Baby step your way to a greener lifestyle by turning a critical eye to your home. Many of the appliances and resources we use on a daily basis can be made more eco-friendly with just a tweak on how we use them. We’ve compiled nine perfectly simple ways to green your home and save some money too.

Turn down the heat

This may not be advice you want to hear in the dead of winter, but adjusting your thermostat by 1 degree can make a measurable impact on the planet. Turn your heat down just a notch and you’ll take about 10 percent off your energy use. What’s more, installing a smarter thermostat that allows you to program temperature increases based on your activity at home, will save you money and energy in the long run.

Turn off the water

Get a clothesline

It may not make sense to air-dry your clothes outside during this time of year, but you can still make use of a clothesline inside. String one up in your shower or laundry room and let a few loads a week do their drying inside. You’ll save energy – and be gentler on your clothes, helping them last longer and keeping you from sending them to the landfill. It’s a win-win.

Shorten your shower

Speaking of water-saving tips, you can spare up to 10 gallons of water from going down the drain just by shaving two minutes off your showering time. An extra bonus? You’ll have a better chance at softer, more supple skin this winter if you spend less time in a steamy shower.

By taking two minutes off your shower time, you can save up to 10 gallons of water.

Try a meatless Monday

You may not be ready to give up meat for good – and that’s OK. Studies show that going vegetarian one day each week can significantly lighten your carbon footprint. Skip out on one hamburger and you’ll save 660 gallons of water according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Go paperless

With your coffee cup, that is. If you’re making a coffee run each morning, you’re most likely sending quite the collection of paper cups to the landfill. Invest in a travel mug that will not only be reusable each day – but will also keep your coffee warmer longer. Most coffee shops will be happy to fill up your sustainable mug each day.

Ditch the plastic bag

Worldwide, we use more than 1 trillion plastic bags each year. These bags do not biodegrade over time, meaning they go to the landfill and stay there – or they pollute our waterways and forests. Either way, the situation isn’t a good one for Mother Earth. Invest in reusable cloth bags and leave them in your car so that they’re always at the ready.

Green your computer

Printing as much as you can on used copier paper and utilizing conserve power settings on your home computer can go a long way in saving resources and money.

Recharge

The next time you buy batteries, make them rechargeable. You’ll save a bundle throughout the years and keep more items from filling up your trash. What’s more, with a charger and a few sets of batteries, you’ll never find yourself in a lurch.

In what ways do you make sure your home is environmentally friendly? Add to our tips and tricks in the comments below!