10 Easy Ways to Go Green

1. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: For a recycling center near you click here.
2. Lighten up: Use energy efficient light bulbs like these.
3. One click for man, one giant leap for the planet. Adjust your thermostat up one degree in the summer and down one in the winter to drastically reduce emissions.
4. Use your off switch. Turn off electronic devices, lights, and appliances when you are not using them.
5. Get dirty. Plant a tree. Don’t have a green thumb? That’s no excuse. Here’s how.
6. Take your foot off the gas. Carpooling and using public transportation reduces emissions and is cost effective. Find a carpool near you.
7. Out with the old, in with the new. Replace old appliances with energy efficient ones. There are many to choose from and they’re not too pricey.
8. Go local. Farmers markets and independent stores are less likely to ship products or use harmful pesticides. You use less gas shopping locally too!
9. Organic is your friend. Don’t be afraid to try organic products. They taste, feel, and smell the same but they are natural instead of processed. Price differences are minimal but the nutritional benefits are massive.
10. And this little baggie went to market… Bring your own bags to the market. An average American family acquires 60 plastic bags per week and rarely reuses them. Try ECOBAGS® Shopping System or Classic String Bag and help us save the planet, one bag at a time.

Shopping and Cleaning

Ecobags
Bringing your own bag when shopping saves plastic bags. Visit www.ecobags.com.

Method Home
Method offers some cleaners that are dye- and perfume-free, nontoxic, biodegradable, naturally derived and never tested on animals. For more information, visit www.methodhome.com.

Mrs. Meyers cleaning supplies
All of their cleaning supplies are made with natural essential oils, are biodegradable and phosphate-free. For more, visit www.mrsmeyers.com.

Seventh Generation products
Seventh Generation is one of the leading brands of nontoxic household products. For more information, visit www.seventhgeneration.com.

Activism

American Forests
The average person is responsible for emitting 94 pounds of carbon dioxide every day. It takes four trees, which act as natural air filters, to offset the carbon dioxide each person generates in a month. For each dollar donated, American Forests plants a tree. For more information and to plant trees, visit www.americanforests.org.

Earth 911
Find information about environmental services and events in your community, visit www.earth911.org.

Engines Off
Lynn Romanek from Glencoe, Illinois, has organized parents at her childrens' school to turn off their cars instead of idling in the parking lot. Idling 10 minutes less per day can keep 550 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air every year. For more information visit www.enginesoff.org.

Greendimes
A group that reduces junk mail and plants trees. For more information or to sign up, visit www.greendimes.com.

Treehugger
For ideas on green living, visit www.treehugger.com.

Stop Global Warming Tour
Learn more about Sheryl Crow and Laurie David's tour and what you can do to find solutions for global warming. Visit www.stopglobalwarming.org for more information.

The Green
Simran Sehti hosts The Green on the Sundance Channel. Visit www.sundancechannel.com/thegreen for more information.

The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen
Simple things you can do to save the planet. Find more at www.readthegreenbook.com.