We all know that using deicing salt on sidewalks and driveways helps melt winter's mess and make these surfaces safer to walk and drive on, but it comes at a price. Sodium chloride, when it melts the ice, turns into a liquid mixture that ends up in our rivers, creeks, lakes and other waterways. This salt can change aquatic habitats and create dead zones, killing fish and amphibians. While there is no real eco-friendly solution to deicing salt, what you can do is use less of it. Try mixing salt with sand, and spread that 50-50 mixture instead. It will help melt the ice, and the sand will provide traction where you need it.

Today, many retail stores are making an effort to recycle as much waste as possible behind the scenes for two reasons: to help protect the environment and to save money, too. So hard-to-recycle things like paperboard boxes, plastic hangers and film wrap get diverted from dumpsters. Next time you're buying something at a store, leave the packaging at the counter, and ask the checkout person if he or she will recycle it. There is no guarantee that it'll actually happen, but given the growth of commercial recycling at stores, the likelihood is high.

Did you know plants can get stressed out? When insects and diseases attack plants -- from garden vegetables to indoor trees -- they produce a natural acid to deter the pesky intruder. But sometimes, the plants don't make the acid fast enough and die. Research has shown that giving plants two aspirin mixed with two gallons of water actually helps speed up the process. It boosts plants' immune systems and gives them an extra helping hand in defending from insects and disease.