About 3.7 billion pounds of carpet -- from area rugs to wall-to-wall style -- are thrown away every year, making it one of the top materials to fill up our nation's dumps. Carpet is recyclable, and the flooring industry is making efforts to claim old carpeting and turn it into new products. The nonprofit Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has diverted billion of pounds of carpet away from landfills through efforts with contractors, manufacturers and homeowners. The next time you need to replace your carpet, visit its website at carpetrecovery.org to find the carpet recycler nearest you.

Since organic fruits and vegetables are grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers, it should be OK to pop a few unwashed berries into your mouth, right? Here's the harsh reality: You need to wash your produce, no matter if it's conventionally grown or organic. Organic produce can be contaminated with chemicals that blow over from farms that do use chemicals, or can be contaminated in a warehouse or at the store. But the big reason to always wash? Bacteria and germs. Organic does not mean bacteria-free, so always give everything a good wash to keep yourself and your family healthy.

Despite your best intentions, sometimes you might have to buy water in a disposable plastic bottle to quench your thirst. When you've finished the water, what's the harm in refilling the bottle? The reality is PET plastic (stamped No. 1 on the bottom) is not designed to be used over and over again. Once the bottle is open, the sanitary seal is, too. As you drink, the bottle warms up and becomes a home for harmful bacteria. If you want to reuse it, you have to wash it and dry it out thoroughly before you refill, which is nearly impossible. Instead, recycle the bottle and try to remember your reusable bottle for future hydration.