If you recycle, do you rinse those items out? Are you wasting water by doing that?

According to a recent Lifehacker article, rinsing recyclables is useful for keeping out bugs and animals, but be assured they are most likely washed at the center they go to.

Rinsing recyclables beforehand is a good idea because "If your local recycling system collects paper and containers in the same bin, rinsing also keeps that paper recyclable. Pasta sauce oozing out of the jar and onto newspaper can make that newspaper un-recyclable."

To not waste water, doing a quick rinse is a good idea. But with stuck-on food, don't waste the water or the time trying to get it off.

It's important we do our part for the environment but to help in smart ways. Recycling and conserving water can go hand-in-hand.

For more tips on conserving water, visit DrinkTap's Water Conservation section.