Going Green

Clearly the best way to use aluminum foil is to fashion it into a cone-shaped hat to block aliens or the "Government" from reading your thoughts. However, aluminum foil has other uses -- even beyond cooking.

Here are a few ways to transform a cheap and durable kitchen staple into a marvel of home economy.




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By Bruce Watson
Daily Finance

Strolling through the household cleansers section of a grocery store can sometimes seem like a trip through a chemical wonderland, a cross between Willy Wonka's factory and a high school science lab. Multicolored potions peek from hundreds of bottles and lurid labels advertise the latest miracle cleansers. Bizarre and beautiful brands abound: Some claim to be they're easier on the environment, others promise that they won't harm your family. All seem to guarantee that they will make even your toughest stains disappear.

It would be natural to yearn for something simpler -- a few household cleaners that are effective, not too expensive, and not too rough on the environment. The wonderful thing is, these cleaners exist, and have existed for decades. They are, in short, the tried-and-true brands that your mother and grandmother used.

In the search for cleaner, healthier homes, it's easy to dismiss the harsh chemicals of the past. Yet, it's also worth noting that the active ingredients in many popular cleaners -- things like ammonia and borax, alcohol and vinegar -- are basically the same things that grandma used, albeit with the addition of lots of water and a little food coloring.

And therein lies one of grandma's secrets: Filling bottles with water and shipping them across the country is expensive, and the manufacturers charge you for the extra gas. If you add the water from your tap, instead of relying on Windex and Mr. Clean to do so, you can save a lot of money. As an added plus, you're also cutting down on the gas used to ship your products around and the number of harsh chemicals that you're adding to the environment.

With summers getting hotter and drier, homeowners should think about how they can conserve more water - in their homes and in the garden. It's easy to put these practices to work and that will pay off big time when it comes to your water bills. This is especially true now that many municipalities are moving to a consumption based model, where homes are metered and charged accordingly.

In Toronto for example, a typical water bill for a single family home runs about 600 dollars. The city has had a long-term plan to increase water rates by 9 per cent each year, so home owners are looking for savings anywhere they can find them. So heed our advice, and start saving with these easy-to-implement fixes.

SLIDESHOW: 10 EASY WAYS TO CUT YOUR WATER BILL

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By Bruce Watson
Daily Finance

With the advent of another spring weekend, road trips are in the offing, and the price of gas is on its way up again. But if you've gotten tired of hearing about carpooling or the gas buddy, maybe you're ready for some advice that's a little more ... extreme.

For years, DailyFinance has been asking its readers for their best gas saving advice. And, while we've heard our share of the usual suggestions to ride a bike or take public transit, many readers have offered ideas that are a little more exciting. With that in mind, we've compiled some of the best out-of-the-box suggestions for cutting down on your gas expenses.

If you've got a great, weird idea that isn't on this list, put it in the comments section, or send it my way!

By Eamon Murphy
Daily Finance

Last week, the United States Supreme Court delivered a unanimous decision that was hailed by some as a major victory for intellectual property rights. Others worried about the implications for agriculture, the very foundation of civilization; and in the background -- not raised by the nine justices, whom a recent study called "friendlier to corporate interests" than any court since 1946 -- was the question of prices for farmers and consumers.

The case was Bowman v. Monsanto Co. (MON), in which the court held that an Indiana farmer infringed on the biotech giant's patents when he planted genetically-modified soybean seeds not purchased from the company.

The seeds had been designed to withstand application of the herbicide glyphosate, which Monsanto markets as Roundup. Farmers who plant such "Roundup Ready" crops are required to sign an agreement with Monsanto stipulating that they will buy new seeds from the company each year, rather than using the products of the plants' reproduction.

You may have barely heard of it, but Tesla Motors (TSLA) is on a roll.

A business can't have a much better week than this.

The maker of high-end electric cars posted its first-ever quarterly profit, received Consumer Reports' best-ever score, and now sees its stock price soaring.

If you're craving a freshness in your home that won't be satisfied by simply moving a few things around, maybe it's time for a change. In my case it was a loveseat my two young sons have outgrown (since they started wrestling on it) that sparked our home renovation. It was time to get a new, bigger, plusher couch. Now that we've purchased said couch and it's arriving in six to eight weeks, it's sparked even bigger changes. But I've learned through our renovation there are certain areas where it makes sense to splurge and certain areas where it makes more sense to save.

Here are some tips on affording a room renovation you'll actually finish:

By Muneeza Iqbal
Daily Finance

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something ... green?

Wedding season is almost here, and apart from wreaking havoc on your wallet, it can also cause some damage to the environment. Some 2.5 million weddings will be held across the nation this year, each of which produces 600 to 800 tons of waste, according to the Green Bride Guide.

One way to cut down on that number is to reconsider the traditional wedding dress -- expensive to produce, bleached a starchy white and usually worn only once. If you're an eco-minded bride-to-be, let these creative, affordable and environmentally friendly ideas inspire you.

By Alyce Lomax
Daily Finance

Terrible droughts. Vast wildfires. Superstorm Sandy. Extreme weather is one of the most obvious negative results of climate change, and when it reaches "natural disaster" proportions, it can affect everything from our food supply to our homes and businesses, to our overall economic well-being.

People who are concerned by climate change say all signs point to more extreme weather events like those noted above. Let's not forget that Superstorm Sandy was first dubbed "Frankenstorm" -- it shocked even weather experts with its unprecedented formation.

In fact, last year was the warmest year on record, and the second most extreme weather year in U.S. history, according to sustainability advocacy group Ceres.

After last year's frightening developments, which only foreshadow greater climate-related problems and dangers, Earth Day 2013 seems more important than ever. And lately all eyes are on big business and how companies can do more to stop harming Mother Earth.