There have been reports on the news lately about fur garments that are labeled faux actually being real fur. The fur comes from animals like rabbits, coyote and the wild raccoon dog. Since the science and technology in developing faux fur to feel and look just like the real thing has evolved significantly, you might ask, how can you tell if it’s fake? Faux fur is softer than most real fur. Look at the ends of the fur: If it tapers to a fine point at the end, it’s likely the real deal; if the strands are consistent in width tip to tip, it’s likely fake. And the final test? If you can burn a few strands, you’ll definitely know: Real fur smells like human hair being burnt.

When driving, if you feel your car pulling to one side of the road or your steering wheel feels "off" or vibrates, you likely have tire alignment issues. Not only can having poor alignment be a safety issue, it also forces your car to work harder and wastes gas. If you sense your car's tires need to be realigned, get them checked and serviced. Getting this issue fixed can help you save around 10 percent on fuel costs (or about 20 to 30 cents a gallon). Goodyear Auto Centers offer free alignment checks; all you have to do is make an appointment on the company's website.

If you're a frequent flier, one of the easiest ways to cut down on one small wasteful act is to opt for a mobile boarding pass instead of a printed one. Over 1.5 billion boarding passes are issued every year, which adds up to a significant amount of paper (often coated with the chemical BPA) being used and almost immediately thrown away. Airlines are making it easy: Apps for your smartphone let you download passes, save them and do a whole host of other things to make your flight manageable.