When you slice open an avocado, don’t toss the skin into the trash or compost bin right away. The skin, which still has some avocado fruit and its natural oils on the reverse side, is a fantastic instant beauty treatment for your skin. Simply rub the inside part of the skin on your own so the remnant avocado is massaged in. It’s rich in vitamin E and potassium, which helps feed dry skin. The natural antioxidants in avocados help with dry, flaky skin and can help calm inflammation and clear up acne-prone skin, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Did you know the shelf life of dried spices is about two years? It can be hard to remember when you bought herbs and spices, so be sure to mark the month and year on the jar when you bring home new containers. When it’s time to replace spices, don’t toss them into the trash. Old spices can be used to make all-natural aromatherapy sprays or even used as all-natural insect repellants around the house. Just look up individual spices and find out some clever hacks for how to use them. The easiest? Toss your old spices into your compost bin.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Are you still getting bills in the mail? It may not seem like much, but all of those paper bills for your car lease, utilities and credit cards generate over 2 million tons of carbon pollution every year, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. It’s easy to curb this waste; ask to switch to e-billing so invoices and statements come to you via email instead of snail mail. Often, companies will reward your green act with savings, rewards or gifts, so going green can have extra incentives, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION