Change all your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). CFLs are a few dollars more than incandescent bulbs, but they can save hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It will be years before you have to change them.
Leave curtains or blinds open during the day to light the room naturally. Teach your kids to turn off the light in rooms when they leave them to conserve energy. When you do leave lights on, use dimmers or timers to cut down on power use.
Use rechargeable batteries whenever you can. Initially, these cost more than disposable batteries, but they save energy and money over the long haul and keep the hazardous metals from disposable batteries out of landfills. If you have disposable batteries, recycle them at your local library rather than putting them in the trash.
When not using them, unplug all power adaptors and cell phone chargers.to reduce your energy consumption.

Rather than using synthetic cleaners filled with harmful substances, make your own green cleaners. Vinegar and baking soda can be combined to clear stopped drains, and, used individually, they can clean and disinfect counters and tile.
Look for paper napkins, towels, and plates that were made from post-consumer waste (PCW) or those that are totally chlorine free (TCF). These two labels mean the products were recycled from actual used paper goods, not just paper mill leftovers, and were not bleached with chlorine, which is harmful to the environment. Better yet, use cloth towels and napkins. Washing cloth towels and napkins uses less energy than the amount needed to create new paper products.
Go shopping with a reusable cloth bag or paper bags and decline plastic bags if offered. Take your old plastic bags to your grocery store to recycle or sort them to be recycled at home.
Stop buying bottled water. Instead, use a refillable water bottle and fill it with filtered tap water. If you and your family use a bottle like this everyday, you can keep thousands of plastic bottles out of landfills and help conserve petroleum! Visit www.refillnotlandfill.org for more details.

Take quicker showers. Cutting your showers down by one minute alone can conserve thousands of gallons of water each year. Taking baths uses less water than a shower.
Use a bar of soap rather than body wash in the shower. Soap bar packets are cheaper than body wash, do not come in a plastic container, and usually last longer than body wash.
Buy natural make-up. Many cosmetics are made from non-renewable resources like petroleum. If you can’t find natural alternatives in the store, try cutting back on the amount of cosmetics you use daily. Put on less make-up or try wearing perfume every other day.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE