1. Don’t be cell-fish. Donate old cell phones back to the store so that someone else can reuse it--most major networks take ‘em. This portable device is one of those things that should never be thrown away with regular trash.

Recycling the 100 million cell phones that are no longer used annually would save enough energy to power 18,000 households for a year. -planetgreen.discover.com

2. What about all the other e-waste (electronic waste), like computers, players, radios and more? No worries, you can hand them over, too! Share your useless items with someone who needs them. Check out earth911.com to see where to take your gadgets, or call up your local BestBuy!

3. Loads of lenses fillin’ up your dresser drawers? Gather up your fam’s old prescriptions glasses and give em’ up to the people who need them. Find your local eyewear store at givethegiftofsight.com.

4. Shoes, shoes, shoes! Us gals love our sneaks, but what happens when those pricey kickers from last year don’t tickle our fancy? Instead of trashing ‘em to make room for more, give it up to nikereuseashoe.com.

5. Grown too tall for those blue jeans? Trek them over to a Denim Drive near you. Surf over to cottonfrombluetogreen.org to find a location in your area, or dial up Habitat for Humanity.

6. Spring cleaning leave ya with loads of clothes to chuckin’ out. Before ya drop ‘em in the dump, take the goodies to stores like Plato’s Closet or Mustard Seed to score big bucks for your threads. Or at least, call up the local Salvation Army or Red Cross to pick them up curbside.

7. Sure ya may not have wheels of your own, but how many peeps do you know cartin’ cars. Have ‘rents, grandparents, uncles and aunts thinking about tossin’ their clunker for a spankin’ new set? Shoot them this link to find out where to give charitynavigator.org.

8. Hey bookworm, stocked those shelves high with paperbacks and mags galore? Pile up old books and reads that ya never open and take ‘em to a children’s hospital, local library, Planet Aid, Salvation Army and more. Find out what’s near you at earth911.com.

9. Décor diva who’s always vampin’ up your room with makeover mania? Truck the old furniture chillin’ in your attic or garage and give it away to Habitat for Humanity or at the Salvation Army.

10. Thought you’d be the next BMX biker chick, but realized ya rather have your two feet planted firmly on the ground? Li’l bro outgrow his bike and moved onto a bigger set of tires? Share the love and pass it on to someone else in need. Check out your local charities to find out who’s takin’.

11. Summer break is almost here and instead of wasting those lazy days of sunny skies bummin’ around the telly, head outdoors and donate your time to the community. Start a garden in your own backyard, or grab the girls to clean up trash around your neighborhood.

by GL | 2/1/2016