10 Things You Can Do to Help the Environment

All around us, everything is going green. No, it's not spring. It's us protecting the world, protecting our environment. There is a lot that you can do, even as one person, to help out Mother Earth.

1) Recycle. Use a separate bin for recyclable materials, and when it's full, take it to the recycling station near you. And remember to toss in all those fliers you get in the mail. They can count for something.

2) Use green products. Products like paper towels, paper for your computer, toilet paper can all be made out of post-consumer waste.

3) Walk or bike. Instead of getting in the car to drive the three miles to Blockbuster, walk or ride your bike. It's good for you and cuts down on not only the fuel used, but the amount of emissions in the air.

4) Carpool. Ask around at work and find out who lives near you. Take turns picking one another up.

5) Use less water. When brushing your teeth, don't let the water run while brushing. Turn the water off, brush, and then turn the water back on to rinse.

6) Flush. But first invest in any one of the very reasonably priced low-water toilets that are on the market. It is estimated that you use anywhere between seven and ten gallons every time you flush. A low pressure toilet could cut that in half.

7) Turn the setting down on your hot water heater. It'll last longer, and you won't be burning up quite as much gas/electric.

8) Turn up the air conditioner, turn down the heat. Instead of having your air conditioner set at 70º, setting it just two degrees higher can save you at least $100 per year. Same with the heat. Instead of having it set at 72º, try 68º. Just that simple change can save you up to $300 a year.

9) Take your own bags to the store. Most major grocery chains now have eco-friendly bags that you can buy for less than $5. Most of them also give a "green" discount when you use those bags rather than plastic.

10) Toss the bottled water and get a water purifier instead. Statistics have shown that tap water in most cities is comparable, if not better than the water in the bottles. And those bottles are going to last a heck of a long time in the landfill.

Get more information on these tips and plenty more besides at the Energy Saving Trust