The next time you’re invited to a party where you know there will be lots of leftovers, be the hero who thought ahead and bring reusable food containers. Even a roll of aluminum foil can be helpful to wrap up leftovers and make handy take-away pouches. Plus, clean used aluminum is fully recyclable. And if you’re invited to a picnic or potluck-style party (and maybe you’re not the best cook), offer to bring reusable containers and utensils for everyone to use, take home and wash at the end.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

It’s common knowledge that milk is a rich source of calcium to help maintain strong bones. But what do you do with milk that’s gone bad? Believe it or not, plants can actually benefit from old milk! One gardening hack for increasing the calcium content of garden soil is to pour old milk into it. Plants such as tomatoes love spoiled milk and will use it to create strong stems and better yields of fruit. Just dilute the milk with water to make a cloudy mixture and pour away at the base of your plants.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Ever wonder what to do with the brine inside a jar of pickles when the last dill is gobbled up? Most of us probably toss it down the drain before recycling the glass jar, but don’t! The old brine is an effective all-natural weed killer. Pickling brines contain a high level of salt, which helps dry out weeds. All you have to do is pour the pickle brine over pesky weeds (like between cracks in the driveway or sidewalk) and it’ll work as well as any chemical herbicide.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION