When you're making a big pot of pasta, is it better to reach for a glass jar or a tin can of sauce? While both are recyclable, metal is the better choice. Metal containers are lighter to transport, less prone to breakage and more easily recycled, giving them a smaller environmental footprint overall. In the past, canned goods were often avoided because of BPA-lined interiors -- a known endocrine disruptor -- but most manufacturers now use BPA-free cans.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Who knew? Time magazine reported that meal kits that are delivered to your home may not be as bad for the environment as you think. These kits significantly cut down on food waste, since they are designed to use every ingredient in the package to make the meals. The trick is to find a meal kit brand that uses recyclable and biodegradable materials versus single-use plastics, in addition to organic and sustainable ingredients. Of course, buying local and making your own is the greenest, but if you're short on time, don't feel bad opting for a green meal kit.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you crack a lot of eggs, there's something you can do with the shells to help our feathered friends. Because female birds are drained of calcium when they are laying eggs, they love to find eggshells and consume them for all of the nutritional benefits. The National Audubon Society suggests that before you put chicken eggshells out, they need to be rinsed and sterilized. Just rinse and bake them at 250 degrees on a cookie tray until dry. Then cool and sprinkle the shells near a birdfeeder or a place where birds drink water.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION