30 Simple Ways to be More Eco-Friendly

Earth Day may be over, but we should each make an effort to be green all year round. If we all make a few small changes, we can have a big impact on saving the Earth. Here are 30 simple steps you can take to be more green:

1. Meal plan efficiently so you don't waste food.

2. Make your own cleaning supplies. Here are 31 Household Products You'll Never Have to Buy Again.

3. Participate in Meatless Monday. We use more grain to feed animals than humans, and their waste is one of the biggest contributors to global warming.4. Carpool to the office. Take turns each week and use it as quality time to catch up!5. Wear your clothes a few times before washing, such as pants, sweaters, and items that don't collect a lot of dirt.

6. Turn off water when brushing your teeth. Extra points for turning it off in the shower when you're lathering up!

7. Buy local + freeze leftovers, herbs, in-season produce, etc. Plus you'll be supporting your local economy. Produce that's out of season uses a lot of resources to ship, plus it will lose nutrients during the days it takes to travel.

8. Plan your errands so you make less trips.

9. Conduct an at-home energy audit.

10. Plant your own organic garden. You'll save money and be helping the environment!

11. Practice rainwater harvesting.

12. Give old newspapers to animal shelters, or cancel your subscription and read news online.

13. Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use. Many electronics, including computers, are still using electricity even if turned off.

14. Use re-usable shopping bags. Keep them handy so you don't forget!

15. Use re-usable water bottles and re-usable coffee mugs. Some coffee shops will even give you a discount, including some Starbucks locations.

16. Make your own portioned food instead of buying it in packs. Try these homemade breakfast sandwiches, these oatmeal muffins, or this foolproof greek yogurt.

17. Fix any leaks in your home. "The average household's leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year, or the amount of water needed to wash 270 loads of laundry." -EPA

18. Buy used items and donate or sell your own. Refinish items to give them new life. Buying and selling used items keeps them from going into landfills. There are many sites to search for items in your area for cheap or free, such as Freecycle.com, Craigslist and Yard sale groups on Facebook.

19. Buy energy efficient appliances, light bulbs, and make sure your windows are sealed and efficient.

20. Have receipts emailed rather than printed when the choice is available.

21. Buy toxin free make-up and bath products to keep chemicals out of the ground and your body. (or make your own!)

22. Buy organic produce when possible- fertilizers and pesticides are ruining our soil.

23. Turn off lights when you leave a room, and try using natural lighting if you're home during the day.

24. Spend more time outside and less time watching TV and on the computer.

25. Recycle your electronics properly, such as batteries, computers + cell phones. Many electronics stores will take them to recycle for you.

26. Don't buy new appliances just because the newest model has come out. Save your money and our landfills.

27. Clean out your car. Extra weight in your trunk (or car) decreases fuel efficiency.

28. Buy used books or e-books.

29. Opt in to paperless billing and pay your bills online.

30. Wash laundry in cold water instead of hot.

Post your easy green tips in the comments below.

[Tweet "Let's all commit to making one green change per week this year."]

An edited version of this post appeared first on MindBodyGreen. See it here.