Sure, if you have a small gift to give, a piece of scrap paper makes an easy gift wrap. But what about something larger? Consider wrapping it in something useful by using a double-duty gift. Take two pillow cases and double-wrap a gift; just tie a knot with the excess fabric, and voila! A beautifully wrapped gift. Tea towels and bath towels are also easy to use in lieu of paper to wrap a present; use safety pins to tuck them neatly into a wrapped gift. And you can upcycle the fabric bags that shoes or bedding sets come packaged in; they often have a zip closure that makes wrapping a breeze.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Did you know many fitness and health experts say walking 10,000 steps a day is the “magic number” to lose weight and feel more energized? If you don’t have time to go to the gym, you can try to reach that number in your day-to-day life and go green, too. Skip taxis in major cities and walk instead (or use public transport, which requires some walking to and from stations). When running errands, choose a shopping center that has several stores and walk between stores rather than driving to several. Experts say downloading a long podcast to your phone can help you walk more without realizing it, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

This isn’t a radically new eco-tip, but it’s one worth repeating: Never take throwaway disposable plastic shopping bags. Did you know plastic bags are one of the worst offenders when it comes to litter? It’s believed over 4 billion (yes, billion) bags are strewn in storm drains, beaches, oceans and forests. These bags are more than just ugly, too. They kill hundreds of millions of animals including birds, whales and other marine mammals annually. Production of these bags uses about 12 million barrels of oil each year, and the bags are rarely recycled. This year, skip the bags and bring your own.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION