Do Just One Thing

Millions of car seats for children are thrown away every year in the United States; they cannot be donated, due to safety recalls, wear and tear and laws that prevent them from being resold or reused. The good news is that the hard plastic, foam and metal used in their manufacture is recyclable. To recycle a car seat, visit recycleyourcarseat.org and find a recycling program near you. Major retailers like Target also have trade-in programs for car seats, which offer discounts on the purchase of a new one.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you start your car and let it idle when it's freezing cold outside, to allow the engine to "warm up"? While there is some valid reasoning around doing this, especially during the coldest temps, you don't need to do it for more than 30 seconds. Modern cars have improved fuel-injected engines that work perfectly well without idling your car for several minutes before driving. Lessening your idle time will improve your fuel efficiency and also is better for our environment.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you must use disposable paper plates, go with the most boring, uncoated, unprinted kinds. Party plates that come in bright colors with shiny coatings are not compostable or recyclable and can be expensive to purchase. Generic white paper plates or durable "Classic White" Chinet plates get the job done and can be tossed into the compost bin at home to break down and become beneficial mulch.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION