Greasy pizza boxes and dirty glass jars are contaminated recyclables that can ruin an entire load of usable material, and they should never be thrown into your recycle bin. These items actually do more than potentially send good, clean recyclables to the landfill; they cost the industry money. It’s believed the contamination of recyclable materials costs the industry just under a billion dollars per year. These costs could potentially result in fewer places to take our recyclables. To help, make sure you only put clean recyclables into your bin. And the rule really is true: When in doubt, toss it out.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

No room to compost? Even if you have a very small yard, you can still help divert organic matter from the landfill. Just put small pieces of vegetable and fruit peels and skins into a blender and puree with water until it becomes a liquid, slushy mixture. Then dig a small hole in the yard (or even a large potted plant) and pour the nutrient-dense mixture into the hole. Cover with soil, and the mixture will deliver all the benefits of compost to plants -- without attracting pests.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

On average, about 675 pieces of unwanted junk mail end up in our mailboxes every year. If you want to put an end to the madness, try these easy steps. First, if you move, don't use a change of address form from the post office; instead, directly contact everyone yourself to give them your new address. Avoid participating in contests that require your address for entry, unless you can opt out of any future solicitations. And contact the top three credit bureaus -- Trans Union, Equifax and Experian -- and ask them to remove you from any unsolicited credit card offer lists. These three steps should help to significantly reduce the amount of junk mail coming to your home.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION