by Mae Blake

Created on: March 05, 2008

Going green isn't just trendy anymore; it's what everyone needs to do to preserve our planet. But unless you're in the market for a brand-new energy saving appliance or eco-friendly bamboo flooring, how can you make a difference right now? Below are ten super-simple ways to go green at home, at the office, and on the go.

At Home
Switch bulbs: Swap your energy-guzzling incandescent light bulbs for longer-lasting, energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs. The planet and your bank account will feel the benefits; less energy wasted means a skinnier monthly bill.

Unplug: Guilty of leaving your laptop on 24-7, or lighting up every lamp in the house? Power down, switch off and unplug; your lights, appliances and electronics are busy eating up energy when you're not using them.

Get cozy: Wintertime brings sub-zero temperatures, but that doesn't mean you have to heat your home into a tropical getaway. Lower your thermostat just one or two degrees in winter and ease it up a little in summer to conserve energy and make a nice dent in your heating/cooling bill. Even better, give your thermostat an extra tweak before you leave the house for the day - your couch won't mind the chill.

Clean green: The chemical soup in your typical household cleaner is poisonous for you and the environment. Browse for safer "green" products in the cleaning aisle or, if you want to go super-natural, household staples like vinegar and baking soda can easily be used to clean and disinfect.

Go cold: Unless you're washing cloth diapers - and if you are, good for you! - doing laundry in hot water is only upping your energy emissions and leaching money from your pocket. Save both by switching to cold, and enjoy fewer shrunken t-shirts and accidentally pink gym socks.

At the Office
Save power: Your computer likely has an energy-saving mode, though you may not be using it. Adjust your settings for an easy way to cut your energy consumption, then do the same for your system at home.

Pass on printing: Emails, faxes and reports are facts of office life, but wasting reams of paper to print them out doesn't have to be. Reserve printing only for when it's absolutely necessary and you'll save hundreds of trees, plus the energy and waste involved in paper manufacturing.

On the Go
Be coffee conscious: Your daily Starbucks run might be an absolute necessity, but chugging through cup after disposable coffee cup shouldn't be; cut down by keeping a travel mug in your car or your bag. The same goes for the shiny new Italian espresso machine at work: Skip the tower of plastic, paper or Styrofoam cups in the break room and bring your own mug from home to wash and re-use.

Try transit: If you spend hours before and after work stuck in traffic - along with thousands of other single-passenger cars - you're sending tons of toxic exhaust into the atmosphere. Do yourself and the environment a favor by using public transit; traveling even a few days a week by bus, train or subway means fewer emissions and a more relaxing, traffic-free commute.

Bring a bag: Paper or plastic? Neither, when it comes to shopping bags. Landfill-clogging plastics are made from crude oil, whereas paper bags usually come from trees cut specifically to carry your groceries. Instead, bring along a re-usable cloth bag, which you can buy at nearly any major grocery store for less than a dollar. Some stores will even shave a few cents off your bill for using them.

Going green doesn't have to be complicated; with a few tiny adjustments to your everyday habits, you can easily go from eco-ignorant to earth-conscious. Just don't forget the bamboo flooring in your next house...

Learn more about this author, Mae Blake.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.