12 Green Ways to Save a Little Green

You don't have to install solar panels on your rooftop or bear hug a tree to make a positive impact on the environment. A few simple changes can make a difference. Try these tips out and see how easy they are to make a part of your everyday lifestyle.

• Save a little gas – Try it just one day a week. Walk, bike, carpool or take public transportation to work. If you find that it's not so bad, try two days a week. Or, if your job will allow you, work from home one day a week. Tell your boss it's for the planet.
  
  
• Buy a water bottle and a water purifier – Bottled water is often no purer than tap water, and it can cost anywhere from 30 cents to a few dollars per bottle. So keep the plastic out of the landfill and drink cleaner water out of one bottle.
  
  
• Make your coffee at home – A caffeine fix costs anywhere from $1 - $5 at a coffee shop, and it often comes in double paper cups. Save those cups and save some money by making your java at home. (Feel free to call it a venti latte if that makes you enjoy it more.)
  
  
• Earn a little money – Declutter your house and recycle at the same time when you sell or give away items you no longer use. Start with online auctions or community and recycling web sites. Your stuff stays out the landfill, and the buyer doesn't have to purchase something newly produced.
  
  
• Forget the bubble wrap – Instead of throwing away the free newspapers or coupon circulars that land on your doorstep, keep a stash to use as packing material when you mail your online auction item to the winning bidder.
  
  
• Get audited – Call your gas and electric companies and ask for a free home energy audit to find out how to improve your home's energy efficiency. Or hire an energy auditor with the help of Energy Star, a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.
  
  
• Lower your utility bills – Set your thermostat a few degrees higher than you usually do in the summer. Or turn off the a.c. and see how a few strategically placed fans feel, especially at night when your home is typically cooler.
  
  
• Go vegetarian one day a week – Shake up your eating habits and try something new. A meatless meal can save you money and, even better, save the large amount of energy that it takes to get meat from the farm to your table.
  
  
• Turn it off – For the last few minutes of cooking on the stovetop or on the oven, turn off the heat. The surface will stay warm, but you won't be using any more energy.
  
  
• Towel off – Use the same bath towel for a week before you wash it. Since you're simply wiping water off your clean body, there's no need to wash the towel more frequently. Just be sure to hang it up between washes so it can dry thoroughly.
  
  
• Wash your clothes in cold water – This will save energy, plus your clothes will retain their color longer.
  
  
• And dry them on a drying rack – If they are too stiff once they're dry, put them in the dryer on the fluff cycle for a few minutes.