This is properly-installed insulation, sealed around a wire. Photo by Carl Seville.
By Carl Seville, Networx

There is no free insulation lunch. Super-magic foil insulation won't do what salespeople say it will. Natural, recycled, and green insulation won't work if it isn't installed right. And no insulation will make your house more efficient if air leaks around it and it isn't installed properly. As a green building consultant, I see all the mistakes that people make with insulation in the name of being "green". There's a lot of myths out there, and I'm about to dispel them. I hope I'll be able to cut through the greenwashing so that you don't get ripped off.

Myth #1: I should install as much insulation as possible to make my house more efficient and comfortable.

If you don't stop air from moving through the insulation, adding extra is pretty much a waste of effort. Fiberglass and cellulose don't stop air movement, and when air moves through insulation, it doesn't work like it's supposed to.

There must be an air barrier in complete contact with the

Wonder substance?
By Adam Verwymeren, Networx

Baking soda is a great and versatile tool around the home, and there are dozens of ways it can be put to use. It can cut grease, absorb odors and clean body parts, among its many other applications.

However, as handy as it is, this wonder substance does have it's limitations. Here are a few ways not to use baking soda.

Antacid: Suffering from heartburn? Baking soda is highly effective antacid. However, sodium bicarbonate is, well, sodium. So if your doctor has told you to cut down on the salt, don't reach for this household cure for indigestion. Ask your doctor to recommend a safer alternative.

Cleaning Aluminum: While a quick scrubs with a bit of baking soda is a great way to clean your pots and pans, you should never use it on aluminum cookware. The alkaline sodium bicarbonate reacts with the aluminum and can cause your pots and pans to discolor.

Fridge Freshener: Because it reacts with odor-causing acids, baking soda will make your fridge

Photo: ThinkstockBy Amanda Schupak

If You've Got 5 Minutes for the Environment...
Reset the schedule on your automatic sprinklers so your lawn is irrigated in the early morning or late evening. Evaporation during daytime hours means as much as 30 percent of water never makes it into the soil, which can amount to 126 gallons of water wasted each week at your house alone.

RELATED: 6 Steps to Sustainable Eating

Photo: ThinkstockIf You've Got 30 Minutes for the Environment...

Older toilets use as much as seven gallons of water with each flush-when less than a gallon can do the trick. Not ready to replace a gallon guzzler? Fill a plastic bottle with water and a bit of sand or gravel and submerge it in the tank (careful to keep clear of the stopper) for a do-it-yourself low-flow throne.

Photo: ThinkstockIf You've Got an Afternoon for the Environment...

Tweaking the energy efficiency of your home doesn't have to mean replacing your appliances. The U.S. Department of Energy's

Safely Replace Your Tech

By: Andrea Eldridge

If you were fortunate enough to receive a new tech gadget this holiday season, it can be a great opportunity to donate or sell an older device that you no longer need. Before you send it off with a fond farewell, however, keep in mind that most electronic items contain a wealth of personal information that you want to ensure doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Whether you're handing down your laptop to your teenager, giving your old phone to Uncle Fred, or donating your gadget to Goodwill, make sure that you take a few steps to wipe your data off the device before you re-gift it to gain a few more years of use.

If you're passing along a hand-me-down computer or laptop to a trusted family member, performing a backup (to transfer your data to the new system), formatting the hard drive, and reinstalling windows is the easiest way to return the system to factory-like condition. Many people think that this is sufficient to wipe your