If you forget your reusable coffee cup, be sure to recycle at least one thing from your single-use container: the cardboard sleeve. The paper sleeves are made from a flat paperboard and cardboard (which itself is often made from recycled materials), and they are recyclable with traditional cardboard boxes and paperboard. If you compost, you can also shred them into small pieces and add them to your pile. And of course you can always ask for no sleeve if it's something you really don't need.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

During the global pandemic, we are all using more personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and face masks to do our part and stay healthy. But no matter what your PPE is made of, don't try to recycle it. It's not recyclable, and when it does make its way to a recycling facility, it has to be picked out manually by sanitation workers because gloves, elastic bands and other PPE get snagged in machinery, which can slow down the recycling process. Make sure your used PPE always goes in the trash, and don't forget to cut elastic bands to help protect wildlife.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

The best way to get your clothes to dry faster in the dryer (which saves time and money in the long run) isn't related to how you dry clothes at all. The trick is to make sure the dryer's vent duct is connected in the most efficient way. That accordionlike hose behind your machine should be as short as possible, from the back of the machine directly to the wall. The longer the hose, the harder it is for your dryer to pump moist air out. Simply reducing the length of the vent hose can make your dryer 20% more efficient.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION