How to Go Green and Protect the Environment

Green living involves making a commitment to everyday choices that conserve energy, reduce pollution and minimize waste. Besides creating a healthier environment for yourself, your family and your immediate community, leading a more eco-friendly lifestyle benefits the global environment. Simple green measures, such as recycling, driving less and using less electricity, help fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving the earth's natural resources.

Instructions

• 1

  Conserve energy. Turn off electrical appliances after use, and switch off lights when you leave a room. Reduce the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees F, and wash laundry on a cool or warm setting. Take shorter showers.

• 2

  Plant trees and shrubs in your lawn or garden. Plants help clean up the air by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, and they provide food and shelter for wildlife. Choose drought-tolerant native plants that need minimal watering.

• 3

  Use your car less. Walk, bike or take public transit whenever possible. Join or start a carpool for regular journeys that can only be taken by car.

• 4

  Recycle. Leave recyclable waste -- such as paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard and aluminum cans -- out for curb-side collections, or deposit the materials at a local recycling bank. Take old clothes to charity shops rather than throw them away. Return plastic grocery bags to stores that run a recycling program.

• 5

  Buy green products. Products that carry the Energy Star meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Choose reusable products with minimal packaging, and buy electrical devices that use reusable batteries.