Blog Archives

Regular dinner menus reduce food waste

1/30/2026

Predictable theme nights (e.g., pasta Monday, taco Tuesday, breakfast-for-dinner Wednesday…) reduce mental load, time, money, food waste, and family friction at dinner time.

Curb decision fatigue! The idea to theme dinners is that you do the same thing every week.

Read more at thewellplannedkitchen.com

Photo by Dennis Sylvester Hurd, flickr

Most gift cards make waste by not being recyclable

1/23/2026

Gift cards are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and should be thrown in the trash, not in the recycling, except for paper gift cards.

In the United States alone, 50,700 tons of plastic waste are generated yearly from gift cards. Best Buy converted to paper gift cards in 2021 and other companies are following suit, fortunately. Digital gift cards are another plastic-free option.

Read more at Earth911

Photo by Mike Mozart, Flickr

Avoid plastic baby bottles

1/16/2026

Microplastic risks are greatest for infants. Avoid them in baby bottles by using glass or steel.

Since 1950, more than 11 billion tons of plastic have been produced. Plastic shards and particles are found almost everywhere on the planet. But you can take steps to keep them away from your baby during the critical early years of development. Glass or stainless steel baby bottles don’t shed microplastics. Silicone sleeves can protect glass bottles from breaking.

Read more here from Earth911

Insulate hot water pipes

1/2/2026

Insulating your hot water heater pipes retains heat in the water that reaches your faucets, saving energy and money.

According to PECO, “Insulating your water heater pipes can help recover lost heat, decrease the time required for hot water to reach your faucets, and save you money. You can install foam insulation yourself in just a few hours.” By retaining heat, the water that reaches the faucet is at a higher temperature. This allows you to reduce the temperature setting on your water heater, further saving energy and money.

Insulating your hot water pipes is an inexpensive DIY project, and the materials are readily available at hardware stores.

Regular dinner menus reduce food waste

Most gift cards make waste by not being recyclable

Avoid plastic baby bottles

Insulate hot water pipes

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