The L.A. Times tells America about a brilliant new miracle cleaning solution. It degreases. It sanitizes food. It kills salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and athlete's foot. In short, it has the potential of doing away with a shelf full of chemicals.

What is it? Tap water. Electrolyzed water, to be exact. The recipe is simple as a snake-oil pitch: mix tap water and table salt and zap with an electric current, creating an alkaline liquid. In fact, it's so easy that if you don't feel like sanitizing your floors with it, you can safely drink it--in fact, some studies say that if you do, you'll absorb vitamins better and mice live longer. The ramifications for the environment are obvious.

Does it work? A professor of food science at the University of Georgia says it's ten times more effective than bleach at killing bacteria, and his study backs him up. The FDA, EPA, and Department of Agriculture have all approved it for a bunch of uses.

The growing market for earth-friendly products and solutions has given homeowners a lot of choices, but how do you know what's truly green versus "greenwashed"? Here are five signs to help measure greenness.

• Start with the manufacturer: Green begins at the industrial birthplace of a product, so check out the manufacturer's website or product literature for a written, working environmental policy. It should emphasize reduction, reuse and recycling, and confirm compliance with an industry's voluntary testing programs.

For the last couple of weeks, Rebecca Currie has spent approximately $1 per day on food. Normally a frugal shopper (she spends an average of $80 a month at the grocery store), she embarked on this experiment to show how ultra-cheap eating can not only help consumers save money, but could even improve the quality of their diets. Displaying her findings on her blog, she is making it clear that cheap food and poor eating don't have to go hand-in-hand.

Currie is hardly the first person to explore the wonders of super-cheap cuisine. In The Man Who Ate Everything, author Jeffrey Steingarten spends a chapter exploring various methods of subsistence cooking and offering recipes like "Sludge," a ground beef-based Depression era dish that is like meatloaf, minus much of the flavor. For that matter, thrifty consumers from the Manson family to today's "freegans" have discovered the wonders of harvesting free, if somewhat wilted, produce. For that matter, Currie herself was inspired by the One Dollar Diet Project, a blog in which two California high school teachers documented their month-long attempt to eat for only $1 a day.

Will our new-found miserly ways keep economic recovery out of our reach? What does the situation in Japan tell us?

Over the last few weeks, the news has been filled with stories about consumers clamping down on discretionary spending. Increasingly, analysts are drawing connections between the changes in American spending habits and the change in Japanese culture during the famous "lost decade" of the 1990's and 2000's, a period of economic malaise that brought reduced wages, a depressed stock market, and a wave of miserly behavior that continues to undermine Japan's economy.

While Japan was once among the world's top consumers of luxury items, the lost decade wreaked havoc on its spending habits. Whiskey consumption, for example, is currently one fifth of what it was during its peak, and a recent survey demonstrated that the desire to own a car has halved in the last nine years.

Part of the reason for this lies in the fact that Japanese businesses, which once offered cradle-to-grave security, now rely on temp workers. In fact, 48% of workers under 25 are temps, a trend that has resulted in less security, lower wages, and fewer luxury purchases. However, even among older workers, the trend has long veered toward saving money; in many ways, Japan's citizenry continue to display the kind of shell-shocked thrift that most Americans associate with the Great Depression.

While my first reaction to power company-sponsored efficiency initiatives is always, isn't there an inherent conflict of interest here? I still admire what Xcel is doing in Boulder, Colorado. The utility company is investing $100 million upgrading Boulder's power infrastructure, a project they're calling "SmartGridCity." The first house, owned by the University of Colorado's chancellor, Bud Peterson, was unveiled this summer (it was the day before Sarah Palin's selection, so it's no surprise the news was met with stunning silence). Chief among the features: the ability to program heating and cooling into individual rooms, instead of the whole house; and feedback ("two-way communication") from the Xcel to tell them when power is readily available and, therefore, cheaper (or, for instance, when the wind is especially strong so their power will be drawn from that renewable source rather than a, well, dirtier option).

The Petersons' "deluxe" edition smart house comes with a "command console" to manage programming the power use in their house (check out the video from NBC after the jump). It's a big investment (and comes with solar panels from which the Petersons' electric car often gets its charge), making the whole project somewhat utopian. What can you do to save money before your power company develops a smart grid?

At a time when most retailers are struggling, business is booming at Palm Beach consignment stores - thanks to Bernie Madoff.

That's where many of the disgraced financier's victims are now hocking designer clothing, furniture and other luxury goods at an unprecedented rate, local shop owners say.

"We're actually expanding the store," Shelby Bye, a manager at Chris Ellis Consignment Collection on South Dixie Highway, recently told wowOwow. Bye said the store, which sells high-end accent tables, armoires, chandeliers and other pricey household goods, is having trouble handling it all. "There's not enough space for everything that's coming in," she said.

