Sure, a plastic soda or water bottle can be recycled, but why not easily upcycle it into a modern bird feeder for the backyard? Just wash and dry out a bottle and fill it with a store-bought birdseed mix. Then use an inexpensive insert called the Soda Bottle Birdfeeder that screws onto the opening so you can invert the whole thing and hang it from a tree. The metal cap has chambers that release seed in small doses so it's bird-friendly and squirrel resistant.

Who knew that some flowers are more than just beautiful to look at, but are useful to help maintain the natural organic health of your garden? Plant lots of chrysanthemums in your garden because they contain a natural chemical called "pyrethrin," which is toxic to insects. These beautiful flowers are easy to grow and come in a wide variety of colors, so you can mix them in between vegetables and other plants that are normally a treat to ravenous insects.

When staying in hotels, don't feel bad about leaving barely used bars of soap and little plastic bottles of body wash and shampoo. Many major hotel chains like Hilton and Hyatt are working with nonprofit and local organizations in the cities their hotels serve to recycle toiletries. Local shelters and community support networks are the beneficiaries who distribute the toiletries to those in need. Personal care products are hard to come by and greatly needed by these nonprofit groups. Clean the World melts and sterilizes soaps and makes new bars that are given away around the world, where soap is literally helping to save lives.