If you do just one thing, never, ever flush conventional dental floss down the toilet. Not only is nylon dental floss non-biodegradable and a nightmare if it reaches our waterways, it can also destroy plumbing. When floss goes down the toilet, it can twist and wrap around things like hair, toilet paper and other organic matter that goes through the pipes. These clumps can cause dams, which build up over time and create havoc not only in your home's plumbing, but also in public sewage systems. While it may seem crazy to think your own piece of floss can do this, multiply it by the number of people in your community and you can understand the gravity of this one action.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you use large shopping bags to hold recyclable newsprint, magazines and other recyclable paper? While it may seem like a smart idea, the reality is you should avoid this practice. Most shopping bags aren't easily recyclable. Many are made with glossy, shiny or colorful paper, and they often have plastic handles. These bags do not process well at recycling facilities. Instead, use cardboard boxes, unprinted paper bags (like those from the grocery store) or just old-fashioned twine to keep paper together.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Here's another reason to switch from bottled body wash to bar soap: You get more active ingredients when you switch to a bar. When you buy a bottled body wash, the primary ingredient is water. With bar soap, there is very little (if any) water in the bar, which means every ingredient is active and designed to do its job. Also, there is no plastic packaging, it's lighter (so there's less of a carbon footprint to have bars shipped to stores vs. bottles) and for you road warriors: It's TSA-friendly, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION