What do I do with my old computers?I have a couple old PCs. They are of the DOS variety. Too old to even effectively search the net. They have a mouse but you can hardly use it without the computer crashing. I couldn't even sell them or give them away at a garage sale. I am pretty sure that you are not supposed to throw them in the trash so any information would be appreciated. I live in Salt Lake City. What can I do with them, where can I take them?
- Steve
Reusing Old, Broken SpeakersWe often find those torn speakers at the dump or road side. Take the speaker and separate the magnet from it. Drill a small hole in the center of it and thread an eye hook through the hole.
Uses For Plastic Hooks From New Socks?I was wondering if anyone had any uses for the little plastic hook things that come with new socks? I hate to just toss them in the trash.
Thank you,
MrsMoted2
Twist Ties and Rubber BandsTwist ties work well for wrapping up power tool cords and keeping wires together. Rubber bands also have a variety of uses and are good to keep handy. Take an old bike inner tube and cut it into rings to make some heavy duty rubber bands.
Uses For Terry Cloth BibsSave pull over the head terry cloth bibs to use as hand and/or dish towels.
Use Lids When CookingWhen cooking on the stove, put lids on your pans. The food will heat up much faster than if not using a lid. Thus, saving you money on your power bill.
Using Found "Pans" in BakingI am a long time baker and would like to share this tip with all. I make all different shapes and sizes or cakes and have found that you can only purchase the typical pans in the stores.
Door As Inexpensive TableDoors make great tables. I take discarded doors from the town dump and bring them home to use as tables for a garden work table. I take the 5 gallon buckets that cat food or litter sells in, and turn them over to use as the legs of the table.
Paint PalletsUse the plastic lids that perishable items are sold in. I find that cottage cheese lids, and country crock covers are very useful holding an array of colors. And best yet, they are used 100 times over instead of filling a landfill...
Battery Basics - Reduce, Recharge and Recycle!Household batteries include both single-use and rechargeable dry cell batteries used to power toys, cameras, radios, flashlights, hearing aids, and many other portable products.
Using Old Pantyhose for Draft StoppersUse old pantyhose for draft stoppers. Fill them with sand or sunflower seeds and put them in front of doors to stop the air leaks at the bottom.
Extra BlanketsThis winter we have kept our house much cooler due to the high gas bills. We have used some extra blankets on the beds to keep warmer. The best time of year to buy these blankets is right after the Christmas season...
Making the Most of Your HeatMoisture in the air makes it feel warmer. I heat my home with a wood burning stove not designed to heat it...
Sleeping in Summer HeatWhen summer comes, and it is *hot*, those of us who either do not have central air or don't want to shock ourselves with a huge power bill but cannot sleep due to the unforgiving heat and humidity, here is a tip...
Gas Range Pilot Lights?
I currently have a gas range. The pilot light stays lit. I bought the range thinking if the power went out I would always be able to cook, as opposed to an electric ignition range. Well now that gas prices are sky high I am wondering if I would be better off getting a range that has the electric ignition on it?
Impact of Candle Warmers on Your Electric Bill?I have heard that using electric candlewarmers will really increase your electric bill since it is basically a hot plate. Has anyone noticed this?
Keeping Warm in One RoomConfining yourself to one room and using a space heater on colder days lets you turn the thermostat down on the central heater and save money.
Recycling Junk Mail?Does anyone have any good uses for recycling junk mail and paper? I would like to try making homemade paper and would like instructions.
The Wonders of PaperclipsAh, the wonders of the humble paperclip with its many uses beyond just clipping together paper. It can be bent to hang a calendar over a cabinet door or form a picture hanger...
How to Recycle Used Clothing?I have not worn my professional suits and cocktail dresses for many years. They are timelessly simple (chocolate chiffon, Chanel suits) and in perfect health. Every resale shop I have called will accept no clothing older than two years.
Gift Bags and Extra GiftsI keep gift bags from all of the holiday parties, etc. and reuse them. I also keep gifts that I don't really like and recycle them, other people like things that I don't!
Using a Digital Thermostat in the Summer Months?I had a digital thermostat installed last Fall for my furnace. Do I take the batteries out and shut it off during the summer months? I usually shut the natural gas furnace off during the summer.
Uses for "International Coffee" Containers?My aunt drinks "International Coffee" drinks which come in those nifty little square tins w/ plastic lids. She hates throwing them out, but just can't think of a clever use for them besides storing nuts and bolts. Let's be real - she only has so many nuts and bolts.
Reuse Cardboard Trays For Transporting CasserolesThe cardboard holder or bottom from cases of soda and water make a great holder for a 9x13 inch pan when you have to transport it.
Uses for Plastic Bowls from Frozen Meals?I sometimes buy the frozen meals that come in the black plastic bowls e.g. Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers, etc. I keep some of them to put other portions of meals in to freeze and would like to know if anyone has come up with ideas for any other uses for the bowls.
Uses for Toilet Paper Roll WrappersSave wrapper from individual toilet paper rolls. When disposing sanitary products use the wrapper instead of toilet paper.
Easy Inexpensive Solar OvenEasy Inexpensive Solar Oven. Take a car tire or black inner tube, place it on a piece of plywood. Line the hole with aluminum foil. Place a cooking (ovenproof) dish, black enamel pot, roaster, etc. . .
Uses for Chipped China Platters?Does anyone have an idea of how to use old chipped china platters? I have some plain ones and some beautiful ones that I don't dare serve on due to chips and discoloration.
Steve Irwin "Crocodile Hunter" - Online MemorialMy family has been deeply saddened by the death of Steve. We would like to express our sympathy to our Aussie friends and to all of the people who loved him....worldwide. He truly was "one of a kind".
Uses for Cardboard Egg Flats?What can large cardboard egg flats be used for?
Support Green Living EverydaySupport Green Living Everyday. Green Living is what I support every day of my life. When shopping, I only buy items that are environmentally safe to use on the box or tag. Laundry soap is the same thing. When I buy it, it isn't scented or a bleach kind. I live by this motto because I have allergies to almost every product on this planet including what is in the air.
Biodegradable Cleaners? am looking to buy but prefer to make some biodegradable cleaners. Can you help me with some brands or some recipes?
Disposing of Paint Containers?Where do I dispose of paint containers?
Uncovering Wicks In Pillar CandlesI love to use pillar candles for both decorating and to create a romantic mood at the dinner table. I have always hated having to throw away a tall candle that I could no longer reach the wick to light.
Homemade Musical Stands And ContainersHomemade Musical Stands And Containers. You can use household objects for other purposes. I keep one set of my recorders in a padded ex-chocolate box, put the keyboard on a folding wooden tray table, and use a wooden folding plant stand/stool as a harp stool.
Towels To Prevent DraftsI use rolled up towels to keep out wind drafts from coming in beneath our doors and windows. I roll the towel then I put rubber bands on both ends to hold it together.
Reuse Large Ice Cream TubsI buy ice cream in the clear buckets with handles. After the ice cream is gone, I wash and dry the bucket and lid. Then I use the bucket as a container for storing flour, sugar, cornmeal, cookies, chips, etc.
Environmentally Friendly Pet Care?I am interested in ideas that will help us make our pets lives more environmentally friendly. I know picking up their poop is helpful, but what else? Any ideas are appreciated.
Dual Flush ToiletsWhen replacing your old toilets, don't just buy the standard replacements. Think about installing dual flush toilets. These toilets have two options for flushing, using less water for smaller needs.
UPS Avoids Left Turns to Save GasTime magazine recently published an article called "The Global Warming Survival Guide". It has a list of 51 things you can do to reduce global warming.
Save the Earth, One Paper Towel at a Time!You can save money and reduce waste by using hand towels and washcloths in your kitchen. I use the hand towels to dry my hands from numerous washings during meal prep and etc., when damp simply change it out with a new one.
Earth Friendly Way to Clean DrainsPrevent clogs in your kitchen sink by regular cleaning. First sprinkle baking soda in the drain, with some getting down drain. Then pour some vinegar in drain.
Shopping Bag Made for Produce?I would like to purchase a bag to fill with my produce from the super market. I don't want a solid bag. Rather I would like to purchase a string type that has lots of holes in it so the produce can breathe until I get it home. Can anyone help?
Plastic Folgers Container For CompostI like to save scraps for the compost, but needed something to store the scraps. I like using the 38 oz plastic Folger's coffee canisters to use as storage.
Uses for Empty Milk Bags?Does anybody have any good ideas for reusing empty milk bags?
Thrifty and Green Liners for Wastebaskets?I'd like to stop bringing my groceries home from the store in plastic bags; I know it'd be better for the environment to invest in some reusable cloth bags (which I could probably find at thrift shops!) and take them to the grocery store to bring my groceries home in.
Dry Clothes OutsideI picked up two wooden dryer racks from yard sales. It is just as easy to hang most of your wash loads out on a porch, and couldn't we all use fresh air?
Recycling Locations in Seattle?Does any one know where in the Seattle area can I recycle my tin cans?
Disposing of a Microwave?Does anyone know the best way to dispose of a dead microwave? The safest for Mother Earth and humans?
Uses for Old Knives?Does anyone know the best way to dispose of Kitchen butcher knives. I have a lot of old knives that are no longer useful.
Use A Low Flow Shower Head To Save MoneyIf you don't already have one, you should consider getting a low flow shower head. With a low flow shower head, energy use and costs for heating hot water for showers may drop as much as 50%.
Conserve Oil By Using Canvas BagsDid you know that the plastic bags that your purchases are placed into at the stores are made from petroleum (oil). Want to keep prices down, buy a few canvas bags and bring them with you and reuse them.
Full Freezers Work BetterKeep your freezers full, even if it means filling them with jugs of frozen water. Full freezers recover quicker after doors are opened and shut.
Digital Picture Of Refrigerator ContentsTake a daily pic of the contents of your ice box with your digi-cam and email it to family members so that less time is spent gazing into the open door "just looking", causing your fridge to have to work harder to make up the loss of cold air!
Reuse Your Address From BillsAfter you have finished with old accounts/bills, instead of throwing out or shredding the whole thing, cut off your name and address and use these to glue onto the back of envelopes when sending/writing letters to friends, etc.
One Green Day A MonthIf you are not already a green person, start with one day a month. Have the whole family do something green. Recycle, no TV, don't drive, there are tons of ideas out there.
Buying Organic Clothing?I have a strange request. My father just discovered after years of a terrible rash that he is allergic to everything that is used in clothing, ie. the formaldehyde used in permanent press and most dyes.
Summer Water Conservation TipsThe hot Summer is here again and I think we all need to reminded to save water. It not only is considered green living, it also saves you greatly on your water bill. Here is a review of some good tips, plus a couple new tips to consider.
Direct AC With A FanThe air conditioner in our living room/dining room is in a window just between the edge of the two (They are in an "L" shape.) I used to put up a screen to direct the cool air into the living room area but my husband came up with a much more practical solution.
Use A Cool Mist Humidifier To Boost ACTo be able to draw more cool air from your heating and air conditioning registers, use an old cool mist humidifiers fan and put the unit directly on top of the air register, plug the unit in and turn it on. The unit will act as a air booster and help cool the room tremendously.
Tankless Water Heater Saves EnergyDemand (also know as Tankless or Instantaneous) water heaters provide hot water only as it is needed. They don't produce the standby energy losses associated with storage water heaters, which can save you money.
Soak Towel in Cooler Ice for Working Outside This is a tip for keeping cool while working in the yard or garden when the temps and humidity are high. Years ago, we operated a lawn business. Arkansas is really hot and humid in the summer, so we carried a big cooler with plenty of ice, bottles of water, tea, etc.
It's Cool In the UKTo keep cool, move to the UK its sooooooooooooooo freezing here!
Dealing with Heat at WorkI work in a hot factory, and keep a spray bottle filled with water to spritz now and then. I also wet a paper towel with cold water and put in the middle of my bra.
Clean Clothes Naturally Without ChemicalsSqueeze a lemon, make a paste of with it and baking soda. Leave it on the stain for 30 minutes before washing. (lemon juice contains citric acid; it's bleaching action works especially well)
Recycling Contact Lenses?Does anyone know what to do with old but still usable contact lenses? Can they be donated? Does it matter if they're soft or hard, semi-permeable lenses? I know the Lions Club used to take old eyeglasses.
Please Recycle Your CarpetI saw the Tip of the Day that went out about carpeting. PLEASE recycle your carpet!
Buying and Selling Used CarpetWall to wall Carpet which has been taken up often has good spots - and when they re-do apartments, there is often a lot of good carpet left.
Reusing Childproof Pill Bottle?Does anyone have any ideas on uses for the brown plastic childproof pill bottle? These are the ones that Wal-Mart uses.
Tips For Preventing Garbage In The HomeUse recycled toilet paper in place of paper towels or facial tissue. Use toilet paper to wipe up bathroom hair or dripped water, etc. Have a roll handy for everyone to use. Toss it into the trash, not in the toilet.
Recycling Ideas for Old Televisions?Does anyone have a reuse or recycling idea for old television sets?
Reusing Grolsch Bottles?I have two "Grolsch" type bottles (with the cantilever top and ceramic stopper) What can I do with them?
Wash Laundry In Cold WaterWash all your laundry using cold water. There are some great detergents now on the market especially made for cold water. Also, at the beginning of the rinse cycle, put in half a cup of a water softener such as Calgon or Borax.
Convention Decorating with Recycled Materials?Our Legal Professional group is having a convention in April, and the theme is about 'going green'. So I am looking for decorating ideas made from recycled materials for the convention banquet, etc.
Information on Cost and Energy Used to Recycle Materials?I would be grateful if you could provide any information on the cost/energy used to recycle materials. For example: what would be the cost of recycling 1 ton of metal compared to 1 ton of paper etc. I'm currently researching on the internet and any info/links greatly appreciated.
Use Caution Mailing Junk Mail EnvelopesOften people reuse envelopes which they received with junk mail. However, you need to exercise care in using these. Any envelopes that have a bar code on them, should only be used to send mail to their intended destination.
Recyclethis - British Recycling WebsiteWe all have extra stuff we just don't know what to DO with. Other than tossing it or giving it away - the British site:
Let the Sunshine InMany of us forget, especially those living in the northeast, to open those blinds, drapes, shades, etc. to take advantage of the free heat from the sun. It can shave off as much as 8 percent from your heating bill.
Ideas for School Children to Recycle their Paper?I am looking for ideas to recycle to paper produced by my children's school. They produce a lot of paper, but our recycling depot is overfull and doesn't want any more paper. We need to come up with an environmentally friendly way of recycling
Save Money on ConsumablesI like to use as little of these items that I can, both to save money at the grocery store and to live more green.
Turn Oven Off Early To Save EnergyHere's a great energy saver. When you are near the end of the baking time, turn the oven off and keep the door closed. The heat will stay the same long enough to finish baking your dish, and you'll save energy
Reusing Foil Cereal Bags?Is there a use for the aluminum foil bags that some cereal comes in?
Environmentally Friendly Oven Cleaning?What is the best environmental-friendly way to clean a oven?
Easy Tips On Being GreenThis came home from school with my 4th grader one day last week: If it glows, unplug it until you are ready to use it, Dress for the weather . . .
Gardening Tips That RecycleIce Cream Pots: Wash out paper ice cream cups. Add planting soil and plant a few seeds in each cup. When seedlings are 4-5 inches tall, moisten soil and carefully press out the root ball to transplant in an outdoor garden or tub.
Some Stores Banning Plastic BagsThis is about reusable shopping bags for males and females both. Many stores are banning plastic sacks - so that might be something to consider in the near future.
Tired Of Getting Phone Books?Last week, they delivered another round of telephone directories on my doorstep. I don't even have a home phone anymore and I can get any number I need on the Internet. My friend just sent me this way to stop receiving phone books, so I guess I'm the only one.
Buy Vintage Jewelry Instead Of NewNeed new jewelry? Buy vintage jewelry instead. A lot of energy is being used making new jewelry. Also there are a lot of chemicals used in the mining process.
What to do With Collard Stems?Does anyone have ideas as to what I can do with collard stems? I have an Iguana who I only feed the leaves so I am often left with stems that I discard.
Making A Chess Set Out Of Recyclables?I'm trying to do a Chess Set out of recyclables for a 4-H project. Does anyone have any ideas on good things to use. I don't want it to be a huge set, so any ideas that are small would be GREAT. I'm also trying to figure out some other crafty ideas, so any input would be greatly appreciated.
Save Boxes and Cans for Craft TimeStart a new habit. Rinse cans and flatten boxes for a week and put aside until you have "craft time".
Do HHO Gas Generators Work?Last week, I was at my local mechanic's shop. He began telling me about someone who had installed an HHO gas generator. This person is also a customer of the same mechanic, so I was wondering, do HHO gas generators actually work?
Saving Water TogetherI have a one-handle kitchen faucet, and I have noticed lately that I use too much water. I have started to reduce the flow of water when I use it. Since then, I am using a lot less water. Most of the time, just a quarter of the flow is sufficient, even sometime just a trickle is enough.
Save Money By Saving TreesI save money and the environment by reusing paper to print on. I reuse printable paper from my own household, as well as my children's papers that come home from school, to print on the blank side.
A Guide To Household Recycling?I'm interested in recycling my household plastics and cans. Where can I get a free guide sent to me to help me start? Also, any good websites. I have limited space so I can't have bins everywhere. Is there a compact sorting bin that works well and is attractive because it will be out in the open? Thanks for all your help in advance!
Frugal Way to Cool DownWet a washcloth with cold water and wring out. Place over an inverted bowl in the freezer. Thirty minutes later you have a 'cool' hat to wear.
Saving Water from the Sink for PlantsHere in North Carolina we have been experiencing drought conditions and are being encouraged to be mindful of wasting water. Since I have many plants which often need to be watered, I have tried to think of ways to be able to water the plants while conserving water.
Using Buckets Under DownspoutsMy husband never got around to setting up a rain barrel system under our downspout, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I set out several 5-gal. pails, a large plastic garbage can, and even my wheelbarrow along the ground, in a line, directly under the garage roof edge.
Alternative Transportation Ideas?Because of the rising price of gas and the effect on the environment, my family is considering selling one of our cars (we have two) and getting something like Segways, mopeds, motorized scooters, and so on. I'm looking for some advice about some of these methods of transportation.
Uses for Last Years School Papers?After every year, I have a stack of papers from school. It seems such a waste to throw it away, and I don't keep them for future reference. Does anyone have any ideas on what to do with them?
Use Christmas Door Foil on Windows to Reflect Summer HeatWindow tint film is very expensive. I had an inspiration; what I call, a "light bulb moment". Having lived in Florida for years, it was not uncommon to see windows covered with aluminum foil. I used my Christmas door foil, to cover my the windows.
Get a Cold Drink Right After You Flush the ToiletIn this hot weather, do you hate wasting water by having to run it so long before it gets cold enough to drink?
