Small things multiplied by millions can make a big difference!

Wash in cold or warm water
If all the households in the U.S. switched from hot-hot cycle to warm-cold, and only laundered full loads, we could save the energy comparable to 100,000 barrels of oil a day.

Use one less paper napkin
During an average year, an American uses approximately 2,200 napkins—around six each day. If everyone in the U.S. used one less napkin a day, more than a billion pounds of napkins could be saved from landfills each year.

Rethink bottled water
Nearly 90% of plastic water bottles are not recycled, instead taking thousands of years to decompose. Buy areusable container and fill it with tap water, a great choice for the environment, your wallet, and possibly yourhealth. The EPA's standards for tap water are more stringent than the FDA's standards for bottled water.

Take cloth bags to the store
Each year the U.S. uses 84 billion plastic bags, a significant portion of the 500 billion used worldwide. They are not biodegradable, and are making their way into our oceans, and subsequently, the food chain. Stronger, reusablebags are an inexpensive and readily available option.

Change your light If every household in the United State replaced one regular lightbulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, the pollution reduction would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road. What's that - you tried them but you didn't like the color of the light? Home Depot now carries five colors.

Go vegetarian once a week
One less meat-based meal a week helps the planet and your diet. For example: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed.

Look for the Energy Star Label
This government-run program puts its stamp of approval on products that meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines.It's become a given to look for the Energy Star label on big appliances like refrigerators, where the distinction means one model is at least 15% more energy-efficient than the federal standard. But you'll also find the Energy Star label on smaller purchases, including DVD players, dehumidifiers, battery chargers and cordless phones.

Cool down
There's a big difference between a hot shower and one that's scalding. You can prevent the latter and save energy by lowering your hot water thermostat to about 120 degrees, notes Consumer Reports' Greener Choices. Bonus: Less heat will escape from the boiler, which means you'll spend even less on cooling your home during the summer.

When you brush your teeth

The average water faucet uses from 3-5 gallons of water per minute. You can easily use over 5 gallons of water just brushing your teeth! Shut it off while brushing and rinse afterward. A household can save
over 20,000 gallons of water a year by being more careful.

Six-pack rings

During a beach cleanup along 300 miles of Texas beach shoreline in 1988, 15,600 plastic six-pack rings were found in 3 hours. They can become an ocean hazard to birds and other marine life. You can help by picking them up when you're walking on the beach. Clip each circle before disposing of them properly.

Faucet aerators
According to stats in Home Energy magazine, we would save over 250 million gallons of water every day if every American home used easy-to-install faucet aerators.

Use your refrigerator/freezer efficiently
If your refrigerator and freezer are 10 degrees colder than necessary, your energy consumption will increase by as much as 25%. The refrigerator temperature it should be between 38 degrees and 42 degrees; the freezer should be 0 degrees to 5 degrees. Change the settings if necessary and remember to clean the coils and gaskets.

Reduce your junk mail
You can reduce the amount of junk mail you receive by registering at https://www.dmachoice.org. Reregister every couple of years and when you move. If you receive a catalog you don't want call the toll free number and "unsubscribe". Recycle the ones you do get.

Do you smoke?
Use matches instead of lighters. About 1.5 billion disposable lighters end up in landfills and incinerators each year resulting in more pollution.