Want to make one healthy and eco-friendly change to help you and your feline companion? If you have cats at home, it might be time to rethink the type of kitty litter you use to fill their tray. Conventional kitty litter is a combination of binders, with the main material being clay. The process of harvesting the clay is destructive to the planet, and the dust that's created is unhealthy for cat and human lungs. The good news is that many eco-friendly brands now exist that use old newspaper and wheat as an alternative that you can find wherever you buy your pet's food and supplies.

With pumpkin-carving season around the corner, many DIY blogs and crafters recommend spraying bleach or smearing petroleum jelly on the cut part of the pumpkin to extend its life. While these tips do work to keep the pumpkin from disintegrating quickly, it can be harmful to animals like dogs and other wildlife if they ingest any part of the pumpkin. To prevent your jack-o-lantern from becoming a tempting treat, be sure to thoroughly scoop out every single seed from the inside; this is what's most appealing to critters. Rub a beeswax paste on the cut edges so you can extend the life of the pumpkin without the fear it could be harmful to the family dog.

Paper carton containers that hold food products like milk, juice, soy milk, soup, broth and even wine are pretty easily recyclable in most curbside recycling programs. They are a desired recyclable and are made into a whole variety of new paper products. When you toss them into the recycling bin, be sure to remove the plastic caps that come with them and toss those into the trash. There is no need to wash out the containers, but if your recycling bin does not have a lid, it might be a good idea to lightly rinse them out to help deter wildlife from raiding your bin.