11 Ways You Can Go Green...Without Spending a Lot of "Green"

Yes, I am aware that Earth Day was officially yesterday, but shouldn't it really be Earth Day everyday?

There is a huge push to "Go Green" these days and Hollywood and other power figures are setting a good example: President and Mrs. Bush built an energy-efficient house to live in once they leave the White House (highlighted yesterday morning on the Today Show and I'm sure that Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie only feed their children the finest in organic, homemade baby food).

But going green can feel a bit overwhelming if you are not working with a superstar budget. I could really stress myself out thinking about adding solar panels to my roof, buying a new hybrid car (when I just bought a new car two years ago) or replacing all of my perfectly good (and practically new) appliances with brand new, energy-efficient ones.

Don't despair, though. There are plenty of wallet-friendly, budget-conscious ways that you can love our Earth, and here are a few ways that I have thought of. Feel free to add more suggestions below in the comments section (just make sure your suggestions are lo- or no-cost).

1. Buy reusable grocery bags to use for grocery shopping. No longer just at stores like Whole Foods and Fresh Market, many major grocery stores like Publix and Kroger have jumped on the green bandwagon and started selling -- sometimes for as low as 99¢ -- reusable cloth bags. Keep a stack in your car and bring them in with you each time you shop.

2. Recycle your plastic grocery bags. If you forget your reusable bags at home and must get plastic ones, don't throw them away! Return them to the grocery store next time you shop -- most stores now have receptacles for plastic bags so that they can recycle them for you.

3. Recycle your drycleaner hangers. You know those annoying metal hangers that are so bad for your clothes? They're also really bad to throw away! Simply return them to the drycleaner the next time you drop off a batch of clothes.

4. Join your local Freecycle.org. A simple way to -- just go the freecycle.org and look up your city and town for the nearest group. Simply post items that you would like to give away -- yes, that means for FREE -- and wait for someone to contact you!

5. Have a garage sale...or better yet, organize one for your neighborhood. Thinking of tossing your old couch and nightstands but can't stand the thought of giving them away for free? Have a neighorhood garage sale -- or invite your friends to participate in yours. The more stuff you have to sell, the more buyers you will attract. You'll make some money and your stuff won't end up in a landfill.

6. Turn off your water while you're brushing your teeth. And while you're soaping up your hands, drying your dishes...any time you're not actually using the water.

7. Use energy-efficient light bulbs. When your current bulbs burn out, replace them with highly efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) last for years, use a quarter of the energy of regular bulbs and actually produce more light.

8. Plant a garden. Plants "inhale" carbon dioxide and "exhale" oxygen. Plus they're beautiful! Plant flowers, trees, an herb garden, a vegetable garden. You don't need a huge yard - just a little patch of grass or even a collection of beautiful pots is enough to create a gorgeous little garden

9. If you're in the market for a new car, consider a hybrid. From what I've read, only consider buying one if you are already inthe market for a new car; the savings are not as great if you have recently purchased a car or are not really in the market for one. However, if you're ready to buy, why not consider a hybrid? They are affordable and practical!

10. Buy local produce. Buying local -- from farmers' markets and local produce stands -- supports the local ecomony and their products often use less pesticides and other materials that harm the Earth.

11. Be more aware of your eco-footprint. Take this quick and easy quiz to find out how you're doing!

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