With cooler fall weather around the corner, use the last remaining days of bright, sunny weather to disinfect hard-to-wash items around the house. The ultraviolet rays from the sun are natural disinfectants. Find a spot that's sunny all day long, and lay down a clean tarp. Lay rugs, throw pillows, even a mattress onto the sunny spot, and let it sit there for several hours. The sun will radiate bacteria away and deodorize it, too. While laying in the sun yourself isn't good for your skin, it is good to keep these things fresh so they last during the cooler fall and winter months. 

Ever wonder how to recycle an old bicycle? The metal frame of the bike is pretty easy to recycle. Most bikes have aluminum or steel frames, which are commonly accepted scrap metal materials at any recycling yard. But what about the wheels? One company, Bike Furniture Design, would gladly take all of the wheels, handlebars and other unusual, hard-to-recycle components off your hands. They take the materials and upcycle them into cool, stylish pieces of furniture. Learn more at bikefurniture.com.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we throw away about 35 million tons of food every year. Even though food waste is organic, in a landfill condition it can degrade and create methane gas, which is a potent greenhouse gas. The simplest way to combat this is to stop the waste. Buy in bulk only if you really need it; while it may be tempting to get a huge jar of artisanal olives, ask yourself if you're really going to eat all of it. Also, use a shopping list at the grocery store; the EPA estimates people who use a list stick to meal plans. Finally, before you head to the store, look inside your fridge and pantry. If you can make a meal, do it.