Got a little leftover shampoo or body wash? Or maybe you have a stash of little hotel bottles of these things in your junk drawer? You can use them for a few things around the house! One handy way to use them is as a stain remover on upholstered furniture; just dab some liquid soap right onto the stain and use a damp cloth to work the suds (and stain) out. Or use it as a detergent for handwashing delicate items in the sink. Finally, try shampoo to degrease kitchen cabinets; just use it full strength as a degreaser on the cabinets and wipe it off with a damp towel. Good as new!

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you can plan ahead, one easy way to help reduce carbon emissions is to opt for ground shipping of purchases made online. Ground shipping may take a bit more time, but it usually does not involve gas-guzzling airplanes to guarantee your package is delivered overnight. Instead, it uses a fleet of trucks which have been programmed to deliver packages in the most fuel-efficient way from Point A to Point B. If you must overnight something, try to use the shipping company’s own packaging; many companies not only use packaging created from recycled materials, but then it can be reused.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

During the holiday season, many of us get gifts that are wrapped in tissue paper. And while tissue paper is technically recyclable, it can be hard to find a recycler that accepts it. When it comes to unbleached and white tissue paper, you can actually compost it. The fibers are short, it’s usually made from recycled materials and it degrades easily into beneficial mulch. If you can’t reuse it, compost it and you’ll keep some holiday waste out of the trash.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION