Knowledge

/

ArcaMax

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

Are wigs something you can donate to help someone in need? If you have a high-quality human-hair wig you no longer need, give it a good home by donating it to help a woman undergoing cancer treatment. The EBeauty House will take your wig for free and find someone else who can benefit from it; all you have to do is pack it up and send it to them....Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

Yes, we should be flossing our teeth for healthy gums, but it turns out conventional dental floss is an environmental disaster. It's nonbiodegradable and nonrecyclable, and there are even reports some flosses contain endocrine disrupters like phthalates to make them less brittle. The good news is there are alternatives. Look for floss made from ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

If you use mouthwash, there's no need to waste its disinfecting properties by spitting it down the drain. Have a smelly bag of trash? Just spit your mouthwash into the can and it'll decrease the garbage smell by literally deodorizing the odor-causing bacteria. Weeds in the yard? Alcohol-based mouthwashes can be used to kill weeds naturally, so ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

Early spring is when migrating birds begin to return north, so it's a good time to make sure your home is as bird-safe as possible. Take a look at your windows and see if you can see a mirror reflection. Birds can't differentiate between a reflection and real life, so look into visual markers, film and screens that keep them from crashing into ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is the greenest way to send a letter or package. Think about it: The postal worker is already going to stop by your house on their daily route, so you can help reduce emissions by handing your package to your carrier instead of driving it to the post office (the USPS even has over 7,000 walking routes ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

A stylish way to stay green and shop ethically is to avoid certain types of materials when looking for new clothes. The fashion industry is responsible for a whole host of ecological nightmares like microplastics, landfill waste and polluted wastewater. The top three to avoid: polyester, nylon and rayon. They are made from petroleum, aren't ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

Have you seen the viral social media videos of aluminum soda cans dipped in metal-corroding acid, revealing a "plastic" lining inside? They're misleading. Yes, there is a lining in soda cans, but it's not plastic. It's a food-grade lacquer to prevent the phosphoric and citric acid from eating away at the aluminum. It's safe and doesn't take away...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

Firewood that hasn't been used and is rotting outdoors should never be burned inside. Some of that wood may have fungus and bacteria that could be distributed inside your home when you burn it. Instead, leave the rotting wood outdoors to become a habitat for animals and insects. Just keep the rotting wood away from healthy trees, since the ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

Did you know your hard-to-recycle items like toothbrushes, dental floss containers and plastic toothpaste tubes can be recycled free of charge? The Oral B corporation has a recycling program that accepts all of these items, regardless of brand -- and they sort and divert them from landfills. You can use any box, and when it's filled up, simply ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

If you're looking at doing some renovating in your bathroom, one of the best things you can do is install radiant floor heating rather than traditional baseboard heating. The reason is simple: Heat rises, so heated air coming from the floor works its way up to warm the room (and it will keep your feet comfy on cold mornings). The Department of ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

One of the simplest ways to avoid microplastics from getting into what you cook and eat at home is to switch from a plastic cutting board to a wooden one. When you use a plastic board, tiny flecks of plastic can end up in whatever you're slicing and dicing on the board. Not convinced? Take a look at your plastic board. If there are visible ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

Want to weed, mulch and naturally fertilize your garden in just seconds? Use newspaper. Take sheets of black and white newspaper and place them directly on top of weeds, then soak them down with the hose. The paper will block the sun and choke out the weeds, and over time it will degrade into beneficial mulch. You'll be left with a perfectly ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

Ever try to remove a price tag or label from an item and it just won't come off? Instead of reaching for a chemical product, you can make your own degreaser with two simple ingredients: coconut oil and baking soda. Just mix 1/3 cup of coconut oil and 1/4 cup of baking soda together. The coconut oil helps saturate the label and lift the adhesive ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

When you want to get your whites white on laundry day, there are plenty of reasons to skip adding chlorine bleach to the wash. Numerous studies show that bleach can have an adverse effect on respiratory health, and it's highly corrosive to the skin and eyes. A much safer alternative is to use hydrogen peroxide, which breaks down in water and ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

One of the easiest ways to freshen up a smelly garbage disposal is to reach for two kitchen staples: white vinegar and lemons. White vinegar and lemons contain acids that help neutralize odors naturally, but when you pour straight white vinegar down the drain, it doesn't have a chance to do its job properly. So try this: Fill an ice cube tray ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

It's pretty common knowledge that planting flowers can help honeybees thrive; bees feed on the nectar that flowers produce, and they carry pollen to help with pollination. But not all flowers are the same when you're choosing which varieties to put in your garden. Seek out flowers with "single tops," instead of those with "double tops." Single-...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

Over time, a plastic garden hose can crack and spring a leak, which would lead most of us to toss it and buy a new one at the store. But before you throw away that garden hose, consider doing an easy repair. It's as simple as cutting out the bad part of the hose with a box cutter and using a hose repair kit to mend it back together. The ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

When drips of grease get onto your clothes, getting the stains out can be a real challenge. Since water and grease don't mix, it's best to try to "lift" the oils out of the fibers of the clothing. Reach into your kitchen drawer for some regular white chalk. The natural minerals in chalk absorb the excess grease. Rub liberally into the stained ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

One of the biggest sources of air toxicity in your home is your garage. Attached garages can lead to air pollution leaking into your home. A Canadian health study found that homes with attached garages had high levels of benzene (a chemical from gasoline), while homes without garages had little to none. To keep toxins out of your home, avoid ...Read more

Do Just One Thing

Knowledge / EcoTips /

The nonprofit organization Goodwill is a great place to donate a variety of household items to be resold to help fund their charitable works. The list of accepted items is long and varied: everything from lightly used cookware to electronics, and even cars in any condition. But when you donate, you can also write off your donation as a tax ...Read more

 

Comics

Daddy's Home Heathcliff Scott Stantis Marshall Ramsey Pickles John Branch