There’s nothing wrong with using a drive-thru window to pick up a quick meal from a restaurant or a prescription from your pharmacy. But if you’re waiting for your order for more than 30 seconds, you’re not only wasting fuel, you’re releasing unhealthy emissions into the air. According to the Sierra Club, sitting in your idling car for more than 30 seconds wastes more gas than turning off your car completely. If you use a drive-thru, go up to the window and turn off your car. Even restarting it in less than a minute is better for both fuel economy and air quality than idling.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you’re a tea drinker, you may want to think twice about exotic blends from around the world. If you think about it, tea grown in Asia has to travel a long way to get from the farm to your tea cup. To reduce the carbon footprint of your tea, think about making fresh tea at home using mint and basil. These herbs grow prolifically, and you can make tea from them by simply steeping them in boiling water. You can add other pantry staples like honey, spices and a slice of lemon.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Organic fruits and vegetables have been grown without the use of chemical insecticides or herbicides. But when you get them home, you should still wash them thoroughly before eating, because even organic produce can have pesticides on them. The reason? Wind can carry the chemicals used on neighboring farms raising conventionally grown produce onto the fields of organic farms. The good news is that the organic produce still has significantly less residue; but even the lower levels should be removed with a thorough washing.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION