Creating a healthy indoor air environment means taking some small steps at home. In the cold winter months, some of us may open the garage door and turn on the car to warm it up. But even with the garage door open, exhaust can blow into your home and create an unhealthy environment. Instead, pull the car outside to let it warm up. Better yet, don't bother. Modern cars are designed with winter weather in mind, so turning it on and driving is enough to get the oil to circulate through the engine and have the car work efficiently.

During the cold winter months, it's best to avoid painting the walls inside your home. Since most paints have some levels of volatile organic compounds, cold weather makes it difficult to ventilate the house by opening windows. Instead, wait until the weather warms up to take on your makeover project. But if you must paint, you can look for household latex paints that are labeled "zero" VOC, not "low." Zero means it has no volatile organic compounds and won't let off gas in your house.

We know what the dentist says: Floss your teeth every day. But did you know typical dental floss is not natural? It's a mixture of nylon string covered with a petroleum-based coating. It's not only non-recyclable, it's also non-biodegradable. Never flush dental floss down the toilet; it can clog pipes and cause problems at water treatment plants. But don't skip flossing because you think it's a greener thing to do. Instead, look for biodegradable dental floss made from materials like silk coated with rice bran and natural waxes. It'll do the job and can be safely disposed of.