Green Tips from Laura Z

It's mosquito season! They lay their eggs in any standing water, so change your pet's water and the birdbath water daily. Check around the house for any thing else that collects water when it rains and empty them. If mosquitoes are buzzing your ear while you're trying to sleep, put the ceiling fan or another fan on in the room, because they can't fly when it's windy.

I have heard that you can put some apple cider vinegar and water in a bowl and place it outside by your picnic table to keep them at bay. Also, the old favorite citronella candles placed around the picnic area help. Dab lavender oil on your wrists and elbows, or spray Skin So Soft by Avon on your skin to keep the insects off. Mosquito nets also work great. I found a mosquito net tent that hangs over the bed (like the good old days) at the secondhand store.

Here are some other green tips: Turn the water heater to low when on vacation, and in the summer. When you brush your teeth, wet the tooth brush and turn the water off while you brush. You will save at least 10 gallons of water! How about when shaving or doing the dishes? Run the water only when you need to.

When buying supplies for your next picnic, remember that Styrofoam lasts 500 YEARS or more...it is NOT biodegradable.

Does your office recycle paper? If not, maybe you can arrange it. Also see if they use paper that has been recycled. GREENPEACE recently wrote an article about using recycled paper products whenever possible, especially toilet paper and Kleenex (the KLEENEX brand does NOT use ANY recycled paper in their Kleenex, which means that they are destroying hundreds of acres of our beautiful virgin forests daily so we can blow our noses!).

Speaking of blowing noses...anyone with allergies, or sinus problems should use the neti pot for relief. It works wonders! Walgreen's sells something cheaper that works the same. It is a saline solution that you put in a plastic container. You squeeze it so it goes in one nostril and out the other.