HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: After the coronavirus hit and people were staying home, the air quality in many cities got much better. This was directly linked to fewer cars on the road since more people were at home instead of driving to work, school or shopping. This got me thinking that perhaps it’s time our American cities started to seriously consider cleaner transportation options.

If we want clean, breathable air we need clean energy. We need electric cars and better mass-transit systems. Gas-fueled cars trap us in the past. We need to look more to renewable energy sources to help solve our pollution problems.

— George, Austin, Texas DEAR READERS: New uses for old smartphones:

■ Use as a backup phone for storing data.

■ Load it with music and use as a car stereo or GPS device.

■ Donate to local causes such as battered women’s shelters.

■ Another idea is to donate smartphones for troops overseas. There are organizations that sell them and use the money to buy prepaid phone cards for soldiers.

DEAR HELOISE: My husband and I are both senior citizens and sometimes can’t remember everything, even though it’s on a calendar.

My daughter writes on a card, for each day, what appointments we have and any other important information. We have a stack on our end table and can easily check to see what is going on that day. It has helped us so much.

— Marilyn Glessner, Canton, Ohio

DEAR HELOISE: Need to remove jar labels? Instead of soaking the glass jar, fill it with boiling hot water, set it in the sink (for safety reasons) and let it cool for 10 minutes. The label will peel off easily without a lot of scraping. Then I make a paste of baking soda and water to scrub off any remaining residue.

— Janice in Wyoming DEAR HELOISE: I just read the note from Kathleen in Florida about her mold problem. I live close to the beach in California and also had a mold problem. Not only do I live in an area that frequently has high humidity, my master bedroom and bath have poor circulation. I purchased a dehumidifier (about $100) and am amazed at how much water is pulled out. It was well worth the money. Good luck Kathleen, and thank you Heloise!

— Sandy, Dana Point, CA