Do Just One Thing

If you're planning to travel to see family during the holiday season, be sure to pick a time to drive that's likely to have less congestion to help cut back on fuel waste (and personal aggravation!). Driving in stop-and-go traffic on the highway can significantly lower your fuel efficiency -- often by as much as 30%. And using real-time GPS apps on your phone (which suggest routes to your destination by factoring in up-to-the-minute traffic conditions) can save you another 10% in gas mileage.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do this one thing: Choose unbleached paper products to use for cooking and baking in your kitchen. Many white paper kitchen materials are bleached using chlorine, which means chemicals can leach into your food. Instead of taking the safety risk with bleached products, opt for unbleached ones. Products like parchment paper, coffee filters and paper towels all have unbleached alternatives you can find easily at almost any supermarket -- just look for brown-colored products. The cost is comparable, and the unbleached products are just as effective as the bleached ones.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

You may be hosting a large function during the holiday season, whether it's a dinner party or a festive event with lots of food. Since this is the time of year when food waste can quickly end up in landfills, consider allowing guests to take home leftovers. You can purchase paper takeout containers yourself that guests can fill and take with them, or encourage guests to bring their own reusable containers. Your local deli or Chinese food restaurant will often sell you a few extra containers if you ask.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION