Do you know what the No. 1 most recycled product is? It's not what you might think: It's car batteries. Almost all of the car battery is recyclable. Sixty percent of it is lead, which can be recycled and used for other metal products. The three pounds of plastic is also reclaimed and used in the manufacturing of new batteries. And the sulfuric acid inside is safely captured and recycled in new batteries. If you replace your battery at a dealer or auto shop, your battery is recycled. If you have any old car batteries at home, take them to any auto shop, and it'll recycle them free of charge for you.

When cooking at home, be sure to use the healthiest type of cookware possible. New "eco-friendly" pots and pans may be marketed with green leaves and packaging material at the store, but the reality is that there are no rules that require companies to tell you why or exactly what is used to make the product. Instead, opt for truly time-tested, healthier alternatives, like real cast-iron pans or oven-safe glass. Not only do they work well, they're also tough and can literally last a lifetime.

When shopping for a new sofa, be sure to look beyond just the style and size; inquire about what kind of fire retardants were used on the sofa. Many are made with polyurethane-based foam, which is a synthetic material treated with the fire retardant polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDE. This chemical has been linked to endocrine disruption, according to the Environmental Working Group, and should be avoided at all costs. When shopping, ask for PBDE-free or -- better yet -- upholstered furniture that has zero fire retardants. Instead, opt for sofas filled with cotton, wool or a feather blend.