If, like me, you're an inveterate hummus-eater, and if, like me, you're too lazy to make it yourself, you no doubt find yourself buying a lot of tubs like the one in the picture. Unfortunately, these tubs belong to that accursed plastic recycling group number 5, and so are not recyclable—at least not in New York City.

Until now, that is. A wonderful group called Preserve Gimme 5 are now taking these number 5s and recycling them into useful things like toothbrushes. We heard about Preserve because our household gets its toothbrushes from them. Once we're finished with the toothbrushes, we send them back, they recycle them, and they send us another bunch: clean teeth, no landfilling.

Even better news is that you don't even have to waste fossil fuels in shipping this stuff to their site. You can drop off your yoghurt cups, and even Brita water filters, in various Whole Foods around the country. Just go to the information desk, and give them your number 5s. It's as easy as brushing your teeth.