Green Life Tips

Category: Around the house

Boiling vinegar unclogs drains

Got a clogged drain? Instead of using caustic chemicals, pour in some boiling white vinegar to remove the blockage.

Category: Around the house

Switch to a low-flow showerhead

Cut down on water use by switching to a low-flow showerhead. Look for showerheads that use no more than 2.2 gallons per minute. You can cut your water use by up to 50 percent -- as well as the energy used to heat all that extra water.

Category: Around the house

Use cedar to keep moths away

Use cedar instead of moth balls when packing away clothes for the season. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, napthalene, the most common active ingredient in moth balls, has been linked to a range of adverse health effects.

Category: Around the house

Don't flush expired medicine

Consumers have long been instructed to flush expired prescription medications so they don't wind up in the hands of people who shouldn't have them.

That wisdom has changed, however, because medications can pollute the water supply and even, in the case of antibiotics, upset the balance of beneficial bacteria in the environment.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, you should always avoid flushing medications unless the containers specify you can do so because flushing drugs could contaminate the water supply.

Instead, try to find a recycling center or ask if your pharmacy will take them. If no recyclers are available, the Office of National Drug Control Policy recommends the following steps: -- Remove the drugs from their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or coffee grounds. -- Put the mixture into a disposable container with a lid or a sealable bag and dispose of it. -- Before discarding the container, remove any personal information by scratching it off or covering with a marker or duct tape.

For information on Michigan guidelines, check out the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's guidelines.

Category: Around the house

Don't waste water in the shower

Put a bucket in the shower while you're waiting for the water to heat up. Use the water you catch for cleaning or watering plants.

Category: Around the house

Use vinegar as a fabric softener

Vinegar is an economical, green alternative to fabric softener. Add one cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle to soften clothes and remove soap residue.

Category: Around the house

Reuse water from a leaky faucet

Got a drippy faucet that you don't have time to fix this week or next? Put a bowl under it and capture the water to reuse for potted plants.

Category: Around the house

Save energy on your next cup of tea

Boiling water for a cup of tea? Use the microwave oven instead of a kettle, which uses more energy to heat the same cup of water. You'll also likely save more energy by boiling just what you need.

Category: Around the house

Make sure the burner fits your cooking pan

Make sure you're cooking on the right burner. To avoid wasting energy when cooking, don't put a small pan on a big burner. Instead, use the appropriate size burner for the pan you're cooking in.

Category: Around the house

Save virtual files, instead of paper ones

Make your online bill paying even greener When paying bills online, many web sites recommend that you print a copy of the transaction for your records. Instead of printing to paper, consider "printing" to a PDF file. Just hit print and select the option to save as a file. You can store all your documents in a virtual folder on your computer -- instead of a file cabinet.