Did you know nearly 5 million pounds of wrapping paper is used every year in the United States (with the majority used during the holiday season)? While the greenest option is to go gift wrap-free when exchanging gifts, the next best thing is to be resourceful. Raid the office recycling bin for gift wrap freebies! Color copies of charts, graphs, reports, photos and other office-y designs make for green, gorgeous gift wrap. Ask an architect's office if they have old blueprints. Be resourceful and wrap away!

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When you’re throwing a dinner party or gathering that involves a large number of people, it can be easy to overcook or overorder food and end up with a lot of waste. Catering professionals have a basic rule of thumb for how much food is needed to keep guests from going hungry. For appetizers, think six large bites per guest, plus a few easy side snacks like nuts or crudites. For the main dish, go with 6 to 8 ounces of protein and 3/4 cup of two to three sides for the main meal. If it’s a hungrier crowd, add two more serving sizes to the overall order.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Appliance repair professionals want you to know something: Those conventional plastic dishwashing pods are ruining your machine. The water temperature inside your machine does not get high enough to break down the plastic material, so remnants are left behind that clog pumps and drains and slow down the basic functions of the machine. Beyond lessening the lifespan of your dishwasher by gumming up all the internal parts, the pods wreak havoc on the environment by releasing microplastics into our water. Opt for plastic-free tablets or dishwashing powder instead.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION