MNN - Mother Nature Network

Environmentalism can get complicated in a world of salmonella recalls and anti-clothesline ordinances. Luckily, some eco-inspired writers have taken on a couple green conundrums to help out the composting enthusiast and energy-efficient laundry washer. Read and learn:

 

>> Can I compost recalled peanut butter? Only if “your compost reaches and maintains a temperature of 135 degrees for several days,” according to Umbra, advice columnist at Grist. Chances that salmonella from the compost will make it back into your mouth is remote, but not a risk worth taking.

 

>> Is my clothesline legal? Maybe not, if you belong to a homeowners or condo-owners associations or are a renter. Read the L.A. Times article to find out how line-drying enthusiasts are skirting around no-dry rules — and be conscious about your neighbor’s needs too. Says one guy unhappy about his neighbor’s clotheslines: “I’ll invite my friends out onto the patio only to be greeted by Dora the Explorer footie pajamas and old-lady bras. Ewww.”