Sure, you can donate lightly used clothes, kitchenware, books and other household items to Goodwill, but did you know you can also donate gift cards? Billions of dollars go unused every year on gift cards, so gather any cards with remaining balances (no matter how small the amount left) and donate them. The charity can look up the remaining balance on the cards and either resell them in stores or consolidate them through a third-party vendor who gives a percentage of the total balances to the charity.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Perhaps you've seen a product like this in the kitchen housewares aisle of your store: "eco-friendly" plastic wrap. It's packaged in a recycled paperboard box and lists attributes like "natural value" and "PVC-free." At the end of the day, it's still single-use plastic. When it comes to shopping for eco-friendly products, be diligent about avoiding products that are marketed as eco-friendly but are far from it. Instead of a slightly greener plastic wrap, how about forgoing this unrecyclable, nonbiodegradable item altogether?

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Bees aren't the only insects who help pollinate fruits, flowers and veggies. Butterflies are also an important part of the ecosystem. To help attract butterflies to your garden, avoid insecticides, which are obviously lethal to them. Fun fact: Butterflies aren't attracted to flowers, but to flowering plants and bushes that are rich in nectar. Look for plants like milkweed, mint, zinnias, buddleia and heliotrope, which are all varieties butterflies love to drink from. Finally, filling a shallow dish with fresh water every day is a simple way to give them a place to drink, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION