Do you have piles of magazines and comic books at home that you're not sure what to do with? First, they are recyclable, so if you have a recycling center that takes old paper, take them there. But the nonprofit Magazine Harvest also wants them. The charity takes your clean and lightly used magazines and comics and works with literacy organizations to distribute them. Titles for every age, interest and language are accepted. Learn more at magazineliteracy.org.

Most of us regularly remove the lint from our dryer's lint trap on a regular basis, but have you ever cleaned or checked the outside vent connected to your dryer? It's imperative to make sure the vent isn't just clean, but that the flap opens and closes properly. If the flap is left wide open, it can allow cold air to flow into your home during the cold winter months. If your clothing doesn't dry completely after a normal drying cycle, it's a good time to check the dryer vent. There are professional services that can inspect, fix and clean the vent for about $150. They'll also make sure there aren't any wild animals who have built nests in the vent lines (they love the warm air) and will get everything working as good as new.

For many of us, our computer is a necessary part of doing business. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if every computer in the United States were switched to an Energy Star-approved model, we'd recoup about $1 billion in annual energy savings in just one year (and reduce greenhouse gas emission by 15 billion pounds). When shopping for new computer equipment, look for the Energy Star logo on desktops, laptops and small-scale servers to find the most energy-efficient models. Learn more at energystar.gov.