The World Wildlife Fund is urging consumers to avoid palm oil in products because it’s grown in tropical rainforests where clear-cutting of land for palm oil plantations has led to devastating losses of critical wildlife habitat. Bio-diverse forests are lost, and endangered species like orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos are threatened. Palm oil is found in items like lipstick (it helps hold color and doesn’t have any taste), instant noodles, pizza dough, detergent, soaps and even packaged breads. Read product labels closely, and try to avoid items with palm oil.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

It may seem harmless to take a small rock or pine cone out of a national park as a souvenir, but that simple act is both illegal and harmful to the environment. When you think about the number of people who go through our parks, if even a fraction of them take “souvenirs,” the numbers would be staggering. At Petrified Forest National Park, it’s estimated over 12 tons of petrified wood is taken out every year by visitors. Instead of taking souvenirs, take pictures. The only exception to this rule is sea glass; while beautiful, this tumbled glass is technically trash, since it comes from broken bottles.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

It’s easy to make new plants from existing plants by taking cuttings and transplanting them into soil to grow. When you want to grow a new plant from a cutting, one simple ingredient from your kitchen pantry can help: cinnamon. Cinnamon powder is just as effective as commercial rooting hormone powders and helps stimulate root growth in cuttings. Just dip your cutting in water, and then dip it in cinnamon. Plant the cutting in a pot of soil and watch it grow. The cinnamon is naturally antibacterial and will help fight off disease.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION