Whether you compost at home or bring your compostables to a collection site, do one thing: Remove any produce stickers. Almost all stickers that have a bar code for scanning are made from plastic, and plastic does not break down into compost. You can remove the stickers when you first bring produce home, or do this: Buy fruits and vegetables that don't have stickers on them to begin with. That's actually one more reason to support your local farmers markets over chain supermarkets.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Many of us look for cans with no BPA lining when buying beans, soups and vegetables. But when it comes to tomatoes, even BPA-free cans can still have a chemical lining, since tomatoes are so acidic. When shopping for packaged tomatoes, look beyond cans for packaging called Tetra Paks, which are cardboard containers that are BPA-free and recyclable. And if you can't find Tetra Paks, look for good old-fashioned glass; most health food stores carry tomatoes in glass jars.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When you buy a bottle of vitamins or new electronics, you'll typically find little packets labeled "Do Not Eat" inside. These are called silica packets, and inside them is a very porous natural mineral that absorbs moisture and helps preserve freshness. There's no need to throw away these packets; you can reuse them around your home to keep things like tools, photos and the contents of your dresser drawers fresh and free of moisture. And you can reactivate silica packets: Just place them on a cookie tray in the oven at 275 degrees for about an hour.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION