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Do Just One Thing
Danny Seo
Do you enjoy feeding ducks and other waterfowl?
Skip the bread -- it's basically junk food for them, lacking essential nutrients and potentially causing digestive problems.
A healthier option is thawed frozen peas, which are rich in niacin and similar to foods ducks naturally forage.
Just remember to avoid canned peas, as they're often cooked and contain added salt.
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Believe it or not, one of the most dangerous things your pet can eat isn't a food at all: It's the bag your favorite chips or snack foods come packaged in.
When you're done eating your BBQ potato chips, a few remnants of the snack remain in the bag. If you leave the bag where your dog can find it, they'll naturally stick their head in.
A Facebook page called "Prevent a Pet Suffocation" says many animals actually suffocate when they trap themselves in the bag and are unable to breathe. To prevent this, simply cut the bottom of the bag open before throwing it away.
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When it comes to tissues, napkins and paper towels, what do you do with them after they've been used?
The good news is that used paper products like napkins and towels are compostable; they just need to be layered as "brown" matter in a compost bin with "green" material like kitchen trimmings and grass clippings.
But don't forget the paperboard boxes and tubes these items are packaged with; they can be added to paperboard recycling. And even the plastic film on the outside of paper towels can be recycled in the same bin as plastic shopping bags at the store.
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It's believed that people in the city of Los Angeles waste about 100 hours every year sitting in traffic, on average.
Even worse than lost time, transportation is now the No. 1 source of carbon pollution in the United States, with much of it coming from cars and gridlock traffic.
To cut down on traffic waste, avoid driving during peak hours whenever possible. Plan errands like grocery shopping and appointments before lunch or after lunch (before the evening commute times).
And make use of smartphone apps to plan your drive; an app can suggest times that are less busy and routes that will make your drive quicker and more fuel-efficient.
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Ever tried cleaning your area rugs with fresh snow? It really works!
On a very cold day with a few inches of clean, powdery snow, place your rug right on top of it. Use a broom to beat the surface (either side works) to loosen dust and dirt, then flip and repeat.
The snow clings to debris while the freezing temperatures help kill dust mites and odor-causing bacteria.
And because it's so cold, the rug won't get saturated with water. Just brush off the excess snow and voila: a fresh, clean rug!
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Choosing fruit as a snack isn't just healthy for you; it's good for the planet, too.
Many fruits grow on trees, which act as natural carbon sinks by pulling CO2 out of the atmosphere and storing it.
Unlike annual crops that require replanting each season, fruit trees keep giving year after year, helping reduce soil erosion, supporting biodiversity and capturing carbon all the while.
Bonus points if you buy organic (no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers) and locally grown (less transportation, fresher produce). Every apple, peach or pear you enjoy can be part of a climate-friendly cycle.
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Have you ever gone to check out at a retail chain like a drugstore and been given a receipt that feels like a mile-long waste of paper?
The nonprofit organization Green America recently campaigned and convinced one of the largest chains -- CVS -- to give consumers the option to skip receipts and receive them digitally or not at all instead.
Since 2019, more than a million customers have helped save 49 million yards of receipt paper. To save paper, sign up for digital receipts at the stores where you shop.