In this day and age, it’s more important than ever to do our part in preserving our planet. And one of the best ways to do that is by going green. But what does that mean, exactly? It can mean a lot of different things, but in general, it means taking steps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources, and instead relying more on renewable energy sources.

There are a lot of benefits to going green, both for the environment and for ourselves. For one thing, it can help reduce our carbon footprint and our reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, it can help save money in the long run by reducing our energy costs.

And finally, it can help us live healthier lives by reducing our exposure to harmful chemicals and pollutants.

So how can we go green? Below are some tips to get you started:

1.      Use public transportation, walk, or bike instead of driving whenever possible.

Public transportation emits far fewer greenhouse gases per passenger than private cars. In the United States, public transportation produces 37 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than private vehicles do.

Carpooling is another great way to reduce your carbon footprint. If you can’t use public transportation for your commute, try carpooling with friends, family, or neighbors. You can also reduce your carbon footprint by walking or biking instead of driving.

If everyone in the United States walked or biked just one day a week, it would be the equivalent of taking 8 million cars off the road. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, walking and biking are great forms of exercise.

Walking and biking are low-impact forms of exercise that can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress, and strengthen your bones and muscles. And, of course, walking and biking are free!

2.      Educate yourself about energy-efficient appliances and make an effort to use them in your home.

ENERGY STAR appliances use less energy than standard appliances and can save you money on your utility bills. In the United States, ENERGY STAR-certified products saved $362 billion on utility bills and prevented 2.7 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2015 alone. You can further reduce your carbon footprint by using energy-efficient light bulbs.

In the United States, if everyone replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR-certified LED bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year and prevent the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to planting almost 800,000 acres of forest.

3.      Reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible.

One of the simplest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to reduce the amount of waste you create. Reuse items instead of throwing them away, and recycle whenever possible.

In the United States, recycling and composting prevented 85 