With nearly anything available to purchase online and have shipped to your home, you might want to reconsider ordering items that come packaged in dry ice. While fresh-churned ice creams, seafood and other items that need to stay frozen when shipped are tempting, the disposal of dry ice -- solidified carbon dioxide -- is problematic. Pouring it down drains can cause pipes to freeze and burst. And the container, gloves and anything else that's used to hold or handle it needs to be disposed of at a household hazardous waste site. Buy local instead, and skip icy-cold foods altogether in your online shopping.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

The start of the school year often brings donation drives to give kids the essentials they need to excel at school. But the winter months are a critical time to donate things like binders, pencils, pens, folders and notebooks, too. The need for the right supplies persists nearly year-round, not just at the start of the school season. Local charities also continue to need seasonal items after their big donation drives, especially in cold climates -- so keep donating your winter coats, hats, mittens, new warm socks, blankets and towels.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Microwaves are a convenient and energy-efficient way to cook and heat up leftovers instead of using the oven. But when using a microwave, opt for only microwave-safe glass or ceramic containers, even if a plastic container is marked "microwave-safe." That marking on plastics means they can withstand heat up to a certain temperature; if you're cooking something on high for an extended period of time, even microwave-safe plastic containers can lose their shape and could leach chemicals into your food.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION