7. Use"green appliances."Energy-saving appliances function just as well as regular ones, and they consume much less power. Do remember that the Top-grade green appliances are the most energy-efficient, while the"lower-grade"appliances are the least efficient.

8. Use your refrigerator properly. This means defrosting it regularly, making sure the doors are always closed and not filling it all the way. Refrigerators cool items most efficiently when they are 80 percent full.

9. Wait until you have enough dirty clothes for a full load to use the washing machine. This habit saves both water and electricity. You can also try hand-washing smaller items like handkerchiefs and socks.

10. Take a shopping bag with you to the grocery store. Reusable bags reduce the number of plastic bags that are thrown away.

11. Try to eat locally grown organic vegetables and fruits as much as possible. Not only are they fresher and sometimes healthier, they are more environmentally friendly because locally grown foods obviously require fewer resources for transportation and storage.

12. Use solar energy. One of the best ways is to finish as much as your work in daytime. A short meeting will also save energy and water.

13. If you have a choice, buy one large bottle of juice or water instead of three smaller ones. The larger number of smaller bottles requires more energy to manufacture. Of course, boiling water at home and bottling it yourself is an even wiser choice.

14. Plant trees to balance out the carbon dioxide that you produce. You can plant trees in and around the city, or even grow flowers and grass in your own yard or in the neighborhood.

15. Climb the staircase as much as you can, instead of using the elevator. This not only saves electricity, but can keep you fit as well.

What You Should Not Do

1. Don't use disposable items such as one time use toothbrushes, plastic and paper drinking cups. These items are all made from fossil fuels.

2. You do not have to add a bathtub to make your bathroom a well-appointed one. If a bathtub is already installed, you do not have to use it every time. If you do use it, you can save the"used"water for mopping the floor.