When kids see trash and recyclables put on the curb to be picked up, it's hard for them to understand where the stuff actually goes. The website IWantToBeRecycled.org has an educational and interactive tool to show your kids exactly where your recyclables go and what happens to them. Each recyclable tells the story of how it's collected, sorted, processed, converted and manufactured into a new product. There's even a game where your kids can become the ultimate "super sorter" and run their own interactive recycling plant.

It's time to cruise down the health food aisle and give raw, unrefined coconut oil a second look. The wonderful superfood is more than just something to cook with. Since our skin is the largest organ on the body, it's important to moisturize it with ingredients that are pure and natural. Coconut oil works beautifully as a natural deodorant (there are many recipes online) and moisturizer because it's naturally anti-microbial, and it neutralizes germs that cause bad odor. When melted, it's the only oil that your hair drinks in; other oils simply coat the outside of the hair follicles. But my favorite use is dropping a spoonful in my morning coffee for a tasty nutritional boost.

Sometimes you simply can't avoid using plastic. The Environmental Working Group says you should avoid toys marked with a No. 3 because they're made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Even though the chemical phthalate (an endocrine disrupter) was banned recently from new children's toys, there were millions made before the February 2009 ban. EWG also recommends avoiding food containers marked with a No. 7, which can have trace amounts of the chemical bisphenol A in it. If you can't use glass or ceramic, use plastics marked with Nos. 1, 2, 4 or 5, which do not have BPA in them.