When moving to a new home, one of the more delicate items that needs to be wrapped up securely is a television. Purchasing the cardboard box, wrapping and other packing materials needed can not only be expensive, it’s also wasteful, since you will end up discarding them. Since there is a good chance someone in your neighborhood is purchasing a new TV, ask around for their old box and packing materials. It may securely hold your TV, and it’ll be absolutely free to obtain; plus, you’re reusing packaging that was likely destined for the landfill.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

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