You don't have to be a resident of a community in order to join a local public library. This is a great thing to do if you're going somewhere for an extended vacation. Instead of buying new books and bringing them with you, you can join the library at your vacation spot and check out books for free. When you're done reading them or your vacation comes to an end, just return them. This is a great way to avoid lugging heavy books, and it lets you be a little more green when you travel.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

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