Do you use a wooden block to house your kitchen knives? While it may be useful and decorative, it can also harbor a lot of unhealthy bacteria that can make you sick. If you do a haphazard job in washing your knives, any residual bacteria on the knives (especially if the blades are still a little wet) can be transferred to the wooden block. Over time, the bacteria can multiply and grow, transferring onto the blades and going into the food you're cutting up. The better choice is to invest in a magnetic strip, which allows knives to air dry completely.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

The implementation of bans on single-use plastic shopping bags in many cities (New York City being the most recent) has created a surge in people using reusable bags when they shop. That's a great thing. But have you ever wondered how many times you need to use a reusable bag before it becomes greener than a single-use bag? Turns out, it's 131 times. A 2011 study by the U.K. government came to the conclusion that using such a bag this many times would make reusable bags a greener choice for climate change than using plastic bags once.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you must use disposable paper plates, go with the most boring, uncoated, unprinted varieties. Party plates that come in bright colors with shiny coatings are non-compostable and nonrecyclable, and they can be expensive to boot. Generic white paper plates or durable "Classic White" Chinet plates get the job done and can be safely tossed into the compost bin at home to break down and become beneficial mulch.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION