At a time when the world faces increasing global warming, as more and more harmful greenhouse gases pour out into the atmosphere, more and more people are wondering how to go green and make it cost effective too. The good news is that it’s very easy to do. In fact, done properly it’s hard not to save money while helping the planet recover. So, here’s how to go green (and save money) in 7 simple tips.

1. Lower your winter heating by at least one degree. If you can stand two or three degrees lower, then all the better. You will use less energy and still feel comfortable. Then in summer, let the air conditioning cool the house a little less. That’s a great start in how to go green.

2. Set your washing machine to wash clothes in cold water. Modern cleaning powders don’t need hot water, and heating the water is what consumes most of the energy that the washing machine uses.

3. Don’t use the dryer to dry your clothes! That’s not how to go green. It uses far too much energy and it’s expensive too. Hang your clothes out to dry. The air is great at drying clothes – your grandmother could have told you that.

4. Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs use 10% of the energy that a standard bulb needs and they last 10 times longer. So, change your light bulbs. And if you want to know how to go green in a bigger way with lights, check out the new LED bulbs. They can be twice as efficient as the CFL bulbs.

5. Use less water. Check all faucets for leaks and fix any you find. Take shorter showers, don’t bath, and consider getting a new toilet cistern that will use less than two gallons of water per flush. Standard cistern use some three and a half gallons. Using less water uses less energy and saves you money!

6. Walk rather than drive for very short trips. Use a bicycle for moderate trips, and only use the car if you really have to. Gasoline is expensive and it pollutes the atmosphere. Save on burning it and you will save on your money too, as well as help the environment.

7. When you have to drive, keep your speed down to around 55 miles per hour if possible. Your car’s engine will be running at its most efficient at that speed burning the minimum amount of gas. Practice driving smoothly as well. Don’t accelerate fast from a standing start, and don’t brake hard. This is how to go green with your car, though using public transport, walking and cycling is even better.

Go green easier by planning out your shopping and making some very simple changes to your habits. Simple steps will make a huge impact, it just takes a little patient rethinking.  From reusable grocery bags to buying and selling at consignment stores, a little preplanning will stretch your money and your planet’s resources a long way.  Take plastic bags.  Do you have a pet to pick poop up after?  Unless you’re in an area that recently banned plastic grocery bags, why pay extra for tossing out critter waste?  These are great for the cat box clean ups or for poop scooping after the dog.  Unless you go through a lot of bags every week, opt for using totes instead of the plastic or paper bags. Some stores use mostly-to-fully post consumer recycled materials in their bags, so ask.  If the paper bags aren’t using post consumer materials, don’t use them.  Trees still have to be cut down and milled to make those bags.  Totes rinse out, tear less, fold up easily and a stack of them isn’t unsightly on the backseat of anyone’s car.

Go green easily by planning your shopping trips and you keep fuel costs down.  By making a list of what you have to do and where you want to go prevents back tracking.  If you live with others, see if you can’t run errands together or even divide and conquer your lists.  One trip to the consignment shop can get your items up for sale, some new clothes in your roommate’s or partner’s closet and a new bedside novel before  grabbing some zinnias for the patio.  A phone call before leaving work puts a new batch of salad on the dinner table, replacing what got eaten as someone else’s snack; one trip, no unhappy surprises and fuel saved.  Just grab a tote from the car and grab those goodies on the way home.

Going green is easier than most people think and you don’t have to change your political party, your zip code or even your dress code.  All it takes to keep a greener planet and wallet is a little “Stop before you shop” thinking.  Need poop bags, get plastic today.  Start paying bills on line; electricity for the computer is cheaper than gasoline and uses no trees; there’s no paper check.  Bulk shop with friends to save fuel and food costs.  Get as many errands run in one area of town as you can.  There are internet sites, magazines and local groups devoted to helping everyday people, just like you, get a little greener, a little easier.