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Dear Heloise: I read the letter from Patty, who wants to lose weight but can't exercise due to having bad knees. My hint for her is to try water aerobics! It's non-weight-bearing exercise, and her knees won't be affected. -- Helen, via email
Helen, this is an excellent idea! I've tried water aerobics, and it was fun. Plus, I met and made a new friend! -- Heloise
REDUCUNG PLASTIC USAGE
Dear Heloise: We all know that plastic bags are a problem in our environment. They choke animals, create garbage, and break down into microplastics that have even been found in babies' placentas! Here are some ways to reduce their use:
-- Promise yourself never to buy another plastic bag. I guarantee that they will still invade your house, but you can reuse them, which thereby reduces your "plastic footprint."
-- When it comes to freezing items, the bags in your cereal or cracker boxes are plastic, and they're thick, resilient, and perfect for freezing. Use them to freeze baked goods, meat, etc. Close them with twist ties or masking tape and label them appropriately.
-- You probably already have dozens of the free bags that grocery stores give out to put produce in. Wash these, bring them back to the store, and use them again. Or make yourself simple bags from old T-shirts or fabric scraps.
-- Nuts and many other bakery items come in zipclose plastic bags. Wash and reuse these for lunches and sandwiches instead. Save clean jam jars for small or wet items like grapes, salad or peeled fruit.
-- Most wastebaskets like the ones in an office or living room don't need plastic bags as they aren't used for wet items. For bathrooms or the kitchen, you can use bags that pet food comes in, paper grocery bags that are lined with folded-up newspaper, or bags that come from deliveries and online shopping products. (Cover any "air holes" with masking tape.)
-- For storing food in the refrigerator, besides reusing your previously acquired grocery produce bags, you can make bags from fabric scraps and use beeswax cloth to cover open containers.
-- Bread bags work great for picking up dog poop!
-- Don't have any reusable grocery bags? Take an old T-shirt, cut off the sleeves, enlarge the neck opening, and sew the bottom shut. The arm and neck holes become the handles. Now you have an instant grocery bag!
Hope this assists us all in maintaining the beautiful places that we live in, as well as our health! -- Kathy B., via email
THERE'S A HAIR IN MY FOOD!
Dear Heloise: Before I prepare a meal, especially if I'm making food for a group or party, I take a lint roller and run this over my clothes and hair. I have long hair and feel like there's nothing worse than eating something with a hair in it. I always put my hair up when I'm preparing food. Hope this helps! -- Becky B., via email
Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.