This surge in so-called "Madoff inventory" comes on top of a seasonal purging of has-been designs and labels at this time of year, along with the downturn in the economy. That's leading to unheard of deals on everything from Hermès purses and Armani jackets to a $7,500 art deco expandable table.

At nearby Attitudes Consignment, a $1,900 Lora Piana Mini Globe handbag is going for $975. "I've never seen anything like this," owner Olive Grey told wowOwow.

For more fabulous finds, check out this photo gallery.

Australia may have a way to help solve the world's drought problem: Charge homeowners for each flush of a toilet.

While the final solution may not be that simple, economic and water officials in Australia are promoting a plan there that would charge homeowners based on waste water output. Currently, sewage charges are based on a home's value.

"It would encourage people to reduce their sewage output by taking shorter showers, recycling washing machine water or connecting rainwater tanks to internal plumbing to reduce their charges," Adelaide University Water Management Professor Mike Young is quoted in Perth Now.

"Some people may go so far as not flushing their toilet as often because the less sewage you produce, the less sewage rate you pay," Young said.

If moving is on the horizon for you, there are lots of great options for green-minded moving that can help save money and keep waste from littering the transition.

• Ban the Boxes - While cardboard varieties can take a few rounds of use, the better, cheaper option is actually a fleet of reusable plastic bins that you either rent directly or select as part of a green moving package (available from such regional services as Rentagreenbox). They're easy to pack and do a better job of protecting your stuff in the process. Plus, they last far longer than cardboard -- helping many movers before and after you -- and the built-in box return deadline ensures a speedy unpacking period in your new home.
• Choose an Earth Friendly Mover – Many reputable green moving companies make earth-friendliness a priority. This can include everything from biofueled rigs to the use of 100% cotton moving pads. Experienced, professional moving personnel will know how to carefully pack your belongings in the fewest boxes possible for a minimum of trips from Point A to Point B.
• Less is More – A big factor in your green moving experience is the amount of stuff you have in the first place -- remember, less to haul means less human and automotive energy used, and more room to enjoy in your new abode. Go through your belongings and edit down to what you truly want to take into your new home life, and recycle the rest via yard sales and charitable donations.

Tom Kraeutler is the Home Improvement Editor for AOL and co-author of My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure. He delivers home improvement tips each week as host of The Money Pit, a nationally syndicated home improvement radio program.

Once upon a time, German food was among the most respected cuisines in the world. While it lacked the refinement of French food or the exuberance of Italian, the rich, warmly-accented cuisine was eminently satisfying. Moreover, its emphasis on inexpensive ingredients and robust seasonings meant that a good German cook could produce a delicious, expansive meal for a relatively small amount of money.

Unfortunately, as American consumers became more health-conscious, German food had a hard time making the transition. Designed for a harsh, cold climate, the cuisine tends to be highly caloric, with rich sausages and meat dishes accompanied by carbo-bombing dumplings and peasant breads. Even German vegetables, like sauerkraut and red cabbage, came under attack for their high salt and vinegar content and presumed lack of nutrients.

As wallets tighten, however, it seems like the time is ripe for German food to make a comeback. Its tendency to use cheaper cuts of meat and more plebian veggies makes it perfect for families that are looking to save money. Moreover, by offering smaller helpings and employing a few substitutions, careful cooks can greatly reduce its fat, sodium, and calorie content.

Matthew Weingarten, the Executive Chef at New York's Inside Park restaurant, has experimented with seasonings and preparation methods to subtly update classic German cuisine. His marinated mushroom recipe, which follows, makes a great accompaniment to meat dishes like sauerbraten or tastes great by itself.

If you're interested in exploring German cuisine at length, there are numerous internet sites and a few good cookbooks. In my opinion, however, the classic cookbook is still Jan Mitchell's Luchow's German Cookbook. Best of all, like the cuisine, the book is cheap -- used copies are going for as little as $1!

Click through for Weingarten's great marinated mushroom recipe.

There are about 150 headlines a day there to remind you that the auto industry is in the toilet, but there's one segment of the market that is loving it: mechanics.

The USA Today reports that "Auto dealers and garage owners say they are seeing drivers pay more attention to regular maintenance and be more willing to spring for costly major repairs now that they are reluctant to trade in their junkers."

Parts and service departments at dealerships are expected to see their revenues rise 3% in 2009, and the percentage of vehicles scrapped hit its lowest mark since 1996.

It's hard to see this as bad news: A decline in car manufacturing is good for the environment and regardless of what the latest unemployment figure is, driving an old car for a few more years is one of the smartest financial moves you can possibly make. That's why it's so mystifying to me that the United States Senate is passing laws that encourage people to take out loans to buy new cars they can't afford. Of course that's a wonderful gift to hand to automobile manufacturers, but what about the mechanics who are paid to service old cars?

Increasing the number of new cars sold is bad for mechanics and more importantly, it's bad for consumers. it's a shame that lawmakers have been so blindsided by lobbyists that they can't see that.

Your kids' books with the hologram covers, your girls' boot-cut jeans with fake crystal details, all your children's toys, every single thing with a snap, are about to become contraband. As the new Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, the CPSIA, goes into effect on Tuesday, February 10 -- in just four days -- despite newly vague statements that retailers won't be required to test products for lead until February 2010, many thrift stores are considering closing shop.

That the law is a good thing in concept is universally agreed-upon. None of us want our children wearing clothes that contain high levels of lead, or ingesting lead do-hickeys from their sparkly toys, or happening to chew on a kids' book that's contaminated. But that the law is wrong-headed in practice and has been administered with a shameful lack of competence on the part of CPSC Chairwoman Nancy Nord. The bill's original sponsors have called upon Nord to step down.

Under the current rules, nothing works. Thrift stores and consignment shops don't have to test for lead; but will still be subject to enormous fines and the potential for prosecution if they sell a contaminated product. Small manufacturers still can't afford the testing requirements for natural products, like cloth diapers and hand-carved toys, no matter if the requirements go into effect Tuesday or a year from Tuesday. Used books can't be sold by libraries to raise money.

As of last week, Disneyland's locomotives won't be belching out clouds of noxious black exhaust. The park's signature railroad, which loops around the campus, now smells an awful lot like lunch.

In a brilliant move that is both environmentally savvy and penny-pinching, Disneyland has learned how to convert its cooking oil into a biofuel. Now, instead of throwing away their used deep-frying oils, the restaurants at Disney's two California parks and its hotels will send it for treatment so it can power the steam engines.

The five Disneyland locomotives use about 200,000 gallons of fuel a year, and the park expects the ravenous eating habits of its guests, who order fries with nearly every meal, to generate about the half the fuel necessary for the year. With time, the park's rep says, it expects the switch to pay off because the cost of biofuel is much less volatile than the price of diesel. The resort was previously dumping its old oil. Now it can be used twice.

In terms of Disney lore, the economical switch is deeply meaningful. Trains provided the germ of the idea for Disneyland. Walt Disney had a whole railroad built in his back yard, and when he was first toying with the concept of Disneyland, a central goal was to share his love for trains.

The property named the National Home Builders Association's 2007 Greenest Home in America is back on the market.

Located in Bend, Oregon, the property is being represented by Gary Fowles of The Hasson Company. The listing sheet describes it this way:

. . . An innovative application of materials by one of Bend's true craftsmen has created a cozy & comfortable living environment that looks & feels like conventional construction but employs the latest energy efficient technologies. Qualified for Earth Advantage Platinum Standard. Open & inviting floor plan w/gas fireplace & main floor mstr suite. Bathrooms have dual flush toilets & solar hot water panels to assist H2O heating.

The home has three bedrooms, two and a half baths and boasts 1,840 square feet of living space. This is not a tiny energy efficient bungalow.

RISMedia has more details on the home and all its green-friendly features.

Keep Britain Tidy, a British anti-trash campaign run by a prominent environmental group, just released a survey of the garbage it found strewn all over 10 of England's city streets, including London. Its headliner finding: McDonald's accounts for 29% of the fast-food trash left across the country. In the city of Birmingham, as much as 41% of the chain-store litter came from McDonald's. Other corporate culprits perpetually inhabiting the gutter included KFC (fourth place) and Subway (fifth place).

The problem is getting worse, too, the campaign reported. Six years ago, 16% of British streets were considered messy, and by the same standards, a quarter now are.

Keep Britain Tidy is trying to use the findings to force the big fast-food chains to be more active in keeping their customers from littering in the first place. I'm not really sure how they're going to do that short of asking customers to bring their own plates.

But the group has floated some early ideas, including giving a discount to people who eat their food at the restaurant or giving small money-back vouchers to people who bring back their used cups, containers, and wrappers for recycling, the way some states' bottle deposits work.

When it comes to raising some quick cash, some ingenious people are really willing to go the extra mile. Such is the case of two New Jersey funeral directors who have lost their mortician licenses and face some serious fines and prison time based upon their participation in a body-parts-for-sale enterprise. NorthJersey.com reported that three ghouls for hire did, in fact ,harvest and sell numerous body parts to medical companies. According to the report, these illegal acts of excision and dispersal were accomplished without the knowledge of family members and without the consent of the decedents.