ArcaMax

When shopping for clothes, fit and style aren’t the only things to consider: Look at what type of fabric the garment is made with. Polyester is considered the least eco-friendly textile because it’s petroleum-based and nonbiodegradable. And when you wash polyester clothing, it sheds microplastics into the water, which ends up polluting our ...Read more

Do you love radishes? If you love the roots, you will probably love the stems and leaves even more. First, yes: The leafy parts of radishes are totally edible. And they are delicious, with a slightly peppery taste that makes a wonderful addition to all sorts of cooking. They’re healthy, too, with magnesium, calcium and vitamin B6. Instead of ...Read more

When the last dill pickle is eaten, do you just dump the leftover juice down the drain? Here's a clever tip for that remaining pickle juice: Use it as a weed killer! Most pickling brines contain salt, which does an effective job of not only killing weeds, but preventing them, too. Pour your extra pickle juice over pesky weeds where they keep ...Read more

It’s grilling season, and it’s estimated that 46,000 tons of lighter fluid is burned every year to get grills going. That adds up to a lot of volatile organic compounds polluting our atmosphere. Make your next outdoor grilling more eco-friendly by using natural charcoal and a charcoal chimney to get the fire going. Avoid chemical fire-...Read more

When buying kale, choose organic over conventional every time. America's favorite superfood also happens to be very hard to grow, despite its hearty and robust nature. Kale attracts a wide variety of crop-damaging insects, and many farmers use heavy amounts of pesticides to control the infestation, which can lead to a large concentration of ...Read more

It's important to stop using disposable plastic cling wrap to cover bowls, since the material isn't recyclable and can be toxic when disposed of. A good alternative to look for is silicone lids, which create a tight seal around bowls. These help keep food fresh, and have the added benefit of being microwave-safe, so you can reheat your leftovers...Read more

It happens to many homeowners, and when it does, we’re not sure what to do: A bird flies into your home. Keep in mind that the bird is just as scared as you, so bringing more frantic energy to the situation will do no good. First, turn off all the lights and close the drapes and blinds so no window looks like a possible escape. Then open one ...Read more

If you run a company or manage employees in an office environment, do you know the greenest thing you can do for the workplace? While recycled paper, energy-efficient lighting and reusable cups are green choices, they aren't the greenest. Allowing a casual dress code for the office is. When employees have the freedom to dress casually, they wear...Read more

When there’s a downpour of rain outside, do you have areas of the yard that puddle up into what looks like instant ponds? These small depressions of land could be prime spots to plant a “rain garden.” This is a new trend of planting flowers, perennials and shrubs to soak up the runoff from roofs and driveways. In fact, they can remove ...Read more

We all know that items like lighter fluid, paint and chemical insecticides are considered household hazardous waste and should never be thrown in the regular trash. But did you know there are some common personal care products that are also considered hazardous? Items like nail polish, nail polish remover and even hair care products found in ...Read more

A simple way to save water and stay healthy is to wash your hands with cold water. The temperature of the water doesn’t really remove more germs; the most important thing is that you use enough soap and lather up. Simply wet your hands, turn off the faucet, and lather your hands for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse with cold water. Researchers ...Read more

Want to make one healthy and eco-friendly change to help you and your feline companion? If you have cats at home, it might be time to rethink the type of kitty litter you use. Conventional kitty litter is a combination of binders, with the main material being clay. The process of harvesting the clay is destructive to the planet, and the dust ...Read more

Do you have retailer loyalty cards or "reward" cards that you use for in-store discounts and to rack up points that you can use for freebies down the road? These reward programs are often in supermarkets and drugstores like Safeway, Walgreens and CVS. But did you know you can register your loyalty card through the website eScrip.com and use it ...Read more

Do you know what the No. 1 most recycled product is? It's not what you might think: It's car batteries. Almost all of the car battery is recyclable. Sixty percent of it is lead, which can be recycled and used for other metal products. The three pounds of plastic is also reclaimed and used in the manufacturing of new batteries. And the sulfuric ...Read more

Glass bottles, glass jars and wineglasses may be made from glass, but that doesn't mean that they are all recyclable. While glass jars and bottles that once held food items like pasta sauce, ketchup and applesauce are recyclable in some curbside recycling, glass used for bakeware and for table settings is not. This type of glass has a different ...Read more

Did you know that 44 million windshield wiper blades are disposed of in landfills every year in the United States? That’s a lot of waste. And while wipers are nearly impossible to recycle, you can choose wipers designed to last much longer than traditional ones. Look for blades made of silicone. They last three times longer, which means you ...Read more

After you've boiled a pot of pasta or potatoes, do you ever wonder what you can do with all of that leftover starchy water? Instead of pouring it down the drain, let it cool down to room temperature and reuse it to water your houseplants and garden. The residual starch in the water actually spurs the nutrients in soil, which helps feed the ...Read more

According to Eating Well, almost all vitamins and supplements will keep if stored in a cool, dry place. But there are five supplements that can do much better if refrigerated to minimize degradation of the product. Those five supplements are fish oil, probiotics, liquid iron, flaxseed oil and vitamin C. All five of these items are sensitive to ...Read more

Wednesday may be your best time to stock up on the least expensive organic fruits and veggies. Supermarkets traditionally release circulars and sale prices on Tuesday nights for sales that start the following day. When store managers check inventory on Tuesdays and mark down prices on sale items, they also note which perishables need to sell. ...Read more

A little leftover white wine that's gone bad shouldn't be tossed down the drain. A study by Oregon State University found that white wine is an effective disinfectant in the kitchen, killing foodborne pathogens like salmonella and E. coli. You can use old white wine to douse produce to clean it, wipe cutting boards to disinfect them and even use...Read more