are looking for preservative-free skin care products to avoid toxins like parabens. But the reality is, preservatives are needed to ensure that harmful mold and bacteria don’t grow inside our favorite moisturizers and other personal care products. The solution isn’t to resort to chemicals, but to read labels correctly. You can safely use food-grade preservatives like potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, or safe alcohols like organic ethanol, witch hazel and benzyl alcohol. Look for these on labels when you’re shopping for skin care products.
ALL THOSE TOMATOES
Those with backyard gardens often face a dilemma: what to do with a bumper crop of tomatoes. It may seem like summer fruit all ripens at the exact same time, but that doesn’t mean you need to eat it right away, or make a giant pot of time-consuming sauce. One thing you can do is grate tomatoes on the largest side of a box grater and freeze the juicy, pulpy mixture. The coarsely grated tomatoes can be frozen flat in freezer bags, and when you need fresh tomatoes for a sauce, soup or stew in the future, just retrieve the frozen mix and use right away.
FOOD ADDITIVES
Ever wonder what butylated hydroxyanisole or potassium bromate are when you see them listed on the side of grocery store items? They, along with dozens of other chemicals, are considered food additives that are designed to help boost flavor, retain color and texture, or extend the shelf life of products. If you want to learn about and avoid what the Environmental Working Group calls the “dirty dozen additives,” visit Ewg.org and check out the list. Not only will it tell what to avoid, but the website offers tips on safer alternatives to look for when shopping.