Saving Gasoline:

• Walk short distances rather than driving- this not only saves gas but is good for your body! So it’s raining out? Grab an umbrella! Snowing? Pull on your boots! 
• Do all your errands on one trip. Instead of driving to the store in the morning, heading back home, going clothes shopping in the afternoon, driving back home and then going to a friend’s house at night (that’s 6 trips in the car!)- how can you combine them all so that you are only making 2 outings?
• Carpool as much as you can. Sure you’re excited to be driving and want to get behind the wheel whenever you can, but is it really necessary for you and your next door neighbor to drive separate cars to school in the morning? Instead of all meeting at the movie theater, can’t you and your friends drive together?
• When you’re looking at cars think about the fuel efficiency (how many miles a car will go on one gallon of gas). A big SUV looks hot but will cost you a fortune in gas. A smaller car can still look good, will get you and your friends where you want to go, save you money and use up less of our natural resources.

Saving Energy

• Turn off lights in rooms that you aren’t currently using- there’s no need to keep your entire house lit all the time.
• Use smaller lamps when it’s just you in a room rather than the larger ceiling lamps which use more electricity trying to light a large space.
• Open shades and curtains, keep the lights off and use sunlight to see during the day.
• Energy saver bulbs (which are really just compact florescent bulbs) are now made in soft lighting that is indistinguishable from regular light bulbs.  These bulbs will last for years and use much less energy- switch all your lights to these bulbs for a big impact!
• Where you can’t use florescent bulbs, use low watt bulbs.  60 watt is fine for most areas or use 75 watts for places where you need to see especially well. 
• Unplug appliances when they aren’t in use or put them on a power strip which you can turn off.  It may sound strange, but most appliances suck energy for as long as they are plugged into a socket. TVs are one of the worst- they stay on all the time in order for the remote to function- but irons, toasters, and answering machines, all use a little electricity just by being plugged in.
• Turn off computers when you aren’t using them or at least put them into “sleep” mode. Monitors too!
• Turn down your thermostat. 65-68 is about the temperature that the average thermostat should stay at. This isn’t just for conservation but is also for your health. If your house is too warm, it can make you ill. When it’s really warm in your house and really cold outside the temperature difference can make you more vulnerable infection.
• Use blankets and warm clothes instead of heat.  When it first starts getting chilly in the fall, don’t run to the thermostat, put on a sweater!
• Sunny windows during the day help to heat the house so open up those shades!
• At night, when it’s dark, heat can seep out of windows. Get heavy drapes and shades to close at night and on cloudy days.

Saving Water

• Don’t leave the water running while you brush your teeth, wash your face and hands, shave, wash dishes, etc. This is probably the easiest and most effective step you can take to save water.
• Make sure to tell your parents about any leaks you notice. Hundreds of gallons of water can be wasted every month through leaky appliances.
• Take shorter showers. Keeping your shower under 10 minutes will save gallons and gallons of water every day. If you really are serious about saving, consider shutting the water off while you lather with soap and shampoo, and then turn it back on to rinse off.  
• There are numerous times during the day when water is wasted. While you are waiting for the shower to heat up, while you are rinsing food and vegetables in the sink, etc. Instead of letting it go to waste, collect the water in buckets to water indoor houseplants and outdoor gardens. You can even collect rainwater to use on your indoor plants. 
• Only run the washing machine or dishwasher when you have a full load.  Those particular appliances use a lot of water so the less you run them, the better. You can also use shorter wash cycles for clothes and dishes that are not too dirty. Pre-treating stains on your clothes will also mean you don’t have to run them through again.
• Make sure that you have low-flow toilets (any made after 1993 are).  These cut the amount of water used for each flush almost in half. 

Reducing Waste

• Use both sides! Whether you’re taking notes or passing notes, always use both sides of the paper- you’ll only end up using half the amount you would otherwise. 
• Use cloth napkins at meals and a towel in the kitchen (rather than paper towels) to dry your hands. Both of those can be washed and used again.
• Rather than starting a new page every time you take a phone message or make a grocery list, use scrap paper. Write on the backs of old sheets, printer mess ups or whatever you have around. Instead of throwing paper out, if it’s got a clean side store it all in one place so it’s there when you need it.
• Plant trees - in your yard, in the community, wherever you can! They look great, keep the air clean, and are a vital part of any environment.
• Buy a lunch bag or box to bring your lunch to school in rather than using (and throwing out) brown bags every day. Also pack your food in reusable plastic containers instead of plastic baggies (which you also just throw away).
• Start a compost pile for yard and food waste. This will cut down on the trash you are throwing away every week and can be used to keep your yard looking healthy. 
• Donate old clothing instead of throwing it away. Tear up clothes that have holes or are too ratty to donate into dusting, cleaning and polishing rags. 
• Return bottles and cans to a redemption center (and get a little money back!)