Anyone with an aquarium knows the importance of having a supply of activated charcoal on hand to keep the fish tank fresh. Even if you don't keep fish, it's worth a trip to the pet store to pick some up. Why? Activated charcoal (unlike regular barbecue briquettes) has very small pores that are supercharged in their ability to absorb things. This includes odors! So fill a bowl with activated charcoal and place it wherever it smells musky or bad, like a refrigerator or closet, for a natural way to deodorize.

If you have empty plastic motor oil containers, you may think that they are easily recyclable because they are marked as a No. 2 plastic. But the reality is that the residual coating from the oil can contaminate a whole load of recyclables. These containers are often unaccepted by recycling haulers, so it's best to avoid putting them into your recycling bin. Instead, take them to a service station that performs oil changes. They have the infrastructure in place to properly dispose of old oil and recycle empty oil containers.

There's a misconception that choosing a paper cup over polystyrene for your morning coffee is better for your health and the environment. But the reality is that many hot beverage paper cups are lined with plastic, often made with the chemical bisphenal-A (BPA). Since many of us are trying to avoid BPA due to its suspected link as an endocrine disrupter, what's the best choice for your coffee? It's easy: Use a reusable thermos made from BPA-free materials like stainless steel.