It's easy for those dials to get knocked out of whack by oversized tubs of leftovers or marauding children or houseguests, so make sure you have the temperature set optimally in your appliances.

You should consult with your manufacturer, but in general the EPA recommends keeping refrigerators at 37 degrees F and freezers at 3 degrees. Anything colder is probably overkill, and a waste of energy.

That's important, because refrigerators and freezers use about a sixth of home electricity.

Not sure if the internal temps are actually correct? Place a weather thermometer inside to check the temperature and adjust the dials until you get the desired results.

Partially used products have a way of collecting over time -- cluttering cabinets, countertops and drawers. Although it's always better to use what you have before buying new, if you're looking to switch to all-natural products or have had reactions to products in the past it can be hard. Rather than tossing old soaps in the garbage, you can donate them!

Clean The World is a non-profit organization that combats preventable disease in developing countries by gathering used soap, sanitizing it and redistributing it in other parts of the world. When it's recycled, used soap is kept out of the groundwater and helps stop the spread of disease.

Clean The World works with hotels to get most of its soaps, but it accepts donations from individuals as well. Send soap to:

Clean The World
8026 Sunport Drive, Ste. 306
Orlando, FL, 32809

Clean The World is only accepting donations of bar soap -- no liquid soaps or shampoos -- from individuals at this time.

In many areas, you can save money on cooling bills by opening up your windows in the mornings and evenings, when the temperatures are typically more pleasant.

Cross ventilation works by taking advantage of high and low pressure zones created by wind to draw fresh air through a building. Breezes enter through a window or vent, bringing fresh air, while the pressure difference on both sides of the building pulls stale air out an opening in the other side. The key, of course, is to have open windows (or vents) on opposite sides of the structure.

Get the best results by working with the predominant direction of winds. You can also set up fans to alternately push or pull air from outside in.

Cross ventilation is also great for exchanging out indoor air, which tends to get loaded with volatile organic compounds, mold spores and other toxins from off-gassing of products in the home.

You've heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a floating island of largely plastic debris that threatens wildlife. It's full of discarded bottles, bags, bits of nylon rope and other rubbish, both seen and unseen. The good news is that we can all make choices that reduce the accumulation. One example you may not have thought of may be lurking in your bathroom: conventional exfoliants.

Exfoliants are products meant to scrape away old, dead skin to reveal younger, fresher cells. Most conventional products are liquid-based and contain beads that do the exfoliating. Trouble is, many of those beads are typically made of plastic. Plastic that's meant to go right down the drain, and which makes its way out into our waterways, eventually ending up in the oceans. The tiny beads take many years to break down, and they can choke marine life, from large animals on down to tiny plankton that got covered in them.

Luckily, there are plenty of exfoliants on the market now that are made with all-natural ingredients like lemon peel, coffee grounds, sugar and salt -- not plastic. Do those ingredients sound familiar? Good! That means you can also try making your own products right in the kitchen using some simple DIY recipes! Or, buy pre-made treatments from natural products stores or even more and more conventional retailers.

Mold isn't just something that turns bread and peaches bad. It can seriously threaten indoor air quality, and even lead to death in rare cases. So make sure your home and work spaces are free of the nasty stuff.

Spurred by moisture, mold can develop rapidly and unnoticed. It is much more common in humid areas, but can form anywhere there's a little moisture and some type of organic-based material, be that fabric, wood or even some paints. Mold likes dark places, and frequently develops in areas that are out of view.

The best solution is prevention, so make sure you don't have any leaks or pipes that promote condensation, as well as cracks in basements or low-lying areas that can let moisture in. Don't leave wet clothes or towels lying around. If you are suffering from worsened allergies or suspect poor air quality, you may want to do a mold test. Your best bet is probably to call in a professional, but you can purchase a do-it-yourself test kit from the Internet.

Getting rid of mold once you have it may be as simple as drying the area out and scrubbing with strong natural cleaners (use bleach if you must). Extensive mold requires replacement of surfaces and structures, however, and you may need professional help. Both Ed McMahon and Erin Brockovich have suffered serious damage to their homes from mold, so the problem can strike anyone.

For the eco-conscious consumer, shopping can be tough. You have to consider how far that t-shirt was shipped from the factory to the store, what it's made out of and if it's really worth investing in. But by buying used and vintage clothing, you can satisfy a shopping fix and put your green little heart at ease.

Look for clothes at thrift, vintage, resale and consignment stores, and local garage sales. Anything you buy at these places has already been manufactured, eliminating the need to use new resources. You'll also save money and find some cool, unique stuff -- cutting down on your chances of having a surprise look-alike the next time you're out.

Be sure to contribute to the cause, too. Do your part by going through your closet and donating old clothes that you don't wear. The things you donate or sell can be someone else's next great discovery.

And if you don't have access to any resale shops, look for clothing like this little black dress that can be worn over and over again so you don't have to purchase as many pieces, but can still have a varied wardrobe.

By now you've probably heard how important it is to reduce the number of plastic bags that we all take home from stores, but it's also a good idea to keep gently used sandwich bags in service.

Those ubiquitous plastic resealable bags now come in many sizes, and they are convenient. However, people often forget that they are sturdy enough for multiple uses. The bags are made of petroleum plastics, and so are using a nonrenewable resource, and produce toxic emissions upon manufacture. If the bags become ripped or heavily soiled with greasy foods, you are better off throwing them away (they aren't recyclable in the vast majority of communities), versus expending a lot of water and soap to try and get them back into shape. However, for most uses, a quick rinse, or even shaking out crumbs, means you can use the bags over and over.

A number of companies even sell attractive wooden racks, where you can drape the bags for quick drying. Or, simply drop them over the faucet handle or cooking implements to dry.

If the thought of reusing bags for food gives you the willies, consider repurposing them for batteries, buttons, coupons, stamps or anything else you can think of.