Have you heard of “dark sky” outdoor light bulbs? This is a new way to keep your outdoor lights on without creating light pollution that can confuse migratory birds and sea turtles, who depend on the natural night sky to thrive. These LED bulbs emit a soft amber glow instead of a bright white light, so they're less disrupting but still illuminate enough so you can see in the dark. Bonus benefit: Insects that gather around outdoor lighting in the summer months are less attracted to “dark sky” bulbs.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Millions of car seats for children are thrown away every year in the United States; they cannot be donated, due to safety recalls, wear and tear and laws that prevent them from being resold or reused. The good news is that the hard plastic, foam and metal used in their manufacture is recyclable. To recycle a car seat, visit recycleyourcarseat.org and find a recycling program near you. Major retailers like Target also have trade-in programs for car seats, which offer discounts on the purchase of a new one.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you start your car and let it idle when it's freezing cold outside, to allow the engine to "warm up"? While there is some valid reasoning around doing this, especially during the coldest temps, you don't need to do it for more than 30 seconds. Modern cars have improved fuel-injected engines that work perfectly well without idling your car for several minutes before driving. Lessening your idle time will improve your fuel efficiency and also is better for our environment.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION