If you would love to adopt a dog as a companion animal but simply can’t offer the time or proper home for him, do the next best thing: Help train adoptable dogs. Volunteering time at a shelter to train dogs to walk calmly and obey basic commands like “sit” and “stay” helps make them more adoptable to potential families. You'll get your one-on-one time with a dog while helping your local animal shelter, too. And don’t forget: Use your social media platforms to promote adoptable dogs! If you love him, maybe one of your followers will take the leap and adopt him.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you toss out food items because they’ve met or are slightly past their expiration date? You might want to consider saving them before throwing them in the trash. The date is really a “use by” or “best by” date, which indicates the date when the food item may begin degrading in quality. It doesn’t mean the food is unhealthy or inedible. Go with your gut instinct and give the food a smell or taste test. And if you find food on its expiration date, consider using the item right away, before eating anything else.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Would you turn on your shower for 90 minutes and let it run unused? Of course not -- that would be completely irresponsible and wasteful! But if you throw a barbecue and toss out a few uncooked hamburgers, that’s pretty much what you’re doing. Each hamburger patty that’s tossed into the trash equals about 90 minutes’ worth of water used to produce that amount of meat. If you do eat meat, be cautious and treat it like a special delicacy rather than as a disposable ingredient. And since meat isn’t compostable, eat it all or save it for future meals.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION