If you want to save a ton of water and energy, do this one thing: Wear your jeans more than once before washing them. Some of the most laundered items at home are denim jeans, and while they can be soft and cozy, they also can be heavy and bulky in the washing machine. The United Nations Environment Programme actually came out with a study that said if you wear your jeans at least three times before washing them, you can save five times the energy from your washer and dryer use. Add using only cold water and skipping the drying cycle, and you'll see a significant savings over time.

It can be heartbreaking to witness animal abuse, such as a dog living outside in frigid conditions, or a malnourished horse. To help the animal, it's important to snap photos so the agency you report to has evidence. Then call and report the abuse to the local authorities, including the police department, animal control agency or animal shelter in your community. Do not confront the person who is neglecting the animal. And if you wish to remain anonymous, you can: Almost every jurisdiction allows witnesses to report without sharing a name or contact information.

Bringing wool sweaters and blazers to the dry cleaner isn't just an expensive way of maintaining and cleaning them, it can also be an unhealthy choice. Conventional dry cleaning uses a cocktail of chemicals, including the carcinogen often simply called "perc" -- perchloroethylene -- which cleans dirt and odor from clothes. But if you're bringing items to the dry cleaner to get out odors, try this instead: Spray a little vodka on your clothes. The vodka will disinfect and kill the odor-causing bacteria to bring back freshness. Just don't replace vodka with rubbing alcohol; it won't do the same thing, since rubbing alcohol has additives in it that make it much less effective.