A tube of toothpaste is typically packaged in something called LDPE, or No. 4 plastic. This is becoming a more commonly accepted type of plastic for curbside recyclers, but they often don’t list it among the varieties of plastic they accept. If your recycler takes plastics marked No. 4, you can recycle your tube of toothpaste, as long as it’s clean. Cleaning it is easy; all you have to do is snip the end with scissors and get the last bit of toothpaste out (use it to scrub your pearly whites clean!), then toss the tube into the bin.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Just because something is certified organic does not mean it’s always healthy for you. Case in point: organic spirits like tequila or vodka. While it may be a good thing that organic ingredients are being used to make the product, it’s still alcohol, and it should be enjoyed in moderation. Even conventional spirits are still pesticide-free; the distillation process removes all trace pesticides and chemicals that may linger in the crops used to make these alcoholic beverages.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

One of the most frequently thrown-away materials in landfills is carpet. It’s easy to understand why: Carpet is bulky, heavy and difficult to recycle because it’s made up of a variety of materials. When you replace the carpeting in your home, you don’t have to send it off to be landfilled. The nonprofit Carpet America Recovery Effort is working to create a nationwide infrastructure to divert carpet from landfills and into recycling programs. Right now, having someone come to your home to pick up old carpet is next to impossible. But you can bring old carpet to many participating recycling centers. To find one, visit carpetrecovery.org.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION