When shopping for party goods, you may be tempted to get something marketed as “biodegradable” balloons. The reality is these latex balloons may degrade, but it can take up to four years for them to degrade completely. In those four years, the small pieces of latex can still end up as “food” ingested by wildlife. And if these balloons were released with strings attached, the nylon ribbon string can tangle and strangle animals, too. The solution? No balloon is the right solution for a party, especially when so many other greener and cleaner options exist.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

After you’ve brewed a cup of tea, you might think the tea bag, used tea and paper label are all fine to throw into the compost bin, right? The reality is the bag is not paper at all, but polypropylene, which is a synthetic, plasticlike resin. And the string and label are usually attached with a small metal staple, which is not compostable. If you want to compost, you need to rip open the bag and toss the contents into the compost, then dispose of the rest. Or try loose tea; you can brew it in a reusable filter and have zero waste with this method.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you have a little leftover brewed coffee from the morning, there’s no need to pour it down the drain later in the day. While coffee is acidic, when it’s brewed with water the acidity is diluted significantly. And while caffeine has yet to be proven beneficial to plants, coffee is high in good things like magnesium and potassium, which are building blocks for plant growth. So pour some cold coffee over your outdoor plants and garden to give them a nutritious boost. And the leftover grounds are always a welcome addition to your compost heap.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION