If you have empty plastic motor oil containers, you may think that they are easily recyclable because they are marked as a No. 2 plastic. But the reality is that the residual coating from the oil can contaminate a whole load of recyclables. These containers are often unaccepted by recycling haulers, so it's best to avoid putting them into your recycling bin. Instead, take them to a service station that performs oil changes. They have the infrastructure in place to properly dispose of old oil and recycle empty oil containers.

There's a misconception that choosing a paper cup over polystyrene for your morning coffee is better for your health and the environment. But the reality is that many hot beverage paper cups are lined with plastic, often made with the chemical bisphenal-A (BPA). Since many of us are trying to avoid BPA due to its suspected link as an endocrine disrupter, what's the best choice for your coffee? It's easy: Use a reusable thermos made from BPA-free materials like stainless steel.

Major shipping companies like FedEx and UPS are making it easy to minimize the greenhouse gas emissions sending packages all over the country (or world) can have on the environment. For UPS, shippers have the option to choose a carbon-neutral option, which makes a small contribution toward projects that offset emissions. And FedEx envelopes aren't just reusable, they are also carbon neutral at no cost to the customer; FedEx pays to neutralize its impact on carbon emissions.