Eco

Before you throw away that empty medicine bottle, consider upcyling it. The orange prescription bottles usually have such a short lifespan because most people throw them away once they are done with them. It's such a waste because many recycling centers don't usually accept them, so put them to good use by reusing them yourself. The bottles are extremely versatile, but one of the best uses is to store quarters in them and leave them in your car.

You definitely want to dress the bottle up so it doesn't resemble its former self while it's sitting in your car. Read on for instructions.

Wasting food in general is frustrating but particularly irksome when working with precious and pricey asparagus. Fed up with throwing away nearly half the snappy stalks in the name of more palatable results, I was thrilled to find a simple solution from food scientist Harold McGee. After prepping asparagus per usual, reserve the woody ends; much more can be utilized than conventional wisdom suggests.

How to Salvage Asparagus Ends

• Trim away the last inch of irretrievably dried-out, extra-woody ends.
• Slice the remainder of the asparagus ends into thin (between 1/8- and 1/4-inch) coins. Slicing these less-tender parts breaks up the fibrous grain, much like thinly slicing celery; the coins become nearly as tender as the tips.
• Sauté, steam, blanch, roast, or even serve the coins raw as part of a salad. They can be used in nearly any application one would use the tips; just make certain to reduce their cook time, if heating them at all.

I find it such a waste to throw away products you only use once, so I'm always looking for ways to recycle them. A used dryer sheet is actually a really versatile product with a ton of different applications, so don't throw it away after the dry cycle is up! Recycle your dryer sheets in these ways:

• Reduce static cling: Get rid of static cling by rubbing dryer sheets on the problem areas.
• Clean irons: Rub the iron on the dryer sheet while the heat is set to low, and the sheet will clean the residue off the plate.
• Remove pet and human hair: Run the dryer sheet over fabrics with a lot of fur or hair on them, such as clothing or furniture.
• Clean bathroom gunk: If it's time to clean your bath or shower, then grab a dryer sheet for scrubbing. Apparently, dryer sheets help to keep showers and baths free of mineral buildup, so they serve the dual function of cleaning and protecting!
• Freshen up your home: If there are places in your home that need a little freshening up — your closet, shoes, luggage, and more — stick dryer sheets in them for a temporary fix.
• Old books: Get rid of the musty book smell by ziplocking the book with a dryer sheet for a day.

Bonus tip: make your own dryer sheets (here's how to do it) to reduce costs and avoid adding more chemicals to your home.

Living sustainability is straightforward and simple, according to Laurie Furber from Elise Green. "It's about trying to create as little impact as you can with every decision you make," says Laurie. "Little things can make a big difference."

She should know: in 2011 she and her husband founded Elsie Green (formally Greenhouse Design Studio) to answer the question, "How do I know what I'm really putting in my home?" Everything in their collection is sustainable in some way: vintage, artisan made or made from sustainable materials. Here, Laurie shares four easy steps that will have you moving in the right, earthy friendly, direction, just in time for Earth Day.

Lay down a good layer of basics in your home. Here are five things that no home should be without.

• Organic cotton sheets and towels (shown below) because organic cotton is made with no chemicals or pesticides and is very nice for those things you put next to your skin.
• Good cotton napkins so you’re not tempted to use paper.
• A stack of very durable glasses that you can use every day, and for entertaining. Bye-bye red Solo cup!
• Soy and beeswax candles with cotton wicks. They’re all natural and don’t put petroleum by-products into the air you breathe.
• Natural soap in all your dispensers. Obviously.

Give something old a new life in a new home.

We believe that not making something new is the greenest thing of all, and that provenance is a lovely thing. Next time you’re thinking about buying something new for your home, find a flea market close to you, or visit elsiegreen.com to find something pretty with a past.

Shop small.

When you’re ready to add something sustainable to your home, try visiting a local boutique rather than a big chain. Patronizing your local bookshop, potter’s studio, stationery store, or boutique is a great way to limit your impact, and find something unique and special. By shopping small, you’re supporting your local community and the people in it, and you’re supporting a smaller distribution network. Visit the 3/50 project to find small, local businesses in your area.

Complete the circle.

When you’re ready to retire an item in your home to replace it with something greener, be sure to dispose of it properly. Visit iRecycle or donate to a local charity so your sofa/chair/china can continue its useful life in a new home.

That wasn't so hard now, was it?

Can your yearly waste fit in a quart-size jar? Check out this amazing story from LearnVest about how a woman transformed her home into a zero-waste household.

Five years ago Bea Johnson and her husband and two sons were looking for a home closer to the restaurants, shops and school in their coastal California town.

Related: 6 Ways to Save Money–by Going Green

During the year they spent house hunting, the family of four moved into a small apartment, took only the possessions that were absolutely necessary and left the rest in storage.

“After living with just the necessities, we realized that we had much more time to spend with our family when we weren’t spending it caring for a large house and lots of belongings,” says Johnson.

Then, when they did decide on a house, they chose one half the size of their previous home and simplified by selling most of their old stuff.

Around that time, Johnson and her husband began investigating environmental issues. “We read books, watched documentaries, and what we learned worried us and made us sad for our kids’ futures,” she says. “So we decided to do something about it. My husband quit his job to start a sustainability consulting company, and I tackled greening our house.”

Read on for more.

Spring-cleaning wouldn't be complete without giving your mattress some serious attention. Along with refreshing your bed, this easy cleaning DIY ensures a better night's sleep. No need for harsh chemicals or expensive concoctions — all you need is a box of baking soda for this cleaner. The addition of essential oil gently scents your bed, helping to soothe and lull you to sleep.

Read on for the basic directions.

Biodegradable and compostable: they mean the same thing, right? Not so: even though the denotations of these words may sound synonymous, the labels are actually misleading. While biodegradable items refer to any material that breaks down and decomposes in the environment, compostable goods are organic matter that breaks down to become a pile of nutrient-rich soil.

Keep reading to learn more about what distinguishes the terms "biodegradable" and "compostable."

Instead of reaching for bleach the next time you see a bit of mold lurking in your kitchen or bathroom, make this easy and budget-friendly clove oil mold killer. Known for its antiseptic properties, clove oil inhibits mold by attacking and killing the mold spores. Safe for use in small or large spaces, this easy recipe works wonderfully at keeping pesky mold away while naturally scenting and cleaning your home.

Keep reading for the directions.