Even the best tap water can have trace amounts of chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs and over-the-counter medicines lingering in it. That's why it's best to use a water filtration system when drinking tap water. But the same water that you and your family drink should also be used for your pets. Since hormone disrupters, chlorine, toxic metals and other particulates can come in unfiltered water, these things can also be damaging to your dog or cat. To make it easy, many pet stores now offer water-drinking systems that have integrated filters to always give your furry friends filtered water.

Got a bunch of apple peels from making a few homemade apple pies? Use the peels to get your metal pots and pans sparkling clean. Caked-on grease, debris and other burnt-on messes can be released with the power of peels. Just toss a handful into the pan and add a few inches of tap water. Then simmer the mixture over low heat for about 30 minutes. The caked-on mess will begin to dissipate because the acid in apples peels will attack it, all without scrubbing or chemical cleaning products. And when you're done? You can compost the cooked peels.

Many of us know not to place a refrigerator next to a heat source like an oven, but did you know you should also avoid a sunny spot in your kitchen? Since radiant heat that comes from the sun through your windows is warm, when the sun's rays hit your refrigerator, it, too, warms up. If your refrigerator warms up, it needs to work extra hard (using extra energy) to keep things cool and frozen inside. By avoiding sunny spots or drawing the blinds down to block sun from hitting your fridge, you can save energy.