Do Just One Thing

Terra cotta pots are great for container gardening and are an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic pots (plus they also look better in your garden or on your patio). But what to do when they break? Instead of tossing the shards in the trash, use them to improve your garden. In rainier climates, mix the shards in the soil under the eaves of the house where rainwater can build up on stormy days. The shards will help with drainage, since terra cotta absorbs water, and you won't see them, since they'll be mixed into the soil.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you use Apple AirPods? These wireless buds use a small rechargeable battery, and when the battery dies, it can be nearly impossible to replace. (Apple currently does not offer a service to replace the battery.) Instead of recycling your dead AirPods, you can save money by simply using a service that installs a brand-new battery. For a fraction of the price of buying new, services like PodSwap do the work for you. They also sell lightly used, fully refurbished AirPods (they call them "Extra Loved") for a third of the price of new.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

They may look pretty, but outdoor lights for holiday decorating or for simple illumination are considered "light pollution" by the international citizen-science campaign Globe at Night. According to the nonprofit, holiday lighting is often so bright that it can be seen from space. It also can obscure the stars in the sky, which nocturnal animals and birds use to navigate. It's also a big waste of energy. If you must have holiday lighting, the best thing you can do is to minimize it and turn the lights off before you go to bed.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION