When eating out, it can be nearly impossible to find an eco-friendly option for containers in which you can bring your leftovers home, so you might think about bringing your own. The reality is, restaurants can't use your reusable containers because of health code laws, but you can: Just transfer leftovers at your table into your own reusable containers. If you forget, ask your server to package your leftovers in a single container instead of multiple ones. This will cut back on waste significantly. And if it's something like a burrito or a sandwich, ask if you can wrap it in aluminum foil only. It'll do the job, and the foil is 100 percent recyclable.

Are you tired of receiving supermarket and drugstore circulars in the mailbox what seems like every single day? One of the largest distributors of these advertising circulars, RedPlum, has made it easy to opt out of the mailings. All you have to do is submit a request on their website, redplum.com, and in five to six weeks, you will stop receiving them. In order to properly opt out, be sure to look at the address that is printed on the actual circular and enter it exactly as it appears. If the label says "Dr." instead of "Drive," you'll need to enter it as "Dr." for the opt-out request to work.

For city dwellers or gardening novices who do only container gardening, you might wonder: Is it possible to reuse potting soil from last year for this year's new plants? The answer is yes, if you follow a few simple steps. Since old potting soil can be denser and less nutritious, mix in organic matter like compost and fertilizer into the mix. Even some peat moss can be added to help aerate the soil. Since it's impossible to know if disease from last year's plants may be in this year's old soil, choose hearty plants to grow in the recycled mix: Think herbs like rosemary, mint and chive and robust flowers like marigolds and geraniums.