Do Just One Thing

Can you recycle a greasy pizza box with your cardboard recyclables? Yes and no. If a portion of the box is covered in grease, cheese and other food debris, it can contaminate a load of recyclable cardboard, so tear off the greasy part and only recycle the clean cardboard. To prevent greasy boxes, ask the pizzeria to place a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the box with the pizza on top. This helps keep the grease from seeping into the cardboard, and it even keeps the pizza hotter, longer. And don't forget: Aluminum foil is recyclable, so if it's clean enough, just crumple it up and toss it into the recycling bin!

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Any HVAC technician will back up this claim: Your thermostat is not a gas pedal. Pushing the setting way up over your target temp does not get your home warmer faster. It does not create larger volumes of heat; a thermostat is just a switch that turns the heating system on and off. The best practice is to find an appropriate lower temp you're comfortable at and leave it there. This will make your heating system run as efficiently as possible.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Coming out Jan. 2, 2024, my book "Do Just One Thing: 365 Ideas for a Better You, Life, and Planet" is a compilation of my favorite tips from my many years of penning this column. The tips, hacks and ideas range from simple ways to be more sustainable, to brilliant tips for cutting waste, to my go-to steps for saving money. My all-time favorite hack? Giving an aspirin to a dying plant to help it overcome stress and combat disease. It really works!

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION