Customer News
Green tips and information-
Green Tip- Foil is your friend!
We all know clean Aluminum Foil can be recycled and is invaluable for cooking, but do you know Auminum Foil has a ton of other uses around the house?
One of the best things about foil is the reuse factor. If used to store foods (other than raw meat) it can be washed and rolled with a rolling pin to make it as good as new. When it grows tattered and isn't reuseable you can fold it up so it is in layers 6 to 8 sheets thick and cut through it with your scissors a few times to instantly sharpen them. The same thing will work for garden shears but there have to be more thick layers to cut through.
Foil wadded up can also be used to scrub steel and crome just like steel wool but is much easier to use and more effective too. It works great on the grill to remove burnt on food. Aluminum foil can even be used in the yard to protect your garden. New tomato plants can be protected from many insects and cutworms by putting a loose band of foil around the base of the stem. Leave room to grow. Strips of foil (like those left over after sharpening your garden shears) can be hung on strings around the garden to keep birds, deer, and other pests away.
There is even rumors that wrapping a bolt or screw in foil and screwing it gently back in will cure stripped threads (at least temorarily) and a wadded up ball of foil in the dryer can reduce static cling.. though I can't speak to either of those first hand myself.
This is just the tip of the iceburg for the uses of foil. Be creative .. use foil folded small to shim a short leg on furniture or even make a stunning foil sculpture for your 10th anniversary ( gift of aluminum is traditional). All this and recyclable too! It is easy to see why foil is your friend!
(source: thedailygreen.com )
Green tips:Today's tip is about reuse. Did you know you have a multitude of food safe and air tight containers at your disposal for not a penny?
Glass jars are a gold mine when it comes to storage in the home. These tidy ,airtight containers come in a multitude of sizes and shapes and can be put to use storing anything from paperclips to last night's dinner. The best part is they come free from the store with products you would have bought anyways.
To use them be sure they are throughly washed (the dishwasher is very good for this) with hot soapy water to remove any food residue. Remove the label and poof you have a surprisingly beautiful container you can put to use in a million ways.
The jars make airtight pest proof containers for all your food stuffs. The best part is your food will never stain or corrode or melt them. You can even add a little decorator touch by getting glass paints and adding a bit of color to the outside of the jar. This is a cheap and cool way to make them part of your decore. Be sure to not paint close to the rim unless your paints are rated food safe.
One way you can store nonedables is by attaching the lid of a small jar to the bottom of a shelf and screwing the jar on and off to access it. I find this is great for nuts and bolts, nails, and little hooks. Also perfect for office supplies like paperclips who, with a multitude of colors adds a decorative touch to a home office. It can add more storage in a new way to a place you might not otherwize utilize. It is also a great way to organize your crafting supplies. Easy to see and find anything you need.
The best part is when your done with them or want to try a different jar they are still recyclable. Just drop them in your recycle bin and start again!
GREEN tip: It is easy to remove stray weeds from your walkways ans paved areas. Spray a solution of white vinegar on the plants and bid them goodbye. Becareful not to overspray on desireable vegetation though.. it works just as well on them.
BONUS GREEN TIP ! - Vinegar is also a great repellant for ants! Sponge a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water around entry points into your house like doorways, windows or foundation cracks. Be careful not to spill on carpets or desireable vegetation.
Here is great advice to save energy.
One little thing that can save you energy and alot of Plastic recycling- did you know? not be mixed for recycling, yet it is impossible to tell one type from another by sight or touch. Even a small amount of the wrong type of plastic can ruin the melt.
The plastic industry has responded to this problem by developing a series of cryptic markers, commonly seen on the bottom of plastic containers. These markers do not mean the plastic can be recycled, these makers do not mean the container uses recycled plastic. Despite the confusing use of the chasing arrow symbol, these markers only identify the plastic type.
Virtually everything made of plastic should be marked with a code. Not all types can actually be recycled. Types 1 and 2 are widely accepted in container form, and type 4 is sometimes accepted in bag form. Code 7 is for mixed or layered plastic with little recycling potential. You should place in your bin only those types of plastic listed by your local recycling agency! Due to fluctuating market conditions, some colors or shapes may be useless to the recycling agency.
The plastic types were defined by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI):
- Type 1 - PETEPolyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Soda & water containers, some waterproof packaging.
- Type 2 - HDPE High-Density Polyethylene Milk, detergent & oil bottles. Toys and plastic bags.
- Type 3 - V Vinyl/Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Food wrap, vegetable oil bottles, blister packages.
- Type 4 - LDPE Low-Density Polyethylene Many plastic bags. Shrink wrap, garment bags.
- Type 5 - PP Polypropylene Refrigerated containers, some bags, most bottle tops, some carpets, some food wrap.
- Type 6 - PS Polystyrene Throwaway utensils, meat packing, protective packing.
- Type 7- OTHER Usually layered or mixed plastic. No recycling potential - must be landfilled.
Types 1 and 2 are commonly recycled. Type 4 is less commonly recycled. The other types are generally not recycled, except perhaps in small test programs.