It seems logical that a resale shop like the Salvation Army Store or Goodwill would want any extra wire hangers from the dry cleaner that you have in your home, since those stores sell a lot of used clothes. But they don't want your hangers unless you have lightly used clothes hanging on them to donate as well. Instead, take your wire hangers back to the dry cleaner or bundle them together for recycling. Retail plastic hangers are a bit more difficult, so the next time you buy clothes, leave the hangers at the store for reuse or recycling.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do the math: There are nearly 250 million cars on the road in the United States, and all of that windshield washer fluid adds up. Turns out the majority of these fluids are made of methanol, which is so toxic that just 2 tablespoons can kill a child if ingested. With so many cars spraying to clean their windshields, the accumulation of droplets on roads ends up in waterways and in our environment. Take the time to buy biodegradable fluid that's methanol-free the next time you refill your car's reservoir.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

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