If you've got a stack of playing cards that are beat up or missing a few cards, you might be tempted to toss the whole deck into the recycling bin. But you shouldn't, and here's why: They aren't recyclable. Even though they feel like regular paper stock, playing cards are coated with a thin sheet of plastic to give them durability. This plastic makes them non-recyclable. Instead of contaminating a load of recyclables, throw them away in the trash, or upcycle them into a fun craft project.

While the most energy-efficient way to dry freshly laundered clothing is to line dry it, it's not the most practical for all of us -- especially as it gets colder. If you do use the dryer, one way to speed up the drying process is to throw in the towel -- literally. By adding a dry bath towel, excess moisture is absorbed from the wet clothes. This also helps freshen stale-smelling towels that may have been in the linen closet for too long. Also, be sure the lint trap is clean: A clogged trap isn't just a fire hazard, it also prevents air from circulating.

Putting brightly colored paper into the recycling bin is like tossing a red sock into a load of white clothes. Colored paper can contaminate paper recyclables and cause a whole batch to be thrown out. If you do want to use reams of colored paper, avoid the deeply saturated or super-bright papers. Instead, look for pastel sheets. Paper recycling facilities can handle these colors while recycling white office paper.