Want to make your home more environmentally friendly for Earth Day and every day?

Being environmentally conscious is not just about plastic bags. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Put real thought into what you’re buying, all of the time. Ask yourself:

Do I need this?

Will it be used?

Why do I want to buy this?

What purpose does this really serve?

When you consider what you’re buying, you’ll find that you buy a lot less, saving you money, and saving harmful CO2 emissions.

Before you throw away an old T-shirt, think about how you can use it around the house - a cleaning rag for example. Use glass food containers, as those will take longer to get to the landfill.

Not everything can be recycled though, so check labels and with your department of sanitation to see what you can recycle.

Buy eco-friendly products for your home - these can include products to clean your house, plasticware, paper products like toilet paper, recyclable paper for gift wrapping, environmentally friendly shampoo, and products that use less plastic or packaging. Instead of using paper towels in your kitchen, try using absorbent cloth towels to clean up spills. And instead of paper napkins, try cloth napkins that you can wash and reuse. A great concern are the greenhouse gas emissions that result from manufacturing and disposing of these items.

Choosing renewable energy sources, like solar panels, for your home electricity and heating is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, make your home more sustainable, and potentially lower your energy costs.

Going green doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming: Here are ways to go green on a budget.

Investing in the right energy-efficient light bulbs makes a huge difference. You will not only use less electricity but you will also make your home more environmentally-friendly.

Get green by installing a programmable thermostat to monitor your cooling and heating systems. A thermostat can reduce the cost of your utility bill and make your home more eco-friendly at the same time.

Plastic bottles can take 450 years or more to decompose. So, use a reusable water bottle or simply a glass as you pour water from your tap.