After you've brewed a cup of morning joe, don't toss the used grinds down the drain. Try soaking an old cotton T-shirt in cold coffee and wiping scratched tables to see the small nicks, dents and dings disappear. Or scrub your hands clean with old grinds and hand soap; the grinds will buff away dead skin, and the soap will make sure your hands are stain-free. Finally, try mixing old coffee grinds in the soil near acid-loving plants like dogwoods, hemlocks, blueberry bushes, hydrangeas and oak trees. The plants will thrive and love the extra jolt of nutrition.

According to the nonprofit EarthShare, one way to cut your digital carbon footprint is to store your data, photos and other shared information on cloud storage spaces. These protected data centers are more than just efficient digital storage; they often have high-tech cooling systems that make use of renewable energy. EarthShare estimates that small businesses with fewer than 100 users could cut their energy consumption by as much as 90 percent by using a cloud storage system. That's good for the environment, good for utility savings and makes workplace efficiency streamlined, too.

A lot of people have window unit air conditioners to keep specific rooms of the house cool during the hot summer months. With temperatures dipping, it's a smart and energy-efficient idea to uninstall the A/C so you can properly close the window to prevent cold air from coming inside. For many people, this isn't possible, so do the next best thing: Keep it cozy. Start by wrapping the unit with fiberglass insulation (there are eco-friendly recycled varieties at home improvement stores). Then cover the insulation with plastic sheets and keep it all in place with duct tape. This will block drafts, protect the unit and prevent moisture from building up during icy winter days.