Easy tips for keeping our planet user-friendly.

Conserve Energy! Whether it?s the dead of winter or the height of summer, adjust your thermostat. On the hottest days, keep it at a respectable 78 degrees and in the winter, go for 72. Put weather-stripping around your windows and door frames to keep drafts out and heat in. The benefit is you save money and you make a difference in keeping our planet healthier.

Refuse, reuse and recycle! Styrofoam and plastic plates cause biodegradable problems for our environment. Choose reusable dishes and cups and just wash them when you're through. This way you save energy and space in our landfills. And just say no to paper towels! Just find soft cloths that you can use again and again and drop in the laundry!

Save Water! Fix leaky faucets and install a low-flow shower head and you'll discover this not only saves water, but money too!

Get Moving! If you can get there by walking, biking, skateboarding or inline skates, just do it. Leave your car at home for short trips and local chores or carpool with friends or take public transit. You'll save energy and you get to know your neighborhood better!

Find planet friendly gifts. Celebration doesn't have to mean creating waste for the world! Select gifts of natural fibers, flavors or exotic gifts like organic teas, fair trade coffees, fresh flowers, dried or fresh fruit and nuts. Be original and give a gift that benefits our world.

Buy Fresh! Your local farmer's market can help save you money when you buy fresh produce. These delicious selections of fruits and vegetables make eating a delight for the entire family and helps keep your local farmers in business.

Clean Green. Avoid chemical sprays and dangerous compounds when cleaning. Just make your own solutions with baking soda and vinegar and you will be stunned at the sparkling results.

Gifting Green! Save time, energy and paper?skip the fancy gift wrap that will only end up in the trash and wrap gifts with the colorful Sunday comics, gift bags that can be used again, or paper bags that can be cut to size and decorated by kids.