Many of us are avoiding petroleum jelly-based products when it comes to skin care for everything from lip balms to body creams. We've nearly become experts when it comes to reading ingredients labels to avoid it. But some brands that use petroleum jelly -- a byproduct of the oil industry -- can get around listing petroleum jelly by calling it something else. When reading ingredient labels, be sure to also look for words like "paraffin," "petrolatum" or "mineral oil," which is basically the same thing as petroleum jelly.

Recycling cardboard is one of the most important and easiest ways to reduce landfill waste and save energy and natural resources. Every ton of cardboard recycled conserves more than a full barrel of oil and over 6.6 million BTUs of energy, according to Waste Management. When recycling cardboard boxes, be sure to break them down flat and remove items like plastic wrap, plastic ties, packing peanuts and bubble wrap. If the forecast calls for rain on recycling day and you can't prevent cardboard from getting wet, don't worry. It will still be picked up and recycled. But just be sure cardboard does not have any food waste or grease; that's contaminated and cannot be recycled.

With newer automobiles allowing you to plug electronics into outlets and USB ports, our cars are becoming mobile offices for our everyday lives. But when you reach your destination, be sure to unplug your GPS devices, phone cords and whatever else you might have plugged in. Even with the car turned off, many of these items will still pull power from your car's battery. This can wear down the lifespan of the battery and also wear down electronic devices and cable cords. And if you're driving in your own community, where you know the roads without the assistance of a GPS device, just unplug entirely and stash it until you really need it.