TODAY IS

Sheryl Lee, who was the main victim in the TV series "Twin Peaks" -- yes, she was Laura Palmer -- turns 49 today. Whatever you do, don't sign her birthday card just with the word, "Bob." (Trivia: She had originally only been signed to play the corpse in the show, but director David Lynch became inspired. Her career went on to emulate her character on the show.)

Goofy guy Ryan Stiles turns 57 today. If you want tall and lanky, he's your guy. You've seen him on "The Drew Carey Show" and "Whose Line is It Anyway?" We hear when he was born, his folks drove half a block before they realized his feet were stuck in the hospital door. 

Peter Frampton turns 66 today. There was a time he asked, "Do you feel like we do?" I have to say, these days, I probably do. Or, it's getting harder and harder to come alive... although, most times, I do feel like he do.

National Jelly Bean Day -- Historians can't exactly say when this day started or why. It may have begun with candy manufacturers, or avid fans who just wanted to share their affection for the irresistible treat.

• The jelly bean dates back to at least the 1860's -- when jars of the tasty treats were promoted as morale boosters for army troops fighting in the Civil War.
• While egg-shaped jelly beans seem like a natural for Easter basket fillers, it wasn't until the 1930's when jelly beans became a permanent part of the Easter tradition.
• Jelly beans were always traditionally made from sugar and artificial flavors, but in the 1980's a revolution in jelly bean varieties exploded with the introduction of "Jelly Belly" jelly beans.
• Even President Ronald Reagan was known for his love of Jelly Belly jelly beans, as he always kept a jar of the sweet treats on his desk in the Oval Office (his favorite flavor was licorice.)
• Reagan later became responsible for launching the very first jelly beans into space when he sent a jar to the 1983 Challenger crew as a surprise for the astronauts.

It's Earth Day! Everybody sing: "Happy Earth Day to you... Happy Earth Day to you... "

Earth Day is a name used for two different observances, both held annually during spring in the northern hemisphere, and autumn in the southern hemisphere. These are intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment. The United Nations celebrates Earth Day, which was founded by John McConnell in 1969, each year on the March equinox, while a global observance originated by Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in, and since January 1970 also called Earth Day, is celebrated in many countries each year on April 22, including the U.S.

(Woman's Day) A few simple changes over a year can make every day Earth Day:

• If you recycle your newspaper (what's that?) every week, you'll keep four trees alive per year and increase the earth's oxygen
• If you cut one 20-mile car trip each week by completing errands at once rather than making separate trips, you'll prevent more than 1,200 pounds of greenhouse gas from being emitted and adding to global warming
• If you recycle a six-pack of aluminum cans every week, you'll save enough energy to power a television for 936 hours
• If you cut 5 minutes from your daily shower, you'll save up to 9,000 gallons of water

Here are more tips from Good Housekeeping to help you live greener, on Earth Day and all year round:

For every 10 minutes you shower, you may be using up to 25 gallons of water. If every GH reader used a WaterSense-rated showerhead (epa.gov/watersense), 120 million gallons could be saved in just one day -- that's 182 Olympic-size pools -- and $88 million a year.

Windows and doors can be major causes of heat loss, with faulty windows adding 10 to 25 percent to your heating bill. Open blinds during the day to let sun in. At dusk, close them to trap heat.

Configure your office printer or copy machine so it prints on both sides of the page.

Pay bills online, or set up automatic check paying from your bank account. No envelopes, no postage -- and no late fees, if you're on an automatic plan.

Driving 10 mph above 60 is like adding nearly 50 cents to the price of a gallon of gas, since higher speed equals more guzzling.

Choose concentrated or ultra-cleaning products, which use 50 to 60 percent less packaging than traditional formulas while cleaning just as thoroughly.

Plant trees around the house strategically (on the south and west sides; shading the air-conditioning unit, if possible) to save up to about $250 a year on cooling and heating.

Switch to a front-loading washer from a top loader. In a recent GHRI test of front loaders, they used less than half the water traditionally used by a top loader for a full load.

You probably know that compact fluorescent bulbs are more energy efficient -- in fact, ones that are Energy Star qualified use about 75 percent less electricity and last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescents.

True or false: 

Heat is your home's biggest energy hog. True. 

Heat typically accounts for 31 percent of the costs, and AC uses 12 percent. Contact your local utility company to ask about a free energy audit, which will locate drafts.

Don't flush your cash -- toilets are the top source of indoor water use for a home. In the 1992 law, they were mandated to a max of 1.6 gallons per flush. Older ones can use from 3.5 to 7.0 GPF -- real water wasters! Early low-flow toilets often weren't efficient; some required two or more flushes, defeating the purpose.

Hang drapes to help block drafts from where the window meets the frame.

Spritz spray cleaner on cloth, not surfaces. You'll use less.

Running a full dishwasher uses half the water and energy -- or less -- of washing the same dishes by hand. Another water saver: Don't rinse before loading. -- Carolyn Forte, home appliances & cleaning products director

True or false: 

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are the most energy-efficient option. False. LEDs are. Now available as direct replacement bulbs, they can use about half the energy that CFLs do, and last about four times as long -- in some cases, 25 years!

Water your yard wisely Be sure sprinklers are placed so you're not also watering pavement. It's best to water early in the morning to minimize evaporation and allow plants to absorb moisture before the day heats up

Get off junk-mail lists Register with the Direct Marketing Association's DMA choice mail preference service (dmachoice.org), and you'll see a significant reduction in mail after three months.

Bring home superhero plants. Certain easy-care greens (English ivy, mums, and peace lilies) naturally help remove indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde and benzene.