In honor of Earth Day, we have come up with 25 simple ways that you can make your life more "green."  These are easy tasks that can be incorporated into your daily routine, not only on Earth Day, but every day of the year.  Give them a try, and you'll find that active environmental stewardship is a breeze!

• THINK LOCALLY.  Purchase locally grown or produced food when possible to support independent, local farms and the environment.  The quality and flavor of food grown near your home is often exceptional since it's typically picked only two or three days before it reaches your plate.
• SWITCH TO ORGANIC.  Organic agriculture protects the health of all the earth's inhabitants by limited inputs of toxic and persistent chemicals in the air, soil and water.  Organic systems support natural ecosystems by using long-term farming solutions that help preserve the earth's resources for future generations.  Plus, organic fruits and veggies taste great!
• THINK GREEN WHEN YOU CLEAN.  Many household cleaning products contain various chemicals and toxins detrimental to the environment and to your health.  Read the labels and only purchase products that contain non-toxic ingredients or create your own by simply combining vinegar and baking soda.
• START A COMPOST PILE IN YOUR YARD.  As landfill space becomes increasingly scarce and expensive, composting is an extremely valuable idea for reducing needless garbage.  Composting requires little effort and, in time, will create an earthy, crumbly substance to hlep your plants flourish.
• SUPPORT COMPANIES WITH ENVIRONMENTALLY SMART PACKAGING.  When shopping for packaged products, seek out companies that use minimal amounts of materials to package their products.
• RECYCLE! RECYCLE! RECYCLE!  At home or in the office, keep bins designated for recyclable.  If recyclable products are not picked up outside of your home, there is sure to be a place nearby for dropping htem off.
• AVOID BUYING DISPOSABLES.  Purchase durable, long-lasting products that can be reused or refilled in order to decrease waste.  Consider using refillable razor, rechargeable batteries, and reuseable containers to hold your lunch in place of disposable that contribute to extraneous waste.
• DON'T THROW AWAY OLD OR UNWANTED CLOTHES.  Re-use worn t-shirts as rags for cleaning around the house or give unwanted clothes to friends, family or charity organizations.
• BUY IN BULK.  Purchasing food in bulk allows you to choose how much or how little of a certain product you want so that little gets wasted.  Plus, buying in small amounts keeps your bulk items fresher!
• HELP PLANT A TREE IN YOUR YARD, NEIGHBORHOOD OR LOCAL PARK. Currently, the majority of Americans live in urban areas with very few trees or open space.  Planting a tree improves the view as well as the quality of the environment by reducing air pollution and lowering air temperatures.
• BECOME LESS RELIANT ON YOUR CAR.  When possible, ride your bike or walk to work.  If your traveling distance is far, take the bus or carpool.  Fewer cars on the road equals reduced air pollution.
• REUSE SHOPPING BAGS.  Reusing shopping bags significantly reduces the waste associated with paper or plastic bag disposal.  Make it a habit of bringing your own canvas bags with you when you head to the store. 
• STOP JUNK MAIL.  Unwanted junk mail wastes energy and trees.  Sign up for a mail preference service that can decrease the amount of mail you receive by up to 75%.
• GROW YOUR OWN.  Organic gardening is a natural way of growing fruits and vegetables without pesticides and chemical fertilizers that are harmful to both human health and the environment.  And think of how convenient it would be to step out the back door to pick a ripe tomato!
• USE FLUORESCENT LIGHTING.  Twenty percent of the electricity consumed in the United States is for lighting.  Using fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent lights reduces energy and saves you more than an ordinary bulb over the course of its lifetime.
• KEEP YOUR APPLIANCES CLEAN.  Cleaning your refrigerator coils and heating vents often will allow them to operate much more efficiently.  When appliances arent' forced to work as hard, you save money on your electric bill.
• CONSERVE MORE WATER.  In the United States, 27% of our water is used in bathing.  Instead of taking a bath, take a quick shower using a water-conserving showerhead.  Also, don't forget to repair leaky faucets as they could leak up to 100 gallons of water per day.
• BUY RECYCLED PRODUCTS.  Buying recycles items allows consumers to "close the loop," creating a market for items recycled curbside or other recycling programs.
• CHOOSE YOUR SEAFOOD WISELY.  If you enjoy seafood, it's important to know where the seafood you purchase is coming form since the majority of the world's marine stocks are fully fished, overexploited, depleted or recovering at a slow rate.  Ask more questions next time you shop for seafood such as whether or not the fish comes from a sustainable fishery.
• ADJUST THE BLINDS DURING EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS.  Raise the shutters during the winter and lower them during the summer to reduce the need for heat or air conditioning and to reduce the amount of energy consumed in your home.
• TURN OUT THE LIGHTS.  Before leaving your home or office, make sure all of the lights are turned off.  This simple task will save energy and save you money.
• PERFECT ALL DOCUMENTS BEFORE YOU PRINT THEM.  To reduce the amount of paper that gets thrown away or recycled, triple check that spreadsheet before printing.  If you have to print out an unfinished document, try printing on the other side of used paper.
• MAINTAIN YOUR CAR.  Always keep your car tuned, tires inflated and never fill your gas tank to the top.  This will not only add to the life of your vehicle but will also reduce air pollution and conserve some of the earth's resources as well as your own.
• GET INVOLVED.  Join a local action group that promotes environmentally friendly practices.  One person really can make a difference (and inspire others to as well)!
• START SMALL AND TEACH OTHERS.  The most important step to becoming a good environmental steward is to keep your momentum going.  Small, everyday actions can contribute to a more "green" life for you and your family and can encourage others to follow in your footsteps.