Did you know around 45% of America’s children live in neighborhoods that do not have public libraries or even stores that sell books? The nonprofit Kids Need to Read wants to change that and ensure that all children have access to quality reading materials by serving these communities and their underfunded public schools. If you have good-quality children’s books you would like to donate, visit kidsneedtoread.org to learn how you can help.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Facebook Marketplace is more than just an easy way to turn your unwanted goods into some cash; it’s also better for the environment. While we’re used to donating items to charity shops, a high percentage of these items actually don’t get resold and end up in landfills. Facebook Marketplace (and other platforms like it) connects buyers and sellers, so you know your item is being reused, not landfilled. And keeping it local also means the items aren’t being shipped far away, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

The U.N. Environment Programme estimates that close to 36% of all plastics produced in the world are single-use food and beverage containers. While most of these can be recycled, very few actually are. One way to help is to buy fresh fruits and vegetables unpackaged, unbagged and unwrapped. Avoid pre-washed salad mixes, precut fruit and cling-wrapped fresh produce. And opt for eggs in cardboard over plastic containers; paper cartons are most likely made from recycled paper.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION