Did you know that your paper coffee cup might be non-recyclable? Billions of paper coffee cups are thrown in the garbage each year, and many are lined with polyethylene plastic. The liner helps keep beverages hot and your coffee from leaking through the cup.

So, the next time you head to your local coffee shop, bring your own reusable coffee mug or thermos. Not only will you reduce your carbon footprint, you could rack up savings, since many coffee companies offer a discount if you bring your own mug. My coffee shop takes twenty-cents off per cup when I use my own thermos. At two cups a day, that's a savings of nearly $150 per year. Do you save by bringing your own? How much?

—Ginger Skinner