Ten Ways to Go Green at Home

Celebrate Earth Day and help reduce global warming.

Celebrating Earth Day - In the spirit of Earth Day, which was on Sunday April 22, we're all thinking of ways to help our environment and reduce global warming. So here are ten ways that you can play your part in your own home. (Photo: Courtesy GettyImages)

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Celebrating Earth Day - In the spirit of Earth Day, which was on Sunday April 22, we're all thinking of ways to help our environment and reduce global warming. So here are ten ways that you can play your part in your own home. (Photo: Courtesy GettyImages)

Choose Energy Star Appliances - Look for the Energy Star label when shopping for electronics, refrigerators, washers, dryers, air-conditioners and other home appliances. (Photo: Courtesy Wikicommons)

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Choose Energy Star Appliances - Look for the Energy Star label when shopping for electronics, refrigerators, washers, dryers, air-conditioners and other home appliances. (Photo: Courtesy Wikicommons)

Replace Your Light Bulbs - Switch out incandescent light bulbs to Energy Star-approved compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They last up to 10 times longer and use about 75 percent less energy to produce the same amount of light as your old incandescent ones. (Photo: Courtesy Loews)

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Replace Your Light Bulbs - Switch out incandescent light bulbs to Energy Star-approved compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They last up to 10 times longer and use about 75 percent less energy to produce the same amount of light as your old incandescent ones. (Photo: Courtesy Loews)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy Loews

Go Small and Smart - The bigger the toy, the more juice it requires sustaining it. Downsize and go minimal on homes, electronics and vehicles whenever possible. (Photo: Courtesy Toyota)

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Go Small and Smart - The bigger the toy, the more juice it requires sustaining it. Downsize and go minimal on homes, electronics and vehicles whenever possible. (Photo: Courtesy Toyota)

Take Electronics Off Stand-By - Just because you've turned it off doesn't mean it's shut down. Home appliances like microwaves and other electronics will still draw power to keep certain functions going (clocks, timers, stand-by mode, etc.) To cut down on energy waste, unplug them or connect them to a power strip that can be turned on and off. (Photo: Courtesy Sanyo)

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Take Electronics Off Stand-By - Just because you've turned it off doesn't mean it's shut down. Home appliances like microwaves and other electronics will still draw power to keep certain functions going (clocks, timers, stand-by mode, etc.) To cut down on energy waste, unplug them or connect them to a power strip that can be turned on and off. (Photo: Courtesy Sanyo)

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Getting Digital - Online courses at colleges and universities offer flexible options for busy students, and millions of students nationwide are taking advantage. In the 2012 Survey of Online Learning published by the Babson Survey Research Group on Jan. 8, more than 6.7 million students said they took at least one online course during the fall 2011 term, up 570,000 students from the previous year. (Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

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Bank Online - Reduce paper mail by paying your bills online. (Photo: Courtesy GettyImages)

Air Dry Laundry - Keep energy costs and emissions down by hanging your laundry to dry in the sun rather than tossing them into the dryer. (Photo: Courtesy GettyImages)

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Air Dry Laundry - Keep energy costs and emissions down by hanging your laundry to dry in the sun rather than tossing them into the dryer. (Photo: Courtesy GettyImages)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy GettyImages

Plant Trees - Planting well-placed trees in your yard will shade your home on sunny days (lowering cooling costs) and serve as a wind barrier on colder days (lowering your heating costs). (Photo: Courtesy Home and Garden Magazine)

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Plant Trees - Planting well-placed trees in your yard will shade your home on sunny days (lowering cooling costs) and serve as a wind barrier on colder days (lowering your heating costs). (Photo: Courtesy Home and Garden Magazine)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy Home and Garden Magazine

Manage Your Thermostat - Keeping your home 2˚ F cooler in the winter and 2˚ F warmer in summer can save us more than a third of a ton of carbon dioxide emissions per year. (Photo: Courtesy Honeywell)

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Manage Your Thermostat - Keeping your home 2˚ F cooler in the winter and 2˚ F warmer in summer can save us more than a third of a ton of carbon dioxide emissions per year. (Photo: Courtesy Honeywell)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy Honeywell

Grow Your Own Garden - Not only will you cut down on produce and travel costs to the market, but you'll also benefit from healthier meals and what it feels like to grow your own food. (Photo: Courtesy Food Network)

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Grow Your Own Garden - Not only will you cut down on produce and travel costs to the market, but you'll also benefit from healthier meals and what it feels like to grow your own food. (Photo: Courtesy Food Network)

Say No to Plastic Bags - Instead, collect a handful of reusable bags that you can bring to the store. Some shops offer them as freebies with their merchandise while others offer discounts if you carry your goods home in your own bags. (Photo: Courtesy Wikicommons)

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Say No to Plastic Bags - Instead, collect a handful of reusable bags that you can bring to the store. Some shops offer them as freebies with their merchandise while others offer discounts if you carry your goods home in your own bags. (Photo: Courtesy Wikicommons)