Make A New Lamp Out of Anything (or just about)

In the name of one of the three “Great R’s” – Reuse – here are some great DIY ideas for giving your old junk new life- er, LIGHT!

1- The Toilet Plunger Lamp (via Instructables.com): Click here for instructions

2- The Coffee Can Lamp (via Readymade.com): Click here for instructions

3- The Birdcage Lamp (via Design Squish blog): Click here

4- The Detegent Bottle Lamp (via Readymade.com): Click here for instructions

5- The Wine Bottle Lamp (via crafterstouch.com & ehow.com): Click here or Click here for instructions

6- The CD Lamp (via yousaytoo.com): Click here for instructions

7- The Blender Lamp (via blacktable.com): Click here for instructions

Clean better, save money with LESS detergent!

An article on Yahoo! Finance today suggests that the #1 mistake consumers make when washing their clothes & dishes is using too much detergent!   According to the article, modern washing machines will wash your clothes just as well using 1/8 to 1/2 the recommended amount (noted by the little lines on the caps).  “Too much detergent can make your clothes stiff and shorten the life of your machine,” it says.  “If people see suds, they think their clothes are getting clean, but that’s wrong — it means you’re using a lot of extra detergent,” stated Jill Notini, a spokeswoman for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

Have a leftover film on your dishes after washing?  It’s because you’ve used too MUCH soap, not too little.  The article goes on to exclaim that “Most people use 10 to 15 times the amount of soap they need,” and “you definitely don’t have to fill up the entire soap container in the dishwasher.”      Click here for the article.

Foam Packing Peanuts – Disposal & Reuse

Does receipt of a package filled with extraordinary amounts of those environmentally-horrible foam packing peanuts just make you sick to your stomach?  Well you’ll be pleased to know (I was) that there’s a handy dandy website called The Plastic Loose Fill Council that allows you to search for drop-off sites near you, where the little foam terrors will be either recycled or re-used.  Note:  If you are a retail outlet, you can also sign on as a drop-off site for only $30/year!  Think of all the $ you could save on shipping supplies!

To search for local drop-offs, click here or call 1-800-828-2214.

Other re-uses for foam packing peanuts:

– Put under soil in your potted plants for a light-weight drainage substance.

– Keep a couple in your toolbox:  When hammering a nail, stick it through a foam peanut first, and hold on to the foam instead of the nail for those first couple of taps. Remove the foam for the final taps.  Your fingers will thank you!

– If you’ve drilled a hole that’s too large for your screw and don’t want to damage your walls with an anchor, screw it into a foam peanut first, then drill into the wall and pull away the rest of the foam.  The foam trapped in the threads of the screw will hold it in place.

– Stuff a plastic bag with the peanuts and put it on top of your ice and food/beverage-packed cooler for extra insulation.

Save the Frogs Day

Whether you’re a fan of the little slimy guys or not, the truth is that the world’s frogs are dying out at an alarming pace, and that means trouble for the rest of us.    The nonprofit group “Save The Frogs” has been established in an effort to save our little leaping pals from the many threats that hinder their survival.  Visit www.savethefrogs.com for more info on “Save the Frogs Day” 2010, and how you can play a part in helping to keep the world’s frogs and other amphibians from extinction.

Save 1/2 gallon on each flush – without buying a new toilet!

Until you have the money to invest in that new low-flush toilet, here’s a tip I was given a while back for a REALLY EASY DIY way to decrease the amount of water your toilet uses, and effectively lower your water bill – immediately.

1- Find an empty 2-liter soda-pop bottle OR a 1/2 gallon milk jug.

2- Fill the bottom of the jug with pebbles, and the rest with water.

3- Place the jug in your toilet’s water reservoir (the tank).

Now, every time you flush your toilet, you will be saving 1/2 gallon of water from needlessly being, um, “flushed” away!