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peroxide. Choose phosphate-free detergents and dish soaps. Clean and freshen drains with vinegar and baking soda - bonus: it is fun to watch the volcano of foam that erupts!

4.Compost.
When many people hear the word compost, they immediately have visions of mountains of steaming trash rotting away in their yard. But the truth is that composting, including vermicomposting (composting with worms), when done properly, has no odor and is very easily contained to one area of your land. For example, we have a wire bin (about 4' tall and 3' in diameter) that is kept along the side of our garage. It is practically invisible, but easy to access when we need to turn it or add more scraps to it. The trick to having good compost is to include plenty of green (kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings etc.) and plenty of brown materials (dead leaves, straw, etc.). Add water to keep it moist, turn it every so often to keep airflow moving, and you will have rich soil in no time!

5. Cut down on junk mail.
Call or write the companies that keep sending you heaps of junk mail and ask them to stop. There are even websites, such as the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse or MailStopper, devoted to helping you get off of junk mail lists. By cutting down on the glossy catalogs and multiple credit card offers, you will not only be saving a lot of trees, but you will also be removing the temptation to constantly buy new things. Which leads me to #6 on the list...

6. Buy less stuff.
Buying less means that you are helping to save the ozone layer from toxic gasses and chemicals produced during the manufacturing process. It also means that you are mindful of waste, and are able to use products for as long as possible, consequently reducing the number of items that end up in a landfill. Before you buy, stop and think, "Do I really need it, or can I use what I already have?" You'd be surprised how much stuff you already have once you start looking at your closets, garages, and other storage areas. You can also mend or re-purpose a lot of what you have rather than throwing it away. If you find something that can be re-purposed so that it is still usable, by all means, re-purpose it. I once turned a pair of old jeans into a set of reusable gift bags for the holidays. I learned how to sew, and had fun making the gift bags!

7. Go meatless a few days every week.
Albert Einstein said it best when he reasoned that "Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian

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