According to the nonprofit Global Citizen, between 2012 and 2016, there was an "84% increase in recycling being rejected because of people contaminating it with nonrecyclable items." One way to help is to make sure your recyclables aren't coated in food, so give them a good rinse in the sink before placing them in the bin. Also, avoid the most commonly rejected items in recycling bins: laminated pouches, toys, toothpaste tubes, tissues, broken glass drinkware and old clothing.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Take a look at your cookware today. Is the bottom flat, or is it slightly warped from use? If your cookware isn't perfectly flat, it can be an incredibly inefficient way to cook. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a "warped-bottom pot could take 50% more energy to boil water" versus a flat one. And when it comes to baking, choose glass or ceramic dishes. They heat up faster than metal, which means you can bake, roast and cook things at temperatures 25 degrees lower.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When shopping for paper for your home printer, there is a huge difference between paper that's made from 100% post-consumer material versus virgin stock. For example, did you know it takes 24 large trees to produce one ton of virgin paper? One ton of recycled paper takes 1.1 tons of waste paper to manufacture; that's 1.1 tons of paper diverted from landfills, re-pulped and remade into new paper. Plus, 100% post-consumer recycled paper requires 75% less water than virgin paper to be made. Recycled is clearly the greenest choice.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION