, HGTV

Recycle Water in Your Bathroom. Before the hot water kicks in, catch the cold water in a bucket from your shower or tub and use it to water your plants.X...X...X

Free Light at Night. Replace outdoor accent lights with the solar-powered variety. At night, the lights will activate using the solar energy stored during daylight hours.X...X...X

Conserve Water at Home. Don't let the faucets run when brushing your teeth. Try using a low-flow shower nozzle and only use the dishwasher or the washing machine when you have a full load.X...X...X

Minimize Environmental Waste. Changing minor things can help reduce unnecessary waste. Try using durable coffee mugs, cloth napkins and towels; repurpose empty jars into containers for leftover food and purchase refillable pens and pencils. Each of these small steps can help make a difference for landfills.X...X...X

Know Your Recyclables. There are some universal truths about how to recycle properly for your weekly garbage pick-up service. Never put plastic shopping bags, light bulbs, broken glass or food in your recycling bins and only recycle plastics that are labeled as a "1" or "2". Most services do not take plastics labeled with higher numbers. X...X...X

Try Recycled PaintUsing recycled latex paint keeps harmful chemicals out of the landfill and it is a bargain at around $5 to $8 per gallon. Colors and finishes are sometimes limited, but for basic painting, it's a great way to go green.X...X...XUse a Solar Water Heater

Swap Your Sod. A summer's worth of mowing, watering and fertilizing are tough on the environment. To reduce the amount of pollutants generated by these activities, try replacing some areas of your lawn with environmentally friendly alternatives like ornamental grasses and ivy.X...X...X

Have a barbecue Not only is grilling a healthy way to cook, it also uses less energy than electric kitchen stoves. Propane and natural gas grills are best; they emit about half the amount of carbon dioxide as their charcoal counterparts. In addition, the heat stays outside, which reduces the work for the air conditioner.X...X...XUpgrade your toilet

Low-Flow Faucets. Using low-flow water fixtures such as showerheads, faucets and toilets can reduce water consumption and water heating costs by as much as 50 percent.X...X...X

Turn Down the Thermostat. Lowering you thermostat by just one degree can reduce costs by about 4 percent. Using a ceiling fan year-round also can help with air conditioning and heating energy consumption.X...X....X