Aluminum foil is one of those disposal items that I haven’t figured out how to make do without in my kitchen. I try to use as little as possible, but sometimes a lasagna needs to be covered while baking, right?

• Don’t use aluminum foil when something durable can be used. Instead of using it to cover a container in the refrigerator, use a container with a lid or put a plate over the container. Save aluminum foil for when only aluminum foil will do.
• If you use aluminum foil and it’s completely clean when you’re done, fold it up and put it away to be used again. I wrap bread in aluminum foil before heating it in the oven. When I take the foil off, it’s completely clean. I reuse it again and again.
• Aluminum foil can also be washed gently to come clean. If you’ve got a little food on it, wipe it off or clean gently with soap and water so it can be used again.
• According to Planet Green, aluminum foil can be recycled along with soda cans. It needs to be wiped free of food before being put in the recycle bin.
• Buy recycled aluminum foil. Aluminum can be recycled over and over, and one of the things it can be recycled into is aluminum foil. It takes only 5 percent of the energy to make recycled aluminum foil that it would take to make foil from virgin aluminum.

Image: tom.arthur