Green Living 2009

Are your water bills rising out of control? Are you interested in conserving water to help the environment but just aren't sure what to do? The amount of water most people go through in their homes on a daily basis is substantial. According to the American Water Works Association, an international nonprofit dedicated to safe and sustainable water, a typical single-family home uses 350 gallons of water per day indoors and outdoors. At least 69.3 gallons are used indoors alone.

When it comes to the green movement, environmentally savvy consumers love organic cotton and sustainable practices for producing eco-friendly clothing and accessories. However, they seem to have forgotten something: those T-shirts living a lonely existence in the back of their closets. The average American throws away 68 pounds of textiles a year -- something which Justina and Faith Blakeney would like to prevent. These sisters are the founders of Compai, a fashion line that features vintage and older clothes that are remade into new things. They have

It all started when James MacKinnon and his longtime partner, Alisa Smith, made a meal one night in their native Vancouver, British Columbia. They realized at that point they knew where everything on their plate came from, and all of it was local. They wondered whether they could eat everything locally. They did this strictly for one year, which led to the release of their book "Plenty." Now localization and sustainable food practices are the talk of the town -- both for regular consumers and top-notch chefs.

Do you want to get fit, save the environment and feel like a kid again? It may be as simple as going from four wheels to two. Biking is a great way to get exercise while saving the environment. Whether you're going to work, the grocery or just out of the house, a bicycle can be a wonderful alternative. And there is a pair of wheels for everyone, no matter how old. "Bicycles aren't going away, and we're going to see their usage increase as time goes on," says Michael De Leon, public relations manager for Cycling Sports Group.

Recycling empty aluminum soda cans and glass bottles, flattened cereal boxes and bundles of old newspapers can be as simple as dropping them into a special recycling bin that's picked up by the company or municipality that hauls away your other trash. Figuring out what to do with the rest of those "disposables" may not be as easy. Foam cups, microwaveable dinnerware and even some plastic toys may wind up in a local landfill if they're not accepted by municipal or private recycling centers. Fluorescent lamps and bulbs, motor oil and

Mention air pollution and most people automatically think of belching smokestacks at a coal-fired power plant or a line of cars spewing exhaust into the air. Less likely culprits would be the products we use to clean our homes, but many of them contain chemicals that can make indoor air even more polluted than outdoor air. In fact, several studies have found that household cleaning products are major contributors to the smog that plagues big cities. Martin Wolf,

Working out is essential to your health, and with some smart steps, you can make your fitness plan eco-friendly, as well as more enjoyable and affordable, which may be just the motivation you need to get moving every day. Here are some top tips for greening your workout: *Get moving without machines Electric fitness machines, such as treadmills and elliptical trainers, use energy, so avoid plug-in equipment as much as possible. Brian

That massive fireball in the sky is also an economical and renewable source of energy. Governments fund research projects about it; private industries compete for new technologies regarding it; and resourceful homeowners have found ways to put it to work. The sun has been around since, well, the beginning of time, and in recent years, it has become even more important, as mankind finally has realized the need to conserve resources. "Fifteen years ago, if you used solar energy, people looked at you funny. Now solar has become socially acceptable and desirable," says Dan

Just because you are taking a break from the grind doesn't mean you have to take a break from the green. Vacations can rejuvenate our well-being, as well as the earth's. A "staycation," or stay-at-home vacation, is the best way to pass your green retreat emissions test. No driving! According to Super Eco, "There's no single recipe for staycation success. Some people like to break away, while others prefer to nest in." Staycations enable you to put a

Whether you are building or remodeling your home, it's always best to think "green." Because buildings consume 71 percent of the United States' electricity consumption and 48 percent of the United States' energy consumption -- and the production of energy has the biggest impact on our greenhouse gas emissions -- making buildings more energy-efficient is of utmost importance, says Barbara Buffaloe, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accredited professional.

You have several options when you need to go from Point A to Point B, and chances are driving yourself will be the best choice. Alternatives, such as walking or riding a bike, aren't practical for many trips. Catching a bus usually means your trip takes two or three times longer than it would have had you driven, and you might find yourself packed in like a sardine during rush hour. When it comes to convenience, it's tough to top the car. But it comes with a price. Internal-combustion engines run on gasoline, which, of

In the scheme of things, paper products seem kind of mundane, says Darby Hoover, senior resource specialist for the Natural Resources Defense Council, in Washington, D.C. But depending on your choices, the paper you choose to use at home -- facial tissue, toilet paper, paper towels, napkins and computer paper -- can put you on a green path, save you lots of money and help save the earth.

Want to join the green movement but don't know where to begin? Take a tour through your house. Every room offers options for greening up your lifestyle. Joshua Foxx, owner of the Thrive Design Studios in Minneapolis and Boulder, Colo., which offer sustainable designs for homeowners and businesses, recommends starting with the kitchen.

Office space creates a lot of office waste, with mountains of paper and multiple energy drains. Whether you work in a corner office, cubicle or home office, having a green mindset saves the planet, your health and lots and lots of money. Here are the top tips for greening your work space: *Green your equipment "When possible, replace your office equipment with Energy Star models, including computers, printers, phones, light fixtures and others, which

Spring showers wash it into our lawns, collect it in the gutters by the roads, and consolidate it on storm drains. With no leaves as camouflage, we see the plastic bags caught on bare branches. Beer bottles, tin cans and Styrofoam cups nestle like Easter eggs under shrubs and bushes. Litter is a man-made blight on the American landscape. But litter doesn't stop here. In his eye-opening book, "The World Without Us," Alan Weisman describes a small continent of litter floating in

With the increase in world population, it's thought that water shortage will become a serious threat in the near future if we don't change our ways.

With as much as 67% of our trash going to landfills, a lot of recyclable material is being dumped.

If you want to modify your home for greener living, the bathroom is a great place to start.