Have a collection of flower vases stashed under your sink or in the basement? Give them a good cleaning and donate them to the nonprofit Random Acts of Flowers. This growing organization delivers fresh flower bouquets to people in health care facilities around the country. Random Acts of Flowers accepts fresh flowers and vases from wholesale vendors and private citizens alike, so your old vase or leftover wedding flowers can be used to brighten someone else's day. To learn how to give -- and to see if there's a branch in your community -- visit randomactsofflowers.org.

Here's something you probably didn't know you can compost: your clothing. Backyard compost piles are designed to break down organic matter into beneficial mulch, and while items like apple cores, leaves and grass clippings make sense, so do garments that are made from 100 percent wool or 100 percent cotton. The key is to keep things like rayon, polyester and buttons out of the pile. If you cut the pure wool or cotton garments into small pieces, they can be safely added to the compost bin.

Planning your big summer vacation? If you believe half the fun is getting to your destination, consider using trains instead of airplanes for your trip. While it may take longer to get there, train travel has a much lower carbon footprint than flying on a gas-guzzling plane. According to the International Energy Agency, car travel accounts for 71 percent of CO2 emission, planes account for 12.3 percent and railways just 1.8 percent. So go green and embrace the romantic and fun idea of seeing America by rail.