6 Simple Green Things to do in '09

In 2008, you switched your light bulbs to CFL's, reduced your use of plastic bags at the grocery store and watched An Inconvenient Truth three times, so now what? It's 2009 and the incoming administration seems eager to implement some of the fundamental changes necessary to reduce greenhouse gases and thwart climate change. We offer a few humble '09 resolution suggestions that combine advantages for you and for the planet.

Top 6 Green Tips

Help Repower America – Perks for you: A stronger economy
Kill junk mail, save trees – Perks for you: No more junk mail
Swap more, shop less – Perks for you: Save cash
Look for Labels – Perks for you: Don't get duped
Recycle electronic junk and get paid – Perks for you: Make cash
Kick the bottle habit – Perks for you: Save cash

Top 6 Green Tips

1. Help Repower America – Perks for you: A stronger economy

If you can spare just one minute in 2009, join the campaign to repower America with 100% clean electricity within 10 years. Sure, it's an ambitious goal, but then again so was putting a man on the moon. Over 2 million people have joined this Al Gore led campaign demonstrating their interest in rebuilding our electricity infrastructure with cleaner technologies and in the process creating millions of jobs and giving the economy a jolt. Check it out here.

2. Kill junk mail, save trees – Perks for you: No more junk mail

Wouldn't it be nice if you could have a spam filter for your real mailbox to keep out those weekly catalog and other unwanted solicitations in the mail? 2008 saw the expansion of several great junk mail killers like ProQuo, GreenDimes and Catalog Choice. In under 5 minutes, you can submit requests to be removed from tens of direct marketing lists and still keep the ones you're actually interested in. This is another killer app that marries convenience for the user and a positive environmental impact.

3. Swap more, shop less – Perks for you: Save cash

Give your wallet a rest and look for second hand options before buying new. Check your local thrift stores, garage sales or ask your colleagues if they've got what you need. Freecycle is also a useful site to find stuff for free in your area. If you're in the market for a cell phone, save some cash and buy a pre-owned and restored cell-phone.

4. Look for Labels – Perks for you: Don't get duped

When you shop, look for labels that help make finding green products easier. If you're looking for electronics, look for the Energy Star logo, if it's a computer you're in the market for seek out the EPEAT label; for wood furniture or paper products look for Forestry Stewardship Council.

5. Recycle electronic junk and get paid – Perks for you: Make cash

Surely, you've got an old cd player or cell phone lying around collecting dust. You might think it's worthless to you but it could get you some extra cash in less than ten minutes. Services that will take electronic junk off your hands have been sprouting up online and offline. You can find some of those services here.

6. Kick the bottle habit – Perks for you: Save cash

If you drink a bottle of water everyday 2 days, that's 167 water bottles per year. At $2 per bottle that will cost you $334. If you replace that with the greener combination of one reusable pitcher at $20.99, six replacement filters per year at $8 per filter, 1 BPA-free reusable water bottle for $16, 7 unavoidable bottles of water at $2 per bottle and that will cost you $99. If you commit to making the switch to reusable water bottles, you can even save $5 more on a Brita system, reducing your yearly expenses by over $130. Though many consumers around the globe purchase bottled water because their water supplies aren't safe, we're lucky enough to have clean drinking water on tap. In fact, most bottled water lacks fluoride, which is key in preventing tooth decay.