It's fun to decorate your home for Halloween, but wildlife experts ask everyone to avoid one decoration in particular: fake spiderwebs. The meshy webs that mimic the look and feel of real spiderwebs can be a hazard for birds, who end up tangled in the artificial meshy mess and can die as a result. Even loose faux spiderwebs with open holes can pose a choking hazard. So this Halloween, go with natural decor like gourds, pumpkins and straw, and skip anything fake or artificial.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

With an estimated $2,000 worth of food thrown away every year in the average American household, being savvy about food waste is both ecological and economical. Take advantage of the plethora of recipes online to turn ingredients destined for the trash into delicious new things to eat. Overripe fruit can be made into fruit leather; vegetable peelings and tops come together for a flavorful veggie broth; and even stale bread and crackers can be transformed into bread pudding or crispy breadcrumbs to adorn salads. Be clever to cut your food waste as much as possible.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

One of the tricks interior decorators use to make a space feel more special is to install dimmer switches so the amount of light from a fixture can be controlled. But that control comes with an extra bonus: A dimmer switch can contribute to energy savings. Dimmer switches actually reduce the flow of electricity to lighting fixtures, which means the bulbs work while using less energy. Less power usage and less light output equals less wear and tear, which means your lightbulbs will last longer, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION