One way to help save energy at home is to plant smart when it comes to landscaping around the house. Avoid putting in plants that can grow too tall on the south side of your home. These plants can block sunlight in the winter months, which means your home can’t take advantage of the ambient light and heat. And plant dense evergreen shrubs all around the house. They look good all year long and also naturally insulate to protect your home from the cold air outdoors.

When you think about fresh lemons, limes, grapefruits and oranges, it seems these citrusy fruits would love bright sunlight. But if you have a bumper crop of citrus at home, keep them away from sunlight to extend the life of the perishables. On a tree, the fruit uses the sunlight to grow and ripen. Off the tree, sunlight can quickly deteriorate the fruit. Store citrus in a cool place, like a refrigerator, where many varieties can stay fresh for several weeks.

When it comes to three-ring binders, it seems the only choices at the office supply store are those made from plastic. These binders (and their matching plastic folders) are made from either PVC or polypropylene, which are difficult to recycle. When shopping for binders, consider searching for an alternative: aluminum. These durable, all-metal binders not only look good, but they are often made from recycled metal and are 100 percent recyclable. If you ever need to recycle it, just toss it into the recycling bin.