DR. WALLACE: My boyfriend is really into promoting Earth-friendly actions in all aspects of his life, and he encourages me to do the same.

One of his favorite topics is to scour the packaging of every individual product that he's considering buying.

Is there any way I can learn a bit about this topic so that I can appear interested and a bit more informed on this topic? It's also not just that I want to impress him, because in fact I do care about our planet and environment as well. — Trying To Become More Aware, via email

TRYING TO BECOME MORE AWARE: This is an excellent topic and important one for all of us in society as a whole, so I congratulate both of you on your awareness.

One of the keys to proper packaging, besides using recycled materials whenever possible, is to keep a package as compact as possible. Compact, efficient packaging uses less packaging materials, which means less trash ends up in our landfills. In addition, the more compact and efficient packaging is, the more units can be packed into an overall shipping case, and this allows more units to ride in the same space on a cargo truck. The fewer miles trucks drive on our roads, the better, so good packaging helps us all in many ways.

To help you gather more good knowledge to discuss with your boyfriend, I suggest you visit these excellent websites to study this topic in more depth:

— www.Berecycled.com.

— www.Earth911.com.

— www.Epa.gov/recycle.

— www.Recyclingpartnership.org.

I THOUGHT ALL GRAFFITI WAS BAD?

DR. WALLACE: My friends tell me that graffiti is controversial and can be considered to be good or bad, depending on where it is and what it is. Is this true? I thought all graffiti was illegal. — Confused by This, via email

CONFUSED BY THIS: Graffiti ranges from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings, and has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to ancient Egypt, ancient Greece and even the mighty Roman Empire! Yes, graffiti is a controversial subject and one that is often misunderstood. Not all graffiti is done illegally, and sometimes it is indeed planned as art, depending on the community, the specific location and, of course, the subject matter that appears in the graffiti.

Some graffiti drawings and paintings today highlight issues such as social awareness of topics important to the local community. By highlighting programs and artists who work in this field, the media has also played a role in fostering a healthy sense of self-expression.

However, as you mentioned, not all graffiti is legal or preapproved. Sometimes, it defaces public or private buildings or structures, without express permission to be applied. This topic cuts both ways, but it's safe to say that expression and communication are at the heart of all graffiti applications.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Erda Estremera at Unsplash