Are you part of the movement trying to live a plastic-free life? There are easy things to steer clear of, like plastic straws, single-use bags and disposable cups, but what about some less obvious plastic you can avoid? When it comes to wine, not all stoppers are the same. Some use natural cork stoppers (which are biodegradable) and others use plastic. To know if your favorite bottle uses a real cork or fake, visit CorkWatch at recork.com/corkwatch.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

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