While antique and vintage furniture is the greenest way to furnish a home, sometimes you can't find the right piece and want something new. One new type of sustainable furniture on the market is made of mango wood, from the fruit-bearing trees of the same name. Mango trees are fast-growing (they can reach 100 feet in height very quickly) and bear fruit for about 15 years. Once the trees stop producing fruit, they are cut down and replaced with new trees by the farmers who cultivate them.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Ever wonder what to do with old metal keys you no longer need? The good news is that they are 100% recyclable, since most household keys are composed of brass with a nickel coating. All you have to do is remove any plastic covers you might have on the keys and take them to any scrap metal or recycling facility in your community to deposit in the mixed metals bin. Old keys are recycled and melted down to make new metal products. And here's another idea for what to do with lots of old keys: Have a key fundraising drive. Ask everyone to bring old keys from their junk drawer and sell the whole lot to a scrap metal dealer, then donate the funds to the charity of your choice. Local businesses like car dealers and Realtors could donate lots of keys to help you raise money, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

More than $32 billion worth of flower arrangements from over 15,000 local florists are sold every year in the form of congratulatory, thank you or holiday bouquets. With those sales come millions of glass and ceramic vases that end up stashed under the kitchen sink and thrown into Goodwill donation bins or the trash can once the flowers have wilted. To find a home for your unwanted vessels, think about contacting the local florist who brought you the arrangement. Often they'll take back the vases and reuse them to create new arrangements. It's an easy way to reduce waste and support a local business.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION