Tips for your Family and Home:

• Reduce, reuse, recycle! For example, use grocery bags more than once, buy reusable canvas bags to cut down on waste, and bring back those pesky plastics for recycling.
• Don’t throw away hazardous chemicals (i.e. oil-based paint, antifreeze, cleaning products, gasoline, pesticides and weed killers); take them to a hazardous waste collection site instead.
• Try non-chemical cleaning solutions: Use baking soda for scouring or vinegar and water for cleaning glass; use a plunger or a snake to unclog drains; or almond oil to polish unvarnished furniture.
• Get your kids involved: Check out the Kids Web site for ideas.
• For more information on these topics, see the Hazardous Waste Management Program web site.
• Use an EnviroStars-certified dentist or dry cleaner; for a complete list of EnviroStars certified businesses, go to the Green Business Directory.

Tips for Transportation and your Car:

• Limit the time you spend in the car: Walk, bike, take public transportation or carpool as much as possible. Check out Flexcar, a car sharing service, for an alternative to owning a car (1-877-FLEXCAR).
• Take gas mileage into account when choosing a vehicle to purchase.
• Fix leaks as soon as you discover them.
• Maintain your car with regular service check-ups. Get a free inspection and car care tips from AAA Washington.
• Wash your car at a carwash rather than in your driveway to avoid sending pollutants into nearby water bodies. If you do wash it at home, do so on the grass or gravel to lessen chemical run-off, use a car wash kit, use a waterless carwash product, or choose an EnviroStars certified auto detail company.
• For more information on these topics, see the Hazardous Waste Management Program web site
• Use EnviroStars-certified autobody and automotive repair shops.

Tips for your Lawn and Yard:

• Control pests naturally by building healthy soil and attracting birds and pest-eating insects, rather than by relying on weed killers and pesticides.
• Consider using a hand-powered mower to cut your lawn. It conserves energy! No matter what mower you use, leave the clippings on the lawn for a natural fertilizer.
• Water only in the early morning or at night to avoid evaporation.
• Water deeply, but infrequently to encourage strong root systems. Also, consider letting your lawn go dormant during the summer by not watering it all.
• Choose an EnviroStars-certified landscaping company.
• For more information on these topics, see the Hazardous Waste Management Program web site