Get the Mold Out - Banish mildew from your home with a common household liquid. Wipe or spray shower curtains, shower stalls, and other damp places around the house with undiluted white vinegar. Leave it as long as possible before rinsing with plain water.

Crystal Clear - Make your own eco-friendly glass cleaner that is free of toxic chemicals, and save money in the process. Combine one part white vinegar with four parts water in a refillable spray bottle to give your windows and other glass surfaces a non-toxic shine.

Nix the Chlorine - Many laundry detergents and household cleaners contain a toxic chemical element that contributes to ozone depletion. A single atom of chlorine is capable of destroying tens of thousands of ozone molecules, and it tends to collect in the upper atmosphere where the ozone layer is busy protecting our planet from deadly UV radiation. Look for chlorine-free detergents, toilet cleansers, scouring powders, disinfectants, and laundry bleach when you shop.

Clean Copper Like Grandma - Back before the days of harsh chemical metal polishes, there was a simple and earth-friendly way to keep copper and brass objects nice and shiny. Just cut a lemon in half, sprinkle the cut side generously with salt, and scrub the tarnish and grime away. Rinse, dry, and buff with a soft cloth to make the metal shine.

Pass the Bicarb - If your home is typical, you probably have several types of cleansers, scouring powders, and polishes designed for different purposes. You also probably have an eco-friendly and inexpensive product that is capable of doing all these tasks for a fraction of the cost. Baking soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate, bicarbonate of soda, sodium hydrogen carbonate, or NaHCO3 to chemists) is slightly abrasive without being rough on delicate surfaces, is non-toxic (heck, we eat the stuff), and even has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, so toss those expensive special-purpose cleansers and replace them all with baking soda as your general-purpose cleanser.

Kill Bugs the Green Way - Before you get out the bug spray, stop and think about what all those toxic chemicals can do to you, your family, your pets, and the environment. Don't you wish there was a better way to kill bugs? There is. Boric acid is not only toxic to insects, but the abrasive crystals also scratch the exoskeleton of any insect that comes in contact with them, causing the bug to die of dehydration. Better yet, it is considered safe for mammals (it's less toxic than table salt) so you can sprinkle it wherever insects are found. A little boric acid in the back of cupboards and closets and under appliances will kill cockroaches, ants, termites, silverfish, water bugs, and many other insects. Make ant bait by soaking some cotton balls in a mixture of boric acid, sugar, and water, and place them in the path of the ants. You can also dust some boric acid over your carpets to control fleas. Boric acid can be found in most drug stores, and is also available online from vendors such as Amazon.com. Get the bugs, but get them the green way.

Go Cold - The use of detergents, water, and energy to do laundry are considered necessary "evils" from an environmental standpoint because, let's face it, wearing dirty clothes just isn't an option. But there are a couple of very simple things we can do to reduce the impact of doing laundry on the environment. Washing clothes and linens in cold water saves energy and prevents fabrics from fading as a side benefit, and using the smallest amount possible of an earth-friendly detergent saves money and helps protect the water supply. Running the washing machine only when you have a full load will further reduce the amount of water, energy, and detergent you need to use.

Let It Rot - Most yard trimmings, food scraps, waste paper, and other forms of organic debris are either incinerated or buried in landfills, but there is a smarter and cheaper way to dispose of them, and to recycle them back into the environment at the same time. A backyard compost heap will turn household waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer and mulch for the garden without using the energy otherwise required to transport and dispose of it. You can add your lawn clippings, tree and shrub prunings, kitchen scraps, vacuum cleaner dust, fireplace ashes, old newspapers, and even hair trimmings to your compost heap and turn it into what gardeners call "black gold." Think of it as organic fertilizer that has the added benefit of being free.

Learn more about composting at this excellent website sponsored by the government of New South Wales, Australia: All About Composting.

Get a Greener Lawn - Many homeowners consider the perfectly manicured lawn the ultimate badge of honor. In reality, grass lawns are little more than small-scale ecological disasters, and expensive ones at that. Think about all the time, effort, and money that go into applying chemical fertilizers and pesticides which eventually wind up in our water supply, and add in the fact that, no matter what you do with the lawn clippings, they ultimately decompose and release all their carbon back into the atmosphere. Consider an earth-friendly alternative to the common grass lawn. Options include landscaping with native grasses and wildflowers, or with low-growing and no-mowing ground cover plants. You'll not only save time, money, and water, but you'll also be able to brag about having the greenest "lawn" on the block.

Fill 'Er Up - It's often hard to tell whether doing things the old-fashioned way is more sensitive to the environment than using one of our modern labor-saving devices, and washing dishes is a good example of this. A study conducted by the University of Bonn in Germany demonstrated that using energy-efficient dishwashers saved water, energy, detergent, and time compared to washing the dishes manually. This is one example where a modern device trumps age-old methods. To maximize this benefit, be sure to run the dishwasher only when it is completely full, use as little detergent as possible, and be sure to use the energy-saving options such as air-drying the dishes. Then go ahead and use your dishwasher with a clear conscience.
 

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