The fall months are the perfect time to get your home ready for the cold months ahead. Since the heating system for your home is the most vital and most used energy source during wintery days, clean or replace the filters in your furnace. If you have a gas heater, you can have it tested -- usually free of charge -- by your utility company or gas company for leaks that could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Since carbon monoxide is an odorless gas, having it professionally inspected can literally mean the difference between life and death. Just contact them now (when free inspections are more readily available) to set up your appointment.

Road warriors often collect massive amounts of small bottles of shampoo from hotel rooms that pile up at home. One way to help others is to send your unopened bottles of shampoo to the charity Clean the World. Its goal is to eliminate hygiene-related deaths and illness all over the world by sharing soap and other cleaning products with people in need. You can send your bottles to the organization directly (get the address at cleantheworld.org). Another way to cut the waste of mini-bottles of shampoo completely? Don't take them. Unopened bottles will get reused.

At lots of health clubs and gyms, you'll find overflowing trash cans with used antibacterial wipes from wiping down equipment. But is all this waste actually doing any good to help you stay healthy? The reality is that if you belong to a gym that has a regular cleaning schedule, using wipes is unnecessary. All you have to do is follow simple tips to stay healthy: Use a towel on workout benches or to wipe off handles after a workout. Never touch your face with your hands to avoid infection. And finally, wash your hands immediately after working out.