With gas prices in constant flux, people are looking more and more into alternative energy sources and green vehicles. Whether you are interested in learning more about the latest green technology, looking for a greener car, or want to make your car more eco-friendly by exploring alternative fuels, these 50 great green blogs for cars lovers will help you find what you are looking for.

Green Cars, Generally Speaking

The first part of this list contains blogs that cover green cars and a wide variety of topics related to this particular market.

1. Autoblogreen: Autobloggreen covers everything from news to manufacturers of green automobiles, and much more. According to them, they ”obsessively cover the green scene.”
2. Green Car Advisor: Edmunds.com has become one of the go-to websites for car enthusiasts, and their Green Car Advisor blog is no exception. It covers different facets of green technology from different angles, which readers will find informative and interesting when looking for green vehicles.
3. Green Car Congress: The writers at Green Car Congress cover a startling wide array of topics related to green auto technology. It is a great place to get started if you want to learn more about green cars.
4. Car Domain Blog: CarDomain in and of itself is a great blog for car lovers, but their Green Machine blog gives great coverage of green concept cars, news, and other interesting items related to green vehicle technology.
5. Green Motor: This UK-based blog is full of information on green cars, including hybrids, electric cars, and concept cars. See what going on in the green car market outside of US on this blog.
6. Chris’s Car Blog: Green cars aren’t just for environmentalists and people looking to save money. If you thought green cars were purely functional, this blog will give you some food for thought.
7. Interactivist: Give this page a visit to hear from one of the web’s biggest proponents of green cars and all things green.
8. Motor Trend: Motor Trend is another industry-standard source when it comes to getting information on cars—even green cars. Turn to the folks at Motor Trend for all kinds of information on green cars.
9. Ask Patty: On this blog, patty takes you on a tour through the newest developments in the green car market. Whether you’re simply interested in the future of cars, or are seriously looking toward the future with your eye on the green, check this site out.
10. Eco-Friendly and Green Cars: Looking into alternative sources of transportation? Take a look at what this blog has to say about your green choices when it comes to seeking out your ideal green car.

Hybrid Car Blogs

The burgeoning demand for hybrid cars has helped to provide blog surfers with a treasure trove of information, reviews, news, and more related to this particular green car market.

11. Hybrid Car: According to this blog, everything you need to know about gas and plug-in hybrid cars is available through this blog. Find news, reviews and much more when you visit hybridcarblog.
12. Future Cars: Along with much information about the future of automobiles in general, futurecars has many articles on hybrid and electric cars readers might find interesting.
13. Hybrid Reviews: Visit this blog for the latest news and reviews on hybrid cars, trucks, and SUVs. Readers will also find commentary and analysis on the value of owning a hybrid vehicle versus a combustion engine vehicle.
14. Mixedpower: Mixedpower offers readers and subscribers up-to-date news and information on hybrid cars and concept cars. Learn more about the future of hybrids and other green cars by visiting their page.
15. Internet Auto Guide: Internetautoguide has many blog posts on the latest hybrid technology. Find the latest news, photographs, and expert opinions related to the future of hybrid technology.

Alternative Fuels and Energy Sources

Finding new ways to power vehicles to reduce dependence on oil and gasoline is on many people’s minds. The following blogs explore different energy sources as an alternative to petroleum.

16. Domestic Fuel: With multiple posts about renewable energy and ethanol, this page has a wealth of information related to domestic alternative fuels.
17. Green Fuel Power: This blog is dedicated to biofuels and other renewable sources of energy for vehicles. External links to other sites pertaining to biodiesel and other renewable fuels, including conversion kits, are just a click away as well.
18. R-squared Energy Blog: The R-Squared energy blog focuses on alternative fuel sources and the veracity of claims made by those trying to push alternative fuel development to the next level. On this blog, you will find reviews of e85, hydrogen, and other new and information related to green cars.
19. E85 Ethanol: This blogger turned his sights from politics in general to focus on e85 and its potential to reduce dependence on oil. How-to’s, analysis, and news are the chief focus of this blog.
20. Gas 2.0: The chief focus of this particular blog is finding an alternative to petroleum-based fuel. News and reviews of conversions and other topics related to alternative fuel can be located here.

E85 Ethanol/Flexfuel Blogs

As we learn more about the types of alternative fuels available, blogs become more specific. The following blogs are dedicated mainly to the topic of e85 ethanol fuel.

21. e85 Tips: There is a loud buzz on the web as of late regarding e85 ethanol fuel. With many cars and trucks on the market now able to use either gas or e85, people with questions about this renewable resource should turn to this blog for more information.
22. Constant Life Change: New developments will naturally have their opponents. Check out what this blog has to say against the use of e85 fuel.
23. Kicking Tires: Could sifting through garbage help bring your gas costs below $2 a gallon? Read this blog and find out.
24. Dark Palmer: Another blog weighs in on the benefits of using ethanol over regular gasoline.
25. Alex Tiler: Support for the use of ethanol continues to grow with this blog. Find out how e85 helps benefit our farmers and out economy, while saving consumers money at the pump as well.

Biodiesel Blogs

The ability to convert commercial and industrial waste into an alternative fuel is the focus of the following blogs.

26. Biodiesel Blog: Biodieselblog.com is a great resource for those interested in biodiesel, how it works, and news and information as it relates to this alternative fuel source.
27. Rabid Biodiesel Nut: The blog by self-proclaimed “biodiesel nut” Graydon Blair gives many insights related to processing biodiesel fuel.
28. All Things BioDiesel: All Things Biodiesel lives up to its name by providing readers with plenty of information on this alternative fuel source. If you are looking for general information, or want to delve into the inner workings of biodiesel, this is a great site to visit.
29. Biofuels: Turn to this blog, where articles on biodiesel and other biofuels have been catalogued for your convenience.
30. B100 Fuel: Ponder this question: “What if the world replaced all diesel with B100 biodiesel?” The answer to this question, and many more, can be found here.

HHO Conversion Blogs

In recent months, more attention has been given to the HHO phenomenon. Claims of being able to convert water into gas abound on the internet, as do the amount of blogs saying whether it works or not. Make up your own mind by checking out the following pages.

31. HHO Fuel: This blog discusses the advantages of installing an HHO convertor on your vehicle. Want to greenify your car? Take a look at this blog if your interest has been piqued.
32. The Technological Experience: Focusing on technology, this blog explains the inner workings of cars that convert water to HHO. Statistics and external links to more information on HHO can be found here.
33. HHO Conversion in the USA: Another blog takes a look at the HHO converter, offering statistics and information about installing an HHO converter on your car.
34. Landjets 2020: This blog discusses concept cars based on HHO converters. Find news, information, and photos of cars that run on water on this blog.
35. RJ3S: If your inner skeptic has gotten the best of you is the HHO debate, turn to this site for arguments against HHO technology.

More MPG! Blogs About Vehicle Efficiency

If you’re interested in more miles for your buck, check out these blogs all about efficiency

36. Get Better MPG: This blog is dedicated to cars that get better gas mileage and finding ways to improve your mpg. News, suggestions, and modifications related to improving your car’s mileage are among the many posts you will find on this blog.
37. Jon’s Fuel Economy Blog: If you are looking for helpful suggestions on how to get better mileage with your car, check out this blog. From fuel additives, to accessories and conversions, this blog will help you with your quest.
38. Consumer Reports Car Blog: The folks at Consumer Reports always seem to have the inside scoop when it comes to getting the best value for your dollar. Turn to this blog for current, relevant information that may save you money at the pump.
39. Daily Fuel Economy Tip: Almost delivering a daily fuel economy tip, this blog does monitor the gas and oil markets, and gives sensible advice to those looking to save money at the pump. If you are looking to save money and be more green with your car, give this site a chance.
40. Texas Tailwind: If keeping your auto green involves spending less gas and money, take a look at this blog. Helpful suggestions for saving both fuel and money can be found here.

Getting Greener: Modifications and Conversions for Your Car

Not only are people looking for alternative fuel sources, but many are looking to convert their existing automobiles using kits or after-market products in order to make their cars more eco-friendly.

41. Hymotion: At the forefront of green conversions and modifications for your vehicle, Hymotion offers conversion kits to make even the best of the green cars on the market and even greater edge.
42. Car Domain: Take a look at the future of conversions and green technology through the postings on this blog. Combining multiple technologies, both power and economy are increased!
43. Ecoworld: This blog features a myriad of articles related to green cars and the latest green technologies. Browse through their astoundingly large collection of articles and related topics.
44. Electric Cars: Learn some basics about converting your car into the green machine of the future on this blog. Find links and other blogs about converting your old beater into a cleaner, greener car.
45. Car Tech from CNET: Rather just plug your car in when you get home than head to the pump? This blog reviews the abilities and capabilities of being able to do just that.

Maintenance-Taking Care of Your Car the Green Way

There are different things you can do to minimize your car’s impact on the environment. Whether you wash your car in a different way, change your tires to an environmentally-friendly brand, or pump your gas at a different time of day, every little bit counts.

46. Autotropolis: On this blog, you will find some basic ways you can help “green up” your car, helping you with mileage and sparing the environment in the process.
47. Clean Tech Blog: Keep an eye on the future with this innovative company’s waterless car wash. If you love your car, you keep it clean and maintain. If you love Mother Earth, keep it clean, green, and maintained.
48. Green Paige: This blog has different suggestions on how to take care of your car without making a substantial impact on the environment. Look for helpful suggestions on keeping up with your car without making a big impact.
49. Directory M Buying Guide: According to this blog, there are newer, more eco-friendly tires available on the market that also improves your car’s overall performance. Consider this when making your next tire purchase.
50. Ray Sands Glass Blog: See how even changing the type of glass used on your vehicle can impact the environment.

When going green is discussed, your kitchen isn’t usually the first thing to come up. But you can’t forget that your kitchen is a huge energy hog, with your refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, and the food you consume. Follow these tips to take steps both small and large toward reducing your kitchen’s environmental impact.

Appliances

Get a handle on your energy-burning appliances with these tips.

1. Go solar-powered: Get a solar-powered refrigerator to cut out waste from this traditional energy hog.
2. Buy an Energy Star refrigerator: If you’re not ready to make the leap to solar power, at least invest in a more efficient Energy Star refrigerator when your old one goes kaput.
3. Install a range hood: Keep your indoor air quality cool and top-notch by installing a range hood that exhausts outside.
4. Use an induction cooktop: These cooktops use induction heating, which causes a heating reaction in a ferrous pot or pan.
5. Cover foods and liquids in your refrigerator: Uncovered foods will release moisture into the air and make your refrigerator’s compressor work harder than it needs to.
6. Keep appliances in good repair: Always make sure that your appliances are in good working order so that they’re as efficient as they can be.
7. Buy efficient appliances: Always look for the Energy Star logo on any appliance you buy.
8. Get a solar cooker: Use the sun to heat your food with a solar cooker.
9. Replace outdated appliances: Although it’s best to keep appliances as long as you can to cut down on waste, some older appliances are woefully out of date and horrible for efficiency.
10. Get an electric ignition system: Buy a gas stove that uses an electric ignition system instead of a pilot light to save gas.
11. Wash with a full load: Wait until you have a full load in the dishwasher to make the most of your energy, water, and detergent.
12. Keep appliances separate: Keep your cooling refrigerator away from your heating oven, for example.
13. Look for blue flames: When using gas, make sure your flame burns blue. If it’s yellow, that means it’s burning inefficiently.
14. Store water in the refrigerator: Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the tap run until it’s cool.
15. Get a dishwasher drawer: Use a small dishwasher drawer for small loads, and you’ll use less water.
16. Use an aerator: Put an aerator on your tap, and you’ll get good water pressure while using less water.
17. Give your refrigerator a checkup once a year: Unplug your refrigerator and wipe off its condenser coils to prolong its life.
18. Choose a top and bottom refrigerator unit: Instead of a side-by-side model, choose a top and bottom refrigerator, which lets less cold air escape.
19. Keep your refrigerator at an appropriate temperature: A good temperature would be between 36 and 40 degrees Farenheit for a refrigerator, and between 0 and 5 degrees Farenheit for a freezer.
20. Invest in a recirculation pump: With one of these pumps, you’ll keep hot water at the tap, which saves water because you don’t have to run water while you wait for it to warm up.
21. Use a tankless hot water heater: Another option is a tankless hot water heater, which also heats water at the source and uses less water and energy.
22. Get a self-cleaning oven: Self-cleaning ovens are often better insulated than others.
23. Get a convection oven: Use this smaller, more efficient type of oven to heat small quantities of food instead of a conventional oven.
24. Check your refrigerator’s seal: Shut your refrigerator door on a dollar bill and see how easily it slides out. If it comes out easy, cold air is, too, and you need to replace your seal.

Cooking

With these tips, you can reduce the waste you create by cooking meals.

25. Put less water in your kettle: By using less water to heat your cup of tea, you’ll take less time and energy to make it.
26. Work in naturally-lit areas: Cook in the sunlight so you don’t have to use artificial light.
27. Use the right size cookware: Use the smallest size pot or pan that you need to cook, and you’ll use less energy.
28. Use smaller appliances whenever you can: If your microwave will do just as good a job as your oven, use it instead.
29. Turn off your stove and oven: Turn your oven or stove off earlier than you normally would, and let residual heat finish the job.
30. Cook smaller portions: If you’re throwing away food, you’re wasting it, so cook only what you need.
31. Avoid preheating: Most new ovens come up to temperature quickly, so preheating is not necessary.
32. Put lids on pots: You’ll bring the contents to a boil faster, using less energy.
33. Match your cookware to your burner: Use a burner that is smaller or the same size as your pot or pan, and you’ll waste less energy.
34. Cook in batches: Cook once, and store your leftovers to eat again.

Textiles & Cleaning

Make sure that your cleaning supplies and towels are earth friendly by using these strategies.

35. Carry groceries in a reusable shopping bag: Cut down on plastic bag waste by using a bag that can be carried over and over again.
36. Buy bamboo: Buy towels, rugs, table runners and more made of bamboo, and you’ll be using a renewable resource.
37. Buy hemp: Just like bamboo, hemp is a renewable resource, and makes for a great scrubber.
38. Use biodegradable kitchen bags: Make sure that your trash has a fighting chance at biodegrading in the landfill by putting it in a biodegradable bag.
39. Run your dishwasher at an off-peak time: Use your house-heating dishwasher at a strategic time, like in the cooler evenings during the summer, or cold winter mornings.
40. Set up recycling stations: Make it easy to recycle with handy places to throw reusable plastics and other materials.
41. Take advantage of recycling events: Find toxic recycling days in your area to dispose of items that are too toxic to put in the trash.
42. Use cloth towels and napkins instead of disposables: Reuse your napkins and towels instead of buying paper ones.
43. Air dry your dishes: Open your dishwasher’s door at the end of the cycle, and they’ll dry naturally in less time than you think.
44. Find eco-friendly dishwashing cleaner: Choose natural, biodegradable, and harmless chemical-free cleaners. You can also look for cleaners sold in bulk to save on packaging.
45. Open your windows: Let fresh air in instead of using air freshener sprays.
46. Use vinegar whenever possible: This natural cleaner is effective and free of harmful chemicals. Baking soda and lemon are also great natural cleaners.
47. Clean your air with a plant: Filter air with a broad green leaf plant.
48. Start a compost: Put food scraps like banana peels into an under-the-sink compost, and you’ll save waste while gaining fertilizer.
49. Skip air fresheners: Instead of using air fresheners, boil cinnamon, cloves, or other great-smelling herbs.

Furniture & Fixtures

These tips are especially helpful if you’re planning to remodel, but even the small steps highlighted here will make a difference.

50. Hire a green pro: If you’re undergoing a complete remodel using a contractor, hire one that knows how to go green, and will dispose of waste properly.
51. Buy healthy cabinets: Invest in cabinets that are made of solid wood, wheatboard, and other alternative materials to avoid the off-gas urea-formaldehyde.
52. Run your water on cold for small jobs: If you’re only using a little bit of water, make sure you put your faucet in the cold position so that you won’t be heating water that never reaches the faucet.
53. Get salvaged materials: Find cabinets, countertops, and more that have been previously used or repurposed.
54. Find alternative countertops: You can find countertops made from recycled paper, hemp, or even recycled glass.
55. Replace outdated plumbing fixtures: Invest in low-flow products to cut down on water consumption.
56. Avoid granite countertops: Although granite looks great, it’s definitely not sustainable. Once it’s removed from the earth, you can’t put it back.
57. Stain your concrete: Instead of bringing in flooring, spruce up the concrete below.
58. Use eco-friendly wall coverings: Check your paints, wallpaper, and other finishes for VOCs.
59. Get linoleum flooring: Linoleum is making a comeback with its natural materials and durability.
60. Avoid recessed lighting: Generally, recessed cans will allow hot air to escape into your attic. They can work, however, if they’re airtight and use fluorescent bulbs.
61. Create an indigenous stone countertop: Use stone from your area, often found in salvage.
62. Walk on glass: Check out EnviroGLAS to find beautiful recycled glass flooring and other products.
63. Install skylights: Use a sunny skylight, and you won’t need bulbs in the daytime.
64. Use safe finishes: Make sure that your paints, stains and finishes are safe and water-based with no VOCs.
65. Don’t throw away old kitchen fixtures: If you’re remodeling, give away or repurpose your old kitchen appliances and fixtures, or at least research how you can dispose of them properly.
66. Step up insulation: Whenever possible, use good insulation to keep the cool stuff cool and the hot stuff hot.
67. Work with what you’ve got: Going green doesn’t have to mean a full kitchen rehaul. For example, instead of throwing out your old cabinets, repaint them with low-VOC paint, and update the hardware.
68. Shop at Habitat for Humanity: Habitat for Humanity has many local stores that sell unused supplies for great prices.
69. Use a high-efficiency fan: Improve ventilation and cool with less energy using a ceiling fan.
70. Get Energy Star windows: Keep your environment more efficient with well-insulated windows.
71. Use fluorescent lighting: Let your old incandescent lights burn out and replace them with more efficient fluorescent bulbs.
72. Use alternative woods: Get cork or bamboo floors for durable, renewable flooring.
73. Install sensors: Use motion and occupancy sensors to save energy by automatically turning lights off and on when you need them.

Food

Make the way you purchase and eat your food just a little bit greener with these tips.

74. Walk to the grocery store: If you’re within walking distance of a good grocer, make the trip using your own power.
75. Buy local: Transporation of food has a great impact on the environment, particularly through fossil fuels, so cut down on this by purchasing food that’s from your region.
76. Avoid processed and prepared foods: Make your own food, and you’ll cut down on preservatives and packaging.
77. Pack reusable lunches: Use a lunch bag and reusable containers instead of plastic and paper.
78. Grind your own food: Retain the nutritional value of grains by using a hand grinder at home.
79. Grow your own: Eating from your own garden means you know all of the chemicals that have gone into growing your food, and you’ll save fossil fuels from transportation. You’ll also cut down on waste because you can use food as you need it.
80. Get a reusable coffee filter: Instead of throwing away a paper coffee filter every day, get one that can be used over and over again.
81. Start a dinner co-op: Take turns creating meals for several families, and you can buy ingredients in bulk while saving time and energy.
82. Reuse scraps: Before you throw out scraps, consider whether they’d make a nice stew, stock, or a snack for Fido.
83. Buy in bulk: Buy food in bulk to cut down on packaging, then freeze or share with a friend.
84. Eat sustainable seafood: Choose fish that are not subject to overfishing, like tilapia, striped bass, and Pacific halibut.
85. Buy organic: Organic foods are less taxing on the earth to produce, so they’re an obvious choice if you’d like to make your food a little more earth-friendly.
86. Let food cool: Save energy by letting your food cool naturally before putting it in the refrigerator.
87. Get a water filter: Instead of buying purified water in bottles, get a water filter to enjoy the same quality without the waste.

Tools

Get your gadgets to go green with these tips.

88. Use a bamboo cutting board: Chop away with a bamboo cutting board, and rest assured that you’re using a renewable resource.
89. Buy tools that last: Get utensils, cookware, and other tools that will last, so you don’t have to throw them away and get new ones.
90. Avoid one-use tools: Find gadgets that deliver multiple uses, such as an egg slicer that also works for avocados.
91. Buy eco-friendly disposable silverware: If you must use disposable products, make sure that they’re made of eco-friendly materials.
92. Get reusable plasticware: Instead of disposable plates and utensils for outdoor eating, invest in some plasticware that can be used over and over again.
93. Avoid Teflon: Teflon has been debated as hazardous, and it has a limited useful life.
94. Use cast iron cookware: Cast iron is durable, so you won’t need to replace it for quite some time, and it has excellent heat retention, so a little heating goes a long way.
95. Buy high-quality knives: Get knives that will be useful for a long time, and that you can sharpen by hand.

House Rules

These rules are good to keep in mind with everything you do in your kitchen.

96. Use recycled materials: When shopping, look for products that are made of recycled materials, like paper towels and toilet paper.
97. Use renewable resources: Using renewable resources like solar power, bamboo, and hemp will give you a green step up.
98. Always recycle: Whenever possible, recycle every piece of waste that your collection will take.
99. Repair before replacing: Don’t jump the gun and make a new purchase when all your appliance or fixture needs is a good repair.
100. Always buy reusable items: Invest in cloth napkins, a reusable travel mug, and other items that replace disposable options.

Whether you’re into the latest in green, earth-friendly fashions or want to deck out your home in a sustainable manner, you can find loads of inspiration and shopping ideas on the internet. These blogs keep up with what’s going on in green design from a variety of perspectives, and with so many to choose from, you’re bound to find something that sparks your interest.

General

These sites are great places to look for news and information on green design in everything from a pair of pants to a new car.

1. Fabulously Green: Designer and editor Stephanie Zhong runs this blog which provides links and photos to stylish (and green) fashion and interior design ideas.
2. TreeHugger: This environmentally conscious blog can be a great place to find information on almost any green issue, but they regularly post articles on both green fashion and design to help you look stylishly in harmony with the earth.
3. Victoria Everman: This blogger is a public speaker, writer and more, and shares her suggestions for green home and fashion design on her site.
4. Green Girls Global/Green Guys Global: Learn how to be a greener shopper, check out your own closet, and develop your own eco-conscious style on these two gender specific blogs.
5. Style Will Save Us: This funky and fun online magazine provides tons of features on green clothing, home design, beauty products and more.
6. EcoStreet: Keep up with new happenings in fashion, design, energy, recycling and much more on this blog covering a wide spectrum of green issues.
7. Ecobites: This blog posts loads of articles that cover topics like buying greener footwear, watching out for led in lipsticks and making your home less toxic.
8. GreenStyle Magazine: With articles on everything from environmentally friendly jeans to choosing the most energy efficient scooter, this blog is sure to provide something that sparks your style interest.
9. Low Impact Living: Check out this blog for some tips and advice on changing your lifestyle, from the way you dress to the kind of food you eat.
10. ecosalon: This blog is a great place to find articles about up and coming or established green designers, both in the fashion world and in home decor.
11. Line Dry It: If you wear clothes, you hopefully wash them on occasion. This blog focuses on saving energy by line drying clothes rather than tossing them in the dryer.
12. Crafting a Green World: Find out about a number of organic fabrics on this blog that you can use to make clothes or decorate with as well as ideas for other crafts.
13. Haute Nature: This wonderful blog provides readers with green ideas for design, living, fashion, furniture, building and much more.

Vintage and Used

Check out these blogs for advice an inspiration on making old things new again.

14. DC Goodwill Fashion Blog: Get some tips on how you can create fashion forward outfits from vintage stores as well as some other miscellaneous fashion advice in this blog.
15. Righteous (re)Style: Here you’ll find tons of information and some really cool links to fashion and design that comes from recycled, repurposed and second hand sources.
16. Vintage Fashion Guild: If you love vintage fashion, check out this blog which provides links and photos of cool and still stylish clothing that can help your wallet and the earth.
17. Zuburbia: Get some ideas on being stylish while staying budget and environmentally conscious on this vintage clothing blog.
18. EverydayTrash: Want to make your trash into something better? Give this blog a read for fashionable ways you can reuse things you already have.

Organic and Sustainable Clothing

These blogs concentrate on providing news and suggestions for the best in organic and earth-friendly clothing.

19. Eco-Chick: The author of this blog, Starre Varta, also has a book published on being fabulously green and shares her tips and suggestions for young women who want to look good while staying green in this blog.
20. Green Cotton: Here you can read about ways that organic cotton is being used in everything, from coats to underwear and get a better idea of the process of what truly makes green cotton.
21. Fashion, evolved.: Give this blog a read to learn about organic clothing companies, get insights into the fashion industry and even get weekly recaps of Project Runway.
22. Organic Clothing Blog: If you are curious about organic clothing and want to know more about what goes into manufacturing it, check out this blog, which has a plethora of information on the topic.
23. The Cleanest Line: Patagonia, an organic and sustainable clothing company, publishes this blog to keep customers and employees updated on their line and green lifestyles.
24. The Greenloop: Stay in the loop on organic fashion with this blog, which features interviews with designers and business owners, news and shopping tips.
25. Eco Fabulous: Find new places to shop, get ideas on reusing what you already own and loads of other suggestions on greening your wardrobe in this fashion-conscious blog.
26. Zoica Matei: Keep up with what’s going on in the fashion world from a green perspective in this Atlanta-based blog.
27. Smarter Fashion Blog: Here you can learn about companies that have decided to go green, find some cute green fashions and even learn to keep all those pesky clothes catalogs from coming to your inbox.
28. Hippyshopper: Get pointed in the direction of hundreds of eco-friendly and stylish items on this green shopping blog.
29. Cebra Ethical Chic: You can use this blog as a guide to finding fair trade and ecological conscious items, especially cool accessories to jazz up your wardrobe.
30. Lucky for Baby: If you wear organic clothing, why shouldn’t your baby too? This blog can get you pointed in the right direction.
31. Pier 32: This company sells its own t-shirts, but this blog covers a wide range of organic and green clothing lines to help you make educated shopping decisions.
32. MissMalaprop: While this indie fashion blog doesn’t focus entirely on green products, it does provide regular postings on eco-friendly clothes and bags that can take you from winter to summer and even back to school.
33. Jolly Green Girl: Learn how to use reusable bags, find eco-friendly fashion designers and more on this green blog.

Interior Design and Architecture

Get some ideas on jazzing up your home without hurting the environment in these blogs.

34. Green Roof Design: Roofs are spaces that often go to waste. This blog can show you how to turn yours into a lovely and potentially productive garden.
35. Small Space Living: Living in a small space can use a lot less resources but can sometimes be cramped. This blog gives you some ideas and suggestions on making the most of the space you have.
36. re-nest: This blog illustrates a wide range of green design projects from stairways to entire green homes.
37. Green Your Decor: Use this blog as a starting point to finding products that not only help the environment (or at least don’t hurt it) while making your home look fabulous.
38. Green Garden Design: Don’t just make the interior of you home green, keep your landscaping pretty and earth friendly as well.
39. Inhabitat: This popular blog is a great place to read about new and exciting products and ideas for your home, inside and out.
40. Path Design: Find furniture, fabrics and information on great products that can help you create a warm home while still staying true to your inner greenie.
41. Sustainable Design Update: If architectural and industrial design is more your taste, check out this blog for the latest news on green innovations in technology, building and design.
42. GreenFab: Find out what’s going on in the world of sustainable architecture in the articles and photos provided through this interesting blog.
43. Colors of Swallowtail: Here you’ll find some neat and environmentally friendly ideas for decorating your home and purchasing furniture.
44. Sustainable Style Foundation: Keep your style sustainable with postings that can help you find earth-friendly and sleek furniture, home supplies and much more.
45. Holistic Interior Design: Keep the interior of your home holistic and serene with some suggestions and advice from this design blog.
46. EcoKind Design: This designer focuses on making her customer’s homes more earth friendly, even if it’s just one step at a time. Check out her blog for more stories, photos and suggestions.
47. Greenwix: Peruse the design and style section of this blog to get ideas on decorating your home with a green twist.
48. Green Design Girl: Mariela Campo is a designer who works for HGTV and uses her blog to highlight some great and green home products.
49. UrthFriendly: Whether you’re looking to get safer paints, or furnish your bedroom, this blog can give you some informative articles on various aspects of green home design.
50. Green by Design: With tons of posts on both green architecture and interior design, this blog is sure to have something that strikes your fancy.

Can you really expect your children to prefer washing the dishes instead of tossing out harmful plastic-ware? Will your newborn notice the difference between organic onesies and non-organic clothes? Thankfully, raising your kids to be environmentally conscious is getting easier, more affordable, and more rational, thanks to kid-friendly educational websites, online games, special TV programs, networking events, and youth conservation groups that inspire kids to save the environment. Find 100 of the best tips and resources here.

Understanding the Environment

Check below for kid-focused articles, interactive websites and other fun resources that introduce kids to the environment.

1. Understanding the Human Impact: The Save a Snowman group helps kids understand the real human impact on the environment.
2. The Green Squad: School-aged children will learn how their school affects their health and the environment. The Green Squad shares ways to investigate their school’s safety rating according to an Enviro-O-Meter and more.
3. TreePeople: TreePeople specifically serves school children and the communities in the Los Angeles, CA, area, but anyone can benefit from their website, which has resources, tips and event planning ideas for planting trees and finding solutions for urban ecosystem problems.
4. Volunteering: Helping the Environment: PBS Go! asks kids, "Do you love your mother…Mother Earth that is?" Find reasons and tips to take care of the planet here.
5. Discovering the Oasis: This interactive site challenges kids to discover an ecosystem near them and report back by answering questions about what kind of environment they visited, what animals and insects they saw and more.
6. Just for Kids: The University of Illinois sponsors this website, full of games and interactive pages that let kids explore their environment, from insects to plants to planting a garden.
7. The Nature Conservancy Fun Stuff: From nature e-cards to conservation quizzes to slideshows, videos and audiochats about different ecosystems, this page is a great resources for introducing your kids to the environment.
8. A Bigger Splash: This Splash Zone from the Monterey Bay Aquarium is designed to help "children forge a lifelong love for the oceans." They can play in the interactive Coral Reef Kingdom look at pictures from the Enchanted Kelp Forest and more.
9. EPA Environmental Kids Club: The Game Room at the EPA Environmental Kids Club lists "a bunch of games that will help [kids] learn about the environment and have some fun at the same time."
10. EEK! Environmental Education for Kids: Let your kids play around this site to learn about the planet, animals, and more.

Infants and Toddlers

Start raising your kids to be environmentally conscious when they’re babies, and pursuing an organic lifestyle will come natural to them.

11. Organic Baby Food: According to this article on Good Green Fun, "making your own [baby food] is cheaper and safer." Learn how to make your own baby food in this post.
12. Green books series: The Green Eaters: This series of green books for toddlers focuses on five farm animals.
13. Chapter One Organics: The Green Eaters author also designs this organic clothing line for babies.
14. Wholesome Baby Food: Check out this website for wholesome menu ideas for babies from 4 months to 12 months.
15. 10 Ways to Raise a Green Baby: Ecostreet lists ten ways you can raise a green baby, from breastfeeding to using reusable diapers.
16. Cutting Down on Plastic Toys, Gizmos and Doodads: This author knows that when you have a baby, it’s hard to spend the time and money searching for Earth-friendly toys and "gizmos." Read her tips for cutting back here.
17. How to Raise a Green Baby: The LifeScript Connect Network shares "natural and organic choices for your baby" in this article.
18. Are Organic Baby Clothes Necessary?: Check out this post to find out if all the hype over organic baby clothes is really worth it.
19. Phthalates in Baby Care Products: How to Avoid Toxins Without Losing Your Mind: Reduce harmful toxins in baby care products by following these tips.
20. Hazel Wood Children: This online shop specializes in "environmentally conscious products for infants, children and parents," from clothing to furniture to bedding to skincare.

Nutrition

Part of raising an environmentally conscious child is getting them to eat healthy foods, especially all-natural or organic meals. Look to these sources for kid-friendly options that are tasty as well as Earth-friendly.

21. Chocolate Dreams: Chocolate That’s Good for People and the Earth: Most kids adore chocolate, but some chocolate comes from harmful sources that rely on excessive chemicals or even slave labor to work in chocolate fields. Use this guide to find out which chocolate is good for your family and other communities.
22. Make Smart Seafood Choices: The Monterey Bay Aquarium helps eco-smart parents make decisions about picking out ocean-friendly seafood.
23. The Best (and Worst) Products for Making Baby Food: From the potato masher to the mini food mill, find out which tools are best for making your own baby food.
24. Granola Chic: Granola Chic publishes lots of kid-friendly recipes that are also organic, natural and/or raw-based.
25. Organic and Other Environmentally Friendly Foods: Turn to this guide to help you understand the meaning of organic foods, sustainable foods and other natural, Fair Trade or grass-fed foods.

Cleaning Products

Be a green example for your kids by making your own cleaning products and getting creative when doing your household chores.

26. Controlling Mold Without Toxic Chemicals: A moldy house can result in a harmful environment for your kids. Get rid of mold without adding toxins to your air with the tips presented in this article.
27. How to Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit: This guide from the Care2 website shows green moms how to make oven cleaner, window cleaner, furniture polish and other non-toxic household cleaners.

Medicine and Health

Understand how the environment and your kids’ health are intertwined with the help of these resources and guides.

28. Ozone, Air Quality and Asthma: KidsHealth.org helps parents and kids understand how the ozone and air quality affects asthma.
29. Eczema Rise in Kids Worldwide: Is There an Environmental Connection?: This article questions the rise in kids with eczema, and lists several factors that can contribute to or worsen symptoms.
30. Herbal Medicine and Children’s Health: This resources is especially helpful for parents of young children, who can’t take over-the-counter meds to help ease their symptoms.

Special Activities

From starting eco-friendly holiday traditions to planting trees, these special activities will keep kids interested in saving the environment.

31. ZOOM Into Action: This organization partners with local PBS stations to inspire kids to volunteer, recycle, and let other kids know how they’re helping save the environment.
32. Sierra Club Action Center: The Sierra Club’s Action Center website lists current projects like the Help Save the Polar Bear plea. Check back often to find ways your kids can make a difference in legislation, saving the animals, or just learning more about energy and the environment.
33. Plant a tree: School kids have been planting trees on Arbor Day for decades. Make it a family event to plant a tree each month or year in yard, a friend’s yard, or anywhere that’s practical (and legal).
34. 5 Ideas for Eco-Friendly Holidays: Show your kids that the holidays aren’t an exception to green living. This quick guide has tips for keeping the holidays fun and eco-friendly.
35. Visit the zoo or aquarium: Getting to see animals from around the world in replicas of their natural habitat will give kids a better idea of how ecosystems affect one another.
36. Throw an organic birthday party: Bake an organic cake or batch of cupcakes following one of these economical recipes.
37. Visit your local farmer’s market: Visit your local farmer’s market to give kids a chance to talk to the farmers and gardeners who grow their own food. It’s also way more fun than going to the grocery store.
38. Take a drive out to the country: If your family lives in the big city, take your kids on a vacation or just a drive through the countryside. If they’ve never been exposed to nature, they won’t understand how or why to appreciate it.

Tips

Get your kids to go green early by following these Earth-friendly tips.

39. Recycle: One of the easiest ways to get kids to make a difference is to recycle. Set up an extra recycling container next to the trash can for empty soda cans, old papers and plastic.
40. Carpool: Save gas and the environment by taking turns driving the kids on your block to school or practice.
41. Write on both sides of the paper: When your child gets a new notebook or coloring book, encourage them to write on both sides of the paper so it’ll last longer and waste less paper.
42. Get political: If your child feels strongly about a particular issue, help them write a letter to your Congressman or U.S. Representative. You’ll not only promote environmental advocacy, but your child’s participation in the political process as well.
43. Turn off the water when you brush your teeth: Ask your kids to turn off the water when they brush their teeth to cut down on water consumption.
44. Make a birdhouse: Offset urban and suburban development by giving the birds a place to live. Making a birdhouse is a fun activity for kids too.
45. Ride bikes: If you have to run a short errand to the corner store, ride your bikes or strap on roller blades instead of jumping in the gas guzzling, air polluting SUV.
46. Grow your own vegetables: Kids might be more likely to eat their vegetables if they grow them themselves. You’ll also help cut down on the harmful mass packaging and transportation it takes to deliver goods to the grocery store.
47. Make book covers out of recyclable materials: This guide suggests that kids use paper grocery bags and old newspapers to make book covers instead of buying ready-made ones at the store.
48. Be aware of watering rules: Make sure you only water your yard on assigned days, if your city has a shortage.

Toys, Arts and Crafts

These fun activities are eco-friendly and promote environmental awareness.

49. Zen Design Group: The Zen Design Group designs and manufactures fun, engaging, good-for-the-environment toys for kids.
50. Artists Helping Children: This list of resources from Artists Helping Children has online interactive coloring books, homemade art supplies recipes and more arts and crafts ideas, some of which are green, and others are not.
51. Water Filter: Kids learn how to make their own recycling water filter in this quick guide.
52. Send Nature Ecards: Letting your child pick out nature-oriented ecards for special days is fun and good for the environment. Plus, they’re all free.
53. Monterey Bay Aquarium Learning Activities: Even if you don’t live near the Bay Area, you can introduce your kids to the animals and sea life at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This page has printable coloring pages, online games and more fun facts about oceanic ecosystems.
54. Discovering Outdoors Sheets: Projects on this site include bird watching, building a nest box, and growing plants without seeds.
55. Organic Crafts: Kimberly Monaghan posts 75 different Earth-friendly arts and crafts activities for kids of all ages.
56. Art from Recycled Materials: Kids will enjoy turning everyday items like coffee can drums and coasters into art items.
57. Green Crafts: Find organic and Earth-friendly art activities here.
58. Ten Green Toys for 2008: This list of ten green toys, including Fair Trade footballs and a bamboo xylophone, are safe and fun for kids.

Articles and Guides

These articles and guides have tips for parents, as well as fun games for kids that promote an eco-conscious lifestyle.

59. 50 Ways to Save the Environment: The Kids Corner at JustGive.org lists 50 ways for kids to save the environment, from promoting conservation at home, in the yard and at the store.
60. Recycle City: The EPA’s kids’ site introduces children to recycling here.
61. Bindi The Jungle Girl: Steve Irwin’s daughter Bindi has her own show on Discovery Kids, and a website with games, videos and photos that teach kids about respecting animals and the environment.
62. Bringing Up Green Baby: This how-to guide has tips for raising green babies and older kids too.
63. Green Mom Guilt: This post helps guilt-ridden moms feel better about juggling their motherhood instincts and their environmentally-conscious lifestyles.
64. Tree Hugging Family Browse posts about Earth Day, eco clothing, organic cooking, and eco youth on Tree Hugging Family.
65. Mindful Momma: Find out what the Mindful Momma has to say about raising kids to be environmentally conscious.
66. The Green Mommy: This green mommy blogs about consumerism, raising her son to be environmentally conscious and more.
67. Eco Baby Blog: Find out everything you need to know about prenatal vitamins, harmful chemicals, children’s books about the environment, environmentally friendly products and more.
68. Be a Green Kid: If your child wants some advice on what he or she can do to make a difference, direct them to this guide at KidsHealth.org.
69. Can We Build It? : Turn your little kids on to Bob the Builder, if they’re not watching him already. According to RiverWired, Bob is "America’s greenest builder" and takes on projects that use solar panels and hay bales to increase insulation the natural way.
70. Discovering the Oasis: More Resources: This page lists books about recycling, endangered animals and other environmental subjects for kids of every age group.

Games and Interactive Websites

These online games give kids the chance to have fun while learning important facts about the environment.

71. Inspiring Kids Making a Difference: Kids will be inspired when they read about what other kids their age are doing to help animals, other children, and the environment.
72. Eco Child’s Play: This blog is devoted to sharing green finds, from organic toys to kids’ books about the environment to green holiday ideas.
73. Natural Family Online: This website gives tips, resources and products to promote "whole living for the whole family."
74. Kids’ Planet: Kids’ Planet is a colorful, interactive website that encourages kids to be "defenders of wildlife."
75. The Big Blue Bus: This website teaches kids about water consumption, different marine ecosystems, and more through games, a Water Wizards Club and more.
76. Nature Challenge for Kids: Kids take 10 challenges with tour guide David Suzuki to protect nature.
77. Kids Go Wild: Kids Go Wild! is sponsored by the Wildlife Conservation Society and includes fun facts about wildlife, an arcade with different games and more.
78. TMWA Academy: The Aqua Academy has facts, games, science guides and more fun stuff about water, organized for kids in grades K-3, 4-6, and 7-12. There’s also a special section for teachers.
79. My First Garden: This "guide to the world of fun and clever gardening" has a garden gallery, tutorials explaining gardening basics and more.
80. Kids Saving Energy: Kids can play games and learn about renewable energy on this interactive site.
81. NRDC Kids’ Links: Visit this page for even more websites, games and resources for kids interested in energy, air pollution, conserving water, protecting wildlife, and preserving the environment.

Networks

Make protecting the environment a fun way for your kids to make new friends and feel like they are part of a big movement. Read below to find information on eco-driven movements kids can join.

82. Earth Force: Earth Force is a network of youth who care about saving the environment. The site has lots of "tools for teachers," as well as a list of local offices around the country, and a list of programs, like Earth Force After School.
83. Earth Day Network: Encourage your kids to join the Earth Day Network, or get the whole family to sign up. You’ll find a list of programs held throughout the year, as well as basic information on how to promote Earth Day ideals everyday.
84. Save a Snowman: Save a Snowman is a nonprofit group promoting "a fun, positive approach to solving the climate crisis." Kids can adopt a snowman, and parents can sponsor a family or raise money at work.
85. Ocean Action Team: Join the Ocean Action team, sponsored by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, to get your kids involved in saving the natural habitats of whales, sea otters and other sea life. This page also has quizzes, volunteer information and more.
86. Care2: Care2 is a popular social networking sites for environmentalists. Encourage your teenager to join, or set up your own profile on behalf of the whole family.
87. The Environment Site: The Environment Site has its own MySpace profile for networking purposes.
88. Kids F.A.C.E.: The Kids For A Clean Environment group has more than 2,000 chapters all over the world and sponsors tree planting events and other activities.
89. Idealist.org: Find volunteer opportunities for your kids or show this site to your teens to connect with environmentalists all over the world.
90. Environmental Groups: The Natural Resources Defense Council publishes this inclusive list of environmental and conservation groups alphabetically.

Teenagers

Get your teenagers involved in environmental activism by showing them these sites, resources and ideas.

91. I Buy Different: This website gives teens the message: "You have the power to make the Earth a better place because of what you buy." Encourage them to make responsible decisions.
92. Sierra Club Outings: This page has information about trips around the U.S. and around the world. Travelers will learn how to offset their carbon footprints during their vacation and will meet up with other nature enthusiasts during trips to the glaciers, the mountains and more.
93. Green Alternatives to Typical Spring Breaks: RiverWired’s eco-travel post has alternative Environmental Spring Break ideas for conscious teens.
94. Top 10 Eco Celebrities: Show your teens this list of some of the hottest and most powerful green celebs on the planet to give them some inspiration.
95. Nature Stories Podcast: If your teenagers are stuck in front of their XBOX 360 day in and day out, inspire them to get outdoors and experience nature with these exciting podcasts. They feature adventures from Australia to Mongolia to Appalachia.
96. Eight Ways to Go Green: These environmental tips are geared towards teenagers.
97. How To: Recycle Your Computer: TreeHugger explains the process and importance of recycling a computer.
98. Shop green: Lots of designers, celebrities and stores like H&M, Kate Hudson, Natalie Portman, Stella McCartney and Barney’s have come out with organic or all-natural clothing lines. Shop around for green products that are good for the environment.
99. Drive an eco-friendly car: Even SUV manufacturers are getting in on the action to give consumers more options for driving green.
100. Ecorazzi: Visit Ecorazzi, a blog that dishes up "the latest in green gossip," from animals to shopping to movies to cars.

By Kelsey Allen

Going organic is appealing for most, but it’s often an expense that proves to be cost-prohibitive. However, the organic lifestyle does not have to be expensive. In fact, there are a number of things you can do to make organic living more affordable, and we’ve listed 25 of them here.

Food

Food is perhaps one of the largest organic expenses. Follow these tips to trim your grocery bill.

1. Stay away from the supermarket: Traditional supermarkets tend to command a premium price for organic food, so check out alternatives.
2. Shop during the growing season: Buy produce when it’s easiest to make, and you’ll pay less for it. You can buy canned or frozen organic foods in the off-season.
3. Buy in bulk: Split with friends.
4. Don’t buy everything organic: There are a number of foods that are considered to be low in pesticides, so even if you buy cheaper, conventional versions of them, you should be safe.
5. Grow your own: One way to ensure your food is organic is by growing it yourself, and you can often do it for cheaper than you’ll find at the store.
6. Do your own prep work: Buy whole chickens instead of boneless, skinless breasts, and peel your own carrots.
7. Buy "seconds": When you’re at the farmer’s market, ask for misshapen produce that’s just as good as the rest, but cheaper.
8. Consider value: Organic food offers more nutrients for your buck, and it’s cheaper for your health in the long run.
9. Eat less meat, more fish: Organic beef is expensive, but fish isn’t, so if you make the switch you’ll see a savings.
10. Join an agriculture program: In these programs, you’ll pay for a portion of the farm’s operating expenses, and get fresh produce from the harvest.
11. Put your freezer to good use: If you’ve snagged a good deal on some organic produce, freeze your extras for later.

Lawn Care

Don’t spend lots of money on pesticides, weed killers, and other lawn care items. These tips make it easy to take care of your lawn the natural way.

12. Mow high: Let your grass stay reasonably high so that it will shade, and kill, weeds instead of the other way around.
13. Water infrequently: If you ration out your watering, you’ll force your grass roots to dig deep, which will make them stronger than most week roots. Weeds up top will die off in the dry ground, but your grass will get its moisture from deeper below.
14. Add compost: Use your compost to soften up your lawn and help it grow. It’s not cheap to buy, but you can make your own with vegetable scraps and other items.
15. Dust lime on your soil: Put a small dusting of lime on your soil to ramp up earthworm production.

Personal Care

Follow these tips to avoid paying too much for personal care and beauty products.

16. Become a beauty detective: Seek out information on your favorite products to see which ones really are worth the higher price.
17. Don’t fall for the word "natural": Don’t spend extra money on a product just because it says that it’s natural. That doesn’t mean it’s organic.
18. Use less makeup: Carefully consider just how important every beauty product is to you.

Pets

With these simple tips, turning Fido organic doesn’t have to break the bank.

19. Make your own food: It’s fairly easy to turn your organic produce into affordable food for your pet.
20. Make your own toys: Pets are fairly easy to entertain, and you can create entertaining toys on your own with organic cotton and other materials.

General

These tips apply to nearly every type of organic product, whether it’s food, clothing, or gifts.

21. Shop around: Check out different stores to find out who has the better price for the items you buy the most.
22. Change the way you buy products: Focus on higher quality organic produce and other items, and cut down on low quality items like fast food and disposables.
23. Be flexible: Don’t have your heart set on certain items and be comfortable with buying alternatives.
24. Clip coupons: Visit sites for organic products and join their mailing list for coupons. You can also check out alternative publications.
25. Shop online: There are lots of sites online that offer organic products at a discount price, and it’s easier to compare prices in this setting.

With all that goes into daily life, the average family’s environmental footprint is often wasteful. With soccer practice shuttling, family meals, and vacations, it all adds up. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here, we’ve compiled 50 ridiculously easy ways to cut down on your household waste without a large impact on your lifestyle.

Cooling & Heating

One of the worst environmental offenders in any family’s home is temperature control. Here’s how to tame it.

1. Turn down your hot water heater: Reduce the temperature of your hot water heater, and you’ll reduce the amount of energy required to heat your water.
2. Install a programmable thermostat: Fairly cheap and easy to install, programmable thermostats offer a great way to manage your home’s temperature in an energy-friendly way. You can set them to use less energy while you’re away from home or sleeping, and stay comfortable in your waking hours.
3. Adjust your thermostat: Save energy and money at the same time by turning your thermostat just a bit warmer in the summer, and a little cooler in the winter.
4. Improve your insulation: Help your home stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter by checking to make sure that you’ve got proper insulation.
5. Use house-warming appliances strategically: When you use your washer, dryer, oven, or dishwasher, your house will become warmer, so use them in cooler summer nights and mornings, or anytime you’d like to be warmer in the winter.
6. Use a ceiling fan instead of the AC: Whenever possible, use a fan instead of turning on your air conditioner.
7. Replace your AC filter: Make your air conditioner more efficient by replacing your filter as soon as it needs it. Many new thermostats will tell you when you need to make the change.
8. Insulate your hot water heater: Make it easier for your water heater to retain the heat it has created by insulating it, and you’ll use less energy.
9. Invest in a tankless water heater: If you’re looking for a new water heater, consider a more efficient tankless model.

Electricity

Cut down on electricity usage using these tactics.

10. Turn off and unplug devices: A plugged in hair dryer, cell phone charger, and other devices will all pull energy even when you’re not using them, so don’t just turn devices off-unplug them, too.
11. Enlist the energy police: Ask your family to keep a watchful eye on wasteful electricity by turning off lights that are left on, or TVs that aren’t being watched.
12. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs: When your incandescent bulbs burn out, replace them with more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.

Large Appliances

Get more efficiency out of large appliances like your refrigerator and washer using these tips.

13. Wash with cold water: Unless you absolutely need to, avoid using hot water to wash your clothes. You’ll save energy by not having to heat up the water.
14. Replace old appliances with Energy Star ones: When it comes time to get rid of your old refrigerator or washer, buy a new model that conforms to Energy Star standards.
15. Hang-dry your clothes: Your clothes dryer is one of the biggest energy hogs in your house, so you should dry your clothes outside or in your bathroom whenever possible.
16. Place your refrigerator strategically: Even worse than the dryer is your refrigerator, so make sure you give it a fighting chance at staying cool by keeping it away from sunlight and warm areas.
17. Properly maintain your refrigerator: Once a year, wipe down your refrigerator’s coils to keep it efficient.
18. Let food cool before refrigeration: Don’t take food from the stovetop straight to the fridge, or your refrigerator will have to work to cool it down. Instead, let it cool to room temperature before putting it in.

Water

Practice water conservation at home using these easy methods.

19. Install aerators: By putting an aerator on all of your faucets and showers, you’ll save thousands of gallons a year. These devices work by injecting air bubbles into low water flows, so that your water pressure stays the same even though you’re using less water.
20. Take a shower instead of a bath: Save water by taking a shower, which will almost always use less water than a full tub. Alternatively, you can bathe small children together in the same bath.

In Your Mailbox

Follow these tips, and you’ll cut down on the paper waste your household generates.

21. Cut down on junk mail: Reduce junk mail by asking credit cards to not share your information, manually removing yourself from lists, and signing up with services specifically designed to reduce mail.
22. Sign up for paperless billing: Get bills sent to your inbox instead of your mailbox to save paper and transportation costs.
23. Cancel unread magazines: If you get lots of magazines, but read only a few of them, cancel your subscriptions, or just catch the online version instead.

In the Kitchen

Follow these tips to make your family’s kitchen greener.

24. Eat at home more often: Instead of hitting your fast food joint or picking up takeout, consider eating at home. You’ll use a lot less packaging, and probably eat healthier.
25. Consume less animal products: Commit to at least one meatless meal a week to help cut down on packaging, processing, and transportation of animal products.
26. Eat local: Most food has to travel across countries and regions before it reaches your plate, burning fossil fuels the entire way. Eliminate this waste and support your local community by eating and purchasing food that’s grown in your area.
27. Eat organic: Organic foods are easy on the earth, so eat them instead of conventional foods whenever possible.

Cleaning

Make sure your cleaning doesn’t dirty the environment by following these tips.

28. Use cleaning products that are reusable: Instead of cleaning with paper towels, use a sponge that can be sterilized and reused.
29. Bring in large-leafed plants: Use plants to freshen and clean your air instead of filters and air scents.
30. Clean with baking soda, vinegar, and other natural products: Avoid using harsh chemicals that require lots of resources to produce, and use milder, more natural cleaners instead.

At the Store

Follow these methods when out shopping.

31. Buy recycled products: Look for items that are made of recycled products, particularly paper items like paper towels and toilet paper.
32. Bring a reusable bag: Cut down or completely cut out your usage of plastic bags by bringing a bag that you can use over and over again.
33. Consider every purchase: Although most consumers are trained to buy, buy, buy, put this urge on the back burner and ask yourself how important it is that you buy a certain product.
34. Look for products without a lot of packaging: Cut down on waste by purchasing items that have very little or no packaging.
35. Buy used: Hit the secondhand store or eBay for one of a kind finds that don’t create more waste.

Travel & Transportation

Reducing your family’s travel footprint doesn’t have to mean garaging the car permanently or forgetting about family vacations, but it does require strategic planning, which can be found in these tips.

36. Stay on top of car maintenance: Keep your tires inflated, your car tuned, and all fluids at their proper levels to make sure you’re getting every mile you can out of your car.
37. Carpool: Whether it’s your kids or yourself, make every effort to share rides with work and classmates whenever possible.
38. Get gas in the evenings: Fill up your car when the sun is down to cut down on evaporation.
39. Take direct flights: A lot of the emissions created by airline flights are given off during takeoff and landing, so by avoiding layovers, you’ll save energy.
40. Take fewer trips: Consider taking fewer trips, but staying longer each time so that you cut down on transportation waste.
41. Travel light: Whevever possible, walk or bike instead of taking your car. You can also clean out your car to improve its efficiency.

Waste

Use these methods to make your family’s waste as green as possible.

42. Recycle whenever possible: With the wide availability of recycling programs, there’s just no excuse for not recycling many items. Whether that means using your neighborhood’s curbside pickup, or hitting a recycling center every few weeks, just do it. If you need help finding out where and how you can recycle, check out Earth911.
43. Compost organic waste: Instead of throwing banana peels and garden clippings in the trash, put them in a compost to reduce waste and enjoy a high quality mulch.
44. Use appropriate disposal methods: Never dump paint or oil down the sewer drain. Instead, locate facilities that will accept your waste and dispose of it properly.

General Rules & Tips

Keep these tips in mind when trying to reduce your family’s consumption.

45. Never replace an item when it can be repaired: If you’ve got a shirt that needs mending, stitch it up instead of buying a new one.
46. Share with friends: Whether it means buying in bulk and splitting the cost, or recycling clothing and toys among friends, sharing with others will help reduce your family’s footprint.
47. Use your local library: Cut down on paper waste by checking out books, magazines, and other media at your library.
48. Use renewable energy and resources whenever possible: Whenever you have the choice, always choose renewable energy, like wind or solar, over fossil fuels, and go for rapidly renewable resources like bamboo instead of hardwoods.
49. Show your children the beauty in your own backyard: Encourage your kids to explore your grass, garden and insects so that they can appreciate a healthy environment.
50. Plant a tree: By planting a tree (or ten), you’ll help reduce your home’s energy costs with shade. Even better, they absorb CO2 from the air and create oxygen.

Much has been said about blood diamonds, but many people don’t realize that there are a number of other conflict resources that facilitate violence around the world. Products from lumber to your cell phone all play a part. Here we’ll take a look at these products, and discuss how you can help to reduce their impact.

1. Gold

   So, you’ve taken every step to ensure that you’ve purchased a clean diamond, but did you know you’re probably putting it in a bloody setting? The mining of gold is responsible for both environmental and human rights atrocities. In a 2005 report, armed groups and international companies in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo were found to have caused ethnic slaughter, torture, and rape of indigenous people.

   Often, the mining companies develop relationships with armed groups who will grant them access to new sites. One company, AngloGold Ashanti, refused to wait until peace agreements were signed in the Mongbwalu area of Congo to start mining, and had to interact with warlords to do their work. It’s estimated that between June 2002 and September 2004, up to 2,000 civilians have died as a result of fighting between armed groups just in Mongbwalu alone. What’s worse, the same people who are suffering are the ones who work in the mines, often forced into labor by combatant groups.

What can you do about it?

Unlike blood diamonds, there is currently no official process for finding "clean" gold. However, there are a few steps you can take.

• Instead of purchasing new gold, you can recycle old jewelry. Bring in old rings and other gold items and have them melted down to create a new piece.
• Support retailers that create recycled gold products.
• Buy vintage and antique jewelry.
• Only shop with retailers that support the Golden Rules. This includes Tiffany & Co., Brilliant Earth, and even Wal-Mart.
• Sign the No Dirty Gold Pledge.

2. Wood

   Forests are perhaps one of the worst natural resources to be exploited, because they’re not just a source of revenue-they’re home. People live in them and depend on the vital resources forests produce. Furthermore, cutting down forests only serves to make global warming worse, as trees are excellent at absorbing CO2.

   In 1992, the Khmer Rouge’s war against the Cambodian people was being funded by a secret timber trade by up to $20 million every month. Now, Burma’s corrupt military regime gains power and revenue from granting logging concessions. In Liberia, former president Charles Taylor used illegal logging earnings to finance a civil war that killed nearly 10% of Liberians. In fact, investigations revealed that the Liberian government facilitated the use of a timber company warehouse for storage of weapons as well as housing. Even when timber does not support conflict, illegal timber logging steals revenue from the countries and people that need it to survive.

What can you do about it?

The obvious question is, how can you make sure that your building materials and furniture in your home aren’t made of conflict timber? There’s not a lot you can do, but we’ve highlighted a couple steps that you as a consumer can take.

• Write to Congress. In 2003, Congress passed a law against conflict diamonds, and the Sierra Club is working to support a similar law for timber.
• When purchasing wood, ask about the origin of the products you’re buying.

3. Oil

   In the past, oil has motivated violence in a number of situations, from the attack on Pearl Harbor to the Gulf wars. Perhaps the most high profile example of oil-fueled violence is Saddam Hussein, who used resources from oil to arm himself for attacks on Kuwait and his own people.

   Even when oil companies attempt to provide aid to indigenous communities, it often ends in violence. Specifically, ChevronTexaco’s attempt to aid communities has left those who don’t get aid feeling underprivileged, and sparked conflict between the communities. Another failure is the practice of paying "ghost workers," who are really local troublemakers, a salary for doing nothing at all. The Royal Dutch/Shell Group says that it supports human rights, but they have allowed death and violence by supporting militarization and repressive government acts.

   Even more painful is the knowledge that oil revenues could do much good if they stayed in the communities that actually own the oil. Every year in Angola, $1.7 billion in oil revenue goes missing, an amount that would be more than enough to solve major health problems like AIDS in the country. More recently, China has been linked to violence, selling arms to Khartoum while increasing Sudanese oil imports. These arms are used in the genocidal conflict going on in Darfur. Examples like these are plentiful, but the point is obvious: oil is perhaps one of the most violent products in the world.

What can you do about it?

Oil violence is an ongoing problem that has entangled most of the world. When faced with such a large problem, what can you do?

• One obvious way to help is to cut down on your personal fuel consumption. The more demand there is for oil, the worse violence is.
• Consider alternative fuels. Great strides have been made in recent years to make fuels like biodiesel, vegetable oil and electricity more viable.
• Contact oil companies and US officials. Let them know that you’re painfully aware of the problems oil consumption is causing, and that you want them to do something about it.

4. Cocoa

   Chocolate may be sweet, but the process that brings it to you is not. In the Cote D’Ivoire, the government, along with rebels, has used cocoa to fund a civil war. In fact, President Laurent Gbagbo, combined with opposing rebels, has used more than $88 million to fight in the civil war from 2002-2003. There is fear that, given the resources, these groups would be free to create conflict once again.

   More recently, Gambit Investment is facing allegations that it traded cocoa for military helicopters that are suspected to have been used in attacks on civilians. Between October 2002 and April 2003, government helicopter attacks killed 370 civilians.

What can you do about it?

• Support companies that offer transparency in their records. NGO groups have requested that cocoa exporters publish their levies and tax payments so that corruption will be easier to find.
• Buy fair trade chocolate. By purchasing this type of chocolate, you’ll not only ensure you’re helping to stop violence, you’ll also be supporting better labor conditions, human needs, and environmentally sustainable chocolate production.

5. Tech toys

   Miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo work extremely hard in dangerous situations, just to get the cassiterite that goes in your cell phone, laptop, and other high tech devices. When they come out of the tiny holes in which they have to dig for the mineral, they’re greeted by soldiers at gunpoint that will take it. Other miners work on sites that are directly operated by the military and other armed groups. Even when they’re not working directly for these groups, they’re heavily taxed by them, or just robbed outright. Often, these mines collapse, leaving many miners and their rescuers dead.

   The war over coltan has caused the death of more than 4 million people in central Africa, mostly civilians who have died from starvation, disease, or displacement. In addition to human life, the Eastern lowland gorilla is being driven to extinction through poaching and habitat loss tied to mineral mines.

   Even worse, as phones become "greener," the demand for cassiterite, coltan, and other high-tech minerals like them has risen, and violence along with it. Although the amount of these minerals in each individual electronics device is small, it all adds up.

What you can do about it?

• Recycle your devices. By donating your cell phone or laptop to services that know how to properly disassemble them, you’ll help reduce mining for the minerals it contains.
• Buy used or refurbished. With technology growing at an ever-increasing rate, the turnover for devices is high enough that you can purchase a used or refurbished cell phone, laptop, or other device that is perfectly able to stand up to your demands.
• You can cut down on this turnover yourself by avoiding full upgrades as long as possible. This can be achieved with proper maintenance, repairs, and upgrading specific parts rather than your entire device.
• Buy for quality. If you’re going to buy a new device, make sure that you’re purchasing one that will be functional for years to come, rather than one that will be discarded within a few years or months.

More Actions You Can Take

In addition to specific product cautions, there are a few general actions you can take to help ensure that the products you buy aren’t responsible for violence in other parts of the world.

• Donate to Global Witness: This organization works to expose exploitation and end resource-linked conflict. In the past, they’ve helped to close down the Khmer Rouge and instigated the Kimberley Process. Currently, they’re the leader in research devoted to stopping resource violence.
• Purchase fair trade products: Although not directly linked to stopping resource violence, fair trade certifications can offer the assurance that the products you’re buying are made in a socially responsible way.
• Educate yourself: We’ve highlighted just a few of the products that have a socially negative impact on our world, but there are many more out there. Do some research to find out more about how you can be a socially responsible consumer.
• Invest responsibly: All of these human rights atrocities are enabled not just by consumers, but by investors who make these ventures possible in the first place. Be sure that any investments you make are good not just for your personal finance, but for the world at large as well.

By now, you probably know that buying locally produced, organic food is best for both your health and the environment. But why not take it a step further, and create that food right in your own backyard? Here we’ve compiled a number of top-notch resources devoted to helping gardeners create their own personal organic farms.

Basics

Whether you’re new to gardening, or just organics, these resources can provide lots of guidance.

1. Basics of Home Vegetable Gardening: This document offers 7 basic rules for organic gardening.
2. What is Sustainable Agriculture?: Get a look at sustainable concepts in gardening and farming here.
3. The Future is Abundant: This publication offers resources for sustainable agriculture.
4. Organic Guidelines: Read about what exactly goes into gardening organically here.
5. How to Grow Your Own Organic Vegetables for Frugal Sustainability: This guide offers tips that even novice gardeners can appreciate.
6. Organic gardening: Kick the chemicals: This article recommends that you carefully look after your soil.
7. Organic Gardening Techniques: Take a look at this guide for in-depth information on organic gardening.
8. Gardening at a Glance: Check out this chart for planting dates, distances, and preservation techniques.
9. Grow Your Own Organic Garden: This guide walks you through the steps of organic home gardening from soil to harvest.
10. Organic Gardening Tips: Find tips for organic gardening in this resource.
11. Organic Vegetable Gardening: This guide covers vegetable gardening from planning to selling.
12. Growing a beautiful edible landscape in an urban neighborhood: This guide takes a look at gardening in a restricted area.
13. Organic Gardening: This guide offers a quick look at organic gardening principles.
14. Plant Glossary: This glossary will help you build your organic gardening vocabulary.
15. You’re a What? An Organic Gardener?: This article offers an easy guide to answering questions about organic gardening.
16. Organic Vocabulary: Check out this glossary so you’ll always know what you’re talking about.
17. Organic Gardening Essentials: This article describes the benefits and requirements of organic gardening.

Inspiration

Take a look at these urban gardeners to see what can be achieved when you work hard on your organic garden.

18. Path to Freedom: This family is part of the homegrown revolution.
19. Reasons to Garden Organically: If you’re not already convinced you should garden organically, check out this article.
20. A day in the life of an urban farmer: See how families are developing their own small-scale farms.

Soil

Healthy soil is the foundation for every successful garden, so be sure to pay attention to these helpful resources.

21. Garden Soil: Why it Matters-Making it Great: Find out how to create healthy organic soil with this guide.
22. Soil Biology Primer: Learn all about microorganisms and other important components of healthy soil in this book.
23. Managing Clay Soils in the Home Garden: Learn how to deal with hard clay soil using this guide.
24. Factors Influencing Soil Health and Quality: Check out this animation to get a good look at what makes up healthy soil.
25. Soil Health: This site has a number of resources and recommendations for healthy soil.
26. How to build new topsoil: Follow this guide to create healthy new soil.
27. Amending Your Garden Soil-Making Good Soil out of Bad: Get the dirt on how you can make any soil good for gardening here.

Composting

Follow these guides to turn household scraps into rich fertilizer for your garden.

28. Compost: The Backbone of an Organic Garden: Find out why compost is important, and how you can make your own.
29. How to Make Compost, a Composting Guide: This guide will help you create rich, cheap compost.
30. Organic Gardening Compost: Consider composting’s benefits and how you can use it with this guide.
31. How to Know when the Organic Compost in your Bin is Ready: This video explains when your compost is ripe.
32. Composting: Find out what the Veggie Lady has to say about composting.
33. Make your compost bin work: This gardener runs down what you’ll need to do to create a good compost.

Planning

Check out these resources for help in creating the perfect organic garden.

34. Planning Your Vegetable Garden: Here you’ll find information for planning your location and space as well as plant selection and schedule.
35. Easy Garden Anyone Can Make: Plan your garden the easy way with this resource.
36. Hey Grow UP!: This article explains how you can make use of more space with fences, trellises and stakes.
37. My Ideal Garden: Use this resource to create a garden you can love.
38. Planning a Child’s Garden: Check out this resource to learn how to create an organic garden your kids can help with.
39. Plan and Prepare: Figure out where to plant your garden and what to put in it with this guide.
40. When You Plan Your Garden, Here’s Some Things to Know: Keep these tips in mind when planning your garden.
41. Plan a Beautiful Vegetable Garden: Follow this guide to create a gorgeous vegetable garden.
42. The Gardening Calendar: Check out this calendar to see what you need to be doing in your garden each month.
43. Fruit Salad in a Pot: Make the most out of a small space by growing fruit in a pot.
44. How to Plan Your Organic Garden: Check out this video for tips related to planning an organic garden.
45. Getting Ready for Planting: This guide offers information on purchasing seeds and plants, as well as getting started before you plant.
46. Know When to Plant What: Find Your Average Last Spring Frost Date: This guide will help you figure out when you need to start planting.

Maintenance

Once you’ve created your organic garden, keep it up with the maintenance recommended by these resources.

47. Caring for Your Vegetable Crop: This document discusses irrigation, weeding, and thinning your garden.
48. Fertilizer Products for Organic Gardening: Check out this report that helps make sense of organic gardening product labels.
49. Vacation: Read this article to find out how to deal with your garden before you leave for vacation.
50. Organic Fertilizer: This resource describes a number of different fertilizers you can use.
51. Garden mulch: Look at different kinds of mulch and how you can use them here.

Pests & Weeds

Staying organic is a challenge for some when confronted with pests, but these resources offer a wealth of chemical-free solutions.

52. Organic Insect Repellents and Insect Control: Find out how to control insects in your organic garden here.
53. Slug & Snail Trail: Check out this site for advice on keeping snails and slugs at bay.
54. Use of Baking Soda as a Fungicide: See how others are using baking soda to keep mildew and other diseases away from their gardens.
55. Ten Steps Toward Organic Weed Control: Follow this guide to take care of your weed problem organically.
56. Plant Disease Control: Take a look at organic disease control methods here.
57. Weed Photo Gallery: Check out this photo gallery to find out which weed you’re up against.
58. Organic Weed Control: Find out how this gardener controls weeds organically.
59. Mulch: The Organic Solution for All Your Weeding Worries: This article discusses mulch as a way to keep the weeds at bay.
60. Plant-Disease Index: In this index, you’ll find details for the various pests that affect gardens.
61. Weeds, Guardians of the Soil: This publication discusses weeds as a positive gardening tool.
62. Beneficial Insects: Find out about the beneficial insects you can make use of in this article.
63. Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America: This site offers lots of information for combating pests.
64. Management of Insect Pests in Organic Vineyards: Find out how the wine business takes care of pets.
65. Insect Pest Finder: Check out this tool to identify pests.
66. Fly Predators: Make use of fly predators for a natural fly control method.
67. Organic Apple Disease Spray Guide: Here you’ll find organic methods for protecting your apples and other crops.

Harvest

Check out these resources to make the most of your harvest with storage, pickling, and more.

68. Harvesting and Storing: Find out how to make the most out of your harvest here.
69. When to Harvest: This guide will tell you when the right time to harvest is.
70. Secondary Edible Parts of Vegetables: Take a look at parts of vegetables you never thought about eating.
71. How to Store Your Garden Produce: This article takes a look at food storage and waste.
72. Home Canning Basics: Get the lowdown on canning here.

Techniques

Here you’ll learn about specific organic gardening techniques like hydroponics, moon cycles, and greenhousing.

73. Grow Biointensive: This technique makes growing large amounts of food in a small area possible.
74. Organic Hydroponic Gardening: This article has great information on the hydroponic technique.
75. Water Features: Check out this article to find out how you can bring water into your garden.
76. Garden Beds: Follow this guide to digging excellent garden beds.
77. Gardening by the Moon: Find out how to garden based on the moon’s cycles with this article.
78. Year Round Gardening with a Greenhouse: Check out this guide to find out how you can use a greenhouse to grow your garden throughout the year.
79. Hanging Basket How-to: Here you’ll find out how to grow in a hanging basket.
80. Saving Water in the Vegetable Garden: This guide has practical tips for conserving water in your garden.
81. Sustainable Soil Management: Here you’ll find out how to create high quality sustainable soil for your garden.

Specific Crops

Here you’ll find a bit of advice with specific crops in mind.

82. Growing Cantaloupes: Find out how to grow cantaloupes with this guide.
83. All About Growing Lettuce: This resource discusses everything you need to know about growing organic lettuce.
84. Herbs: Find out how to make the most out of herbs in your home garden.
85. Blueberry Planting Guide: Check out this guide to get the most out of your blueberries.

Products

Check out these product resources to find tools that will make organic gardening easier.

86. 11 Useful Organic Gardening Products: Here you’ll find 11 really neat and useful products for organic gardeners.
87. Organic Materials Review Institute: Find out how your products stack up with this resource.
88. Garden Seed Catalogs: This resource has great advice for saving money on seed orders.
89. The Organic Pages: Here you’ll find loads of links to useful organic gardening products.
90. Clean Air Gardening: This site features lawn and garden supplies that are environmentally friendly.
91. Better Grow Hydro: This hydroponics supplier is helpful for indoor gardeners.

Blogs & Communities

For ongoing knowledge about organic gardening, check out these blogs and Internet forums.

92. Tiny Farm Blog: Check out this blogger who is working on an organic microfarm.
93. Down-to-earth: This blog discusses the life of a family living simply on the outskirts of a rural town.
94. Seed Swapper: Check out these forums to get your hands on some excellent seeds.
95. Calendula & Concrete: See how well this urban gardener is doing.
96. Organic Gardening Information: This blog offers lots of great links and ideas.
97. Organic Gardening Forum: Share tips and advice on this organic gardening forum.
98. Veggie Gardening Tips: Here you’ll find lots of great tips for cultivating your organic garden.
99. Garden Rant: Check out what these opinionated organic gardeners have to say.
100. Organic Flower & Garden Tips: Follow this blog to make your garden the envy of the neighborhood.

By Kelsey Allen

Water conservation is an important part of responsible living. Water is a precious resource which is not to be squandered. Fortunately, there are a number of really easy ways to save water without a whole lot of hassle, and we’ve compiled some of the best here.

In the Kitchen

Cut down on water usage in your kitchen using these methods.

1. Wash only on a full load: This is true for both washers and dishwashers. By washing in bulk, you’ll cut down on the number of cycles you need to run. Also important to keep in mind is the fact that most dishwashers on a full load can clean dishes more efficiently than a hand wash.
2. Cut down on your disposal: Instead of using your disposal, start a compost pile for food waste.
3. Buy foods close to their natural form: Water is needed to produce just about everything from Coke to boxed mashed potatoes. You can cut down on your water consumption by avoiding processed foods that require lots of water to make.
4. For large washing jobs, fill your sink: Instead of running water to wash dishes or produce, fill your sink to wash them all at the same time.
5. Cut back on rinsing: If you’ve got a fairly new dishwasher, it should be powerful enough to clean your dishes thoroughly without pre-rinsing.

In the Bathroom

Save water while still enjoying good hygiene using these tips.

6. Check for toilet leaks: Drop some food coloring into your toilet tank and let it sit about half an hour without flushing. If you see color in the bowl, you have a leak that needs to be repaired. This is generally easy to take care of, as replacement parts are cheap and install easily.
7. Avoid using your toilet as a trash can: Throw tissues, insects, and cigarette butts in the trash instead of the toilet. You’ll save about 6 gallons with each flush you avoid.
8. Turn the faucet off when brushing your teeth: Certainly you’ve heard this one before, but it’s simple and important enough to be repeated. Turning off your faucet while brushing can save up to 10 gallons a day.
9. Make your toilet low-flow: Place weighted plastic bottles in your toilet tank to save water in your tank. You’ll need to make sure that there are at least 3 gallons remaining in the tank so that your toilet will flush properly.
10. Replace your flush handle: If your flush handle sticks and lets water run, it needs repair or replacing. These can usually be found in the hardware store for a few dollars, and are incredibly easy to install.
11. Take showers instead of baths: Showers generally require less water than baths, coming in at 20 gallons versus a bath’s 50 gallons.

Outside

Water conservation doesn’t have to mean a dried out lawn. Follow these strategies for a lush outdoors without a huge water toll.

12. Insulate water pipes: Pre-slit foam pipe insulation is cheap and easy to install, so it’s a convenient way to get hotter water, faster. By getting faster hot water, you’ll cut down on the time you have to run your faucet while waiting for water to heat up.
13. Bathe your pets outdoors: By washing your pets on the grass, you’ll water your lawn while getting Fido clean.
14. Give your lawn a deep soak: Although it may seem counter-intuitive, water your lawn for a long time so that the moisure will go town to the roots and encourage a deep root system. When you’ve achieved a deep root system, grass can get more natural moisture from below.
15. Water strategically: Pay attention to the time of day you water. Water early in the morning and late in the evening so that you’ll lose less water to evaporation. Watering early is also great because it defends against garden pests and fungus.
16. Collect rainwater: Put a water-catching barrel outside to collect rainwater that you can use for your garden, lawn, or cleaning.
17. Lay down mulch: Put down bark, peat moss, or gravel to slow down evaporation. This is an easy way to save literally hundreds of gallons a month.
18. Be a lazy waterer: Water only when you absolutely need to. A good rule of thumb is to check it by stepping on your grass-if it springs back when you lift your foot, you can put off watering for a bit more.
19. Never use a hose when you can use a broom: Don’t clean sidewalks and driveways with water-use a broom instead.

Everywhere

These tips will help you just about everywhere around the house and in daily life.

20. Install an aerator: Easy to install, and often quite cheap, aerators are about the easiest way you can save water at home. Water aerators in your showers and faucets will help you use less water while still enjoying high pressure, achieved by putting extra air bubbles in the water flow.
21. Reuse excess water whenever possible: Instead of pouring old water glasses and boiling pots down the drain, reuse the water for pet dishes or plants. You can also use fish tank water on household plants.
22. Dispose of hazardous materials properly: Keep oil, prescriptions, and other contaminants out of the water, as these items can effectively eliminate water from our supply. Do some quick research to find out how you can properly dispose of them.
23. Use a commercial car wash: Often, car washes can wash your car more efficiently than you can in your own driveway. To save even more, find one that recycles their water.
24. Fix leaky faucets: If you’ve got even a slow drip, you’re letting money go down the drain. Even more importantly, you’re wasting hundreds of gallons over time. Pick up a wrench and fix your leaky faucets for a quick and easy way to curtail water usage.
25. Locate your master water shut-off valve: In case of a pipe burst, you’ll need to know how to shut off water in your home. This will not only save gallons of water, but potentially your property as well.

When people talk about organics, generally they are referring to foods that have been grown without the aid of harmful chemicals. But organic products aren’t just limited to foods that you put into your body-what you choose put on your body can have an impact as well. Buying clothing and accessories that come from wholly organic and environmentally friendly sources can be an important part of doing your part to reduce the amount of chemicals released into the environment as well, both in the growing process and during manufacturing.

While organic clothing will likely always be a little pricier than its mass produced counterparts, that doesn’t mean that wearing it has to break the bank. Here are some tips and resources for buying clothes that both you and the earth will appreciate.

Quick Tips for Buying

These are some basic tips and guidelines to pay attention to when you make your next organic clothing purchase.

1. Learn what makes clothes "organic." A lot of things nowadays have an organic label slapped onto them for the purpose of enticing consumers to buy them rather than because they’re truly an organic product. Do a little research about the clothing you’re thinking of purchasing to make sure it truly is created using a more earth friendly process.
2. Look for certification. The Organic Trade Association has created a certifcation process for fiber processing and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements monitors and rates how cotton is grown worldwide. Look for approval from either of these groups or from other reputable organics organizations to ensure you’re getting the highest quality and most authentic organic clothing.
3. Buy clothes that require no dry cleaning. Perhaps the biggest impact clothes have on both the environment and your wallet is in the cleaning process. Clothes that allow cold washing and that can be line dried are the most environmentally friendly, while those requiring harmful chemicals to be cleaned should be avoided. If you’re going to take the trouble to buy organic, ensure that your clothes will stay that way.
4. Look for longevity. The best organic clothes you can buy are those that are durable enough to last you through several years of wear and classic enough not to go out of style before you’ve even broken them in. Many organic clothing manufacturers produce a large number of items that fit this bill and can help you get your money’s worth.
5. Sometimes compromise is OK. While organic fibers are ideal for many who would like to go green, sometimes a compromise of synthetic and organic fibers can help a garment to last much longer than it would otherwise, delaying its trip to the garbage. Additionally, some labor intensive processes that use bamboo and soy to create sythetic-like fibers can be a way to wear clothing that will eventually biodegrade while getting the look and feel of a synthetic.
6. Realize that more expensive doesn’t always equal better. Just like anything else, the most expensive organic clothing isn’t always going to be the highest quality or the best investment. Some manufacturers will use the organic label as an excuse to bump up the price without any real change in quality. Whether you’re buying in person or online, take a look at reviews of other customers or use your own judgement to choose fashions that will last longer and fit into your budget.
7. Learn about the fibers. A vareity of different kinds of plants are used to provide the raw materials for organic clothing. These can include hemp, bamboo, cotton, modal and linen. Some companies even create a more environmentally friendly type of silk. Each has its own pros and cons, so read up before you make your purchase.

Guides and Articles

If you’re looking for some additional guidance on buying an organic wardrobe, check out these articles.

8. Green Basics: Organic Cotton: Learn all there is to know about organic cotton including how and where it’s grown, harvested and manufactured as well as a few reasons why you might want to add it to your wardrobe.
9. How to Green Your Wardrobe: Get the facts, figures and basics on how to make every part of your wardrobe a little more earth-friendly with this informative and comprehensive guide from Treehugger.
10. Organic Clothing Blog: Here you can read about how to green up your wardrobe for everything from a walk down the aisle to a hike in the woods. Articles focus on eco-fashion and the use of hemp, bamboo and organic cotton.
11. Guide to Modern Organic Clothing and Fabrics: Get the lowdown on the makers and materials involved in organic clothing. You’ll learn what to look for and where you can get the best deals.
12. How to Buy Earth Friendly Sustainable Clothing: This guide from eBay will give you the basics of organic clothing as well as provide some guidance on what you should look for when you’re shopping.
13. How Organic Clothing Works: Interested in how organic clothing is produced, manufactured and sold? You’ll find the answers from How Stuff Works and get to know why you should wear organic clothing as well as a few places to go for more information.
14. Organic Clothing Not Just For Hippies Anymore: This article from MSNBC outlines the organic clothing movement and gives you some suggestions on where you can shop for the hottest organic fashions.

Online Organic Clothing Stores

You don’t even have to leave your house to get deals on organic clothing. Check out these online stores for earth-friendly options.

15. Better for Babies: Babies have soft, delicate skin and the chemicals used in clothing manufacture can sometimes irritate their skin. This online retailer sells a wide variety of products that are totally organic, practical and not outrageously priced.
16. Loomstate: Loomstate specializes in designer organic clothing that is modeled after classic casual wear. The New York based company works to ensure that every stage of the design and creation process is fully organic so you’ll not only look stylish in their designs, but will feel great about helping the environment as well.
17. Beklina: Find adorable and eco-friendly organic clothing from this online women’s clothing boutique that specializes in green designs and materials.
18. Coco’s Shoppe: This online retailer sells a wide vareity of organic clothing brands in styles that are so fashion forward you’d never even think they were organic.
19. The Green Loop: This site is a one stop shop for men or women looking to buy organic clothing. Dozens of organic brands are listed and visitors can find everything from t-shirts to sunglasses that are earth friendly and fashionable.
20. Kaight: Women looking to stay on the cutting edge of trends while still looking out for the environment can do both with this upscale New York company. Like any other designer brand, the clothes aren’t on the cheap side, but if you want to look your best and stay green they can be a great investment.
21. Panda Snack: While other brands may focus on materials like cotton and hemp, Panda Snack is all about the organic bamboo. Both men and women can find casual and dressy fashions that fit their needs and their budget
22. howies: This British company sells organic clothing for men, women and children and provides great casual options that not only make a statement fashion-wise, but environmentally as well.
23. Janano: Whether you’re looking for environmentally friendly cashmere or a simple organic cotton t-shirt, this shop has what you need. With both men’s, women’s and baby fashions, you’re bound to find something that fits your budget and your style.
24. Rawganique: This shop specilializes in selling organic hemp clothing in styles that will fit every lifestyle. They also carry a full line of organic linens and cottons as well.
25. Earth Speaks: Find organic hemp clothing on this site in designer styles. From flirty skirts to winter coats, all products are completely organic.

While it’s unlikely that your wardrobe will ever be completely organic, you can begin making a few steps towards reducing the pollution that mainstream clothing produces through farming and manufacture. Some studies have shown that for each organic t-shirt you buy, 4 ounces of chemicals are prevented from entering the environment. It may not seem like much, but every little bit helps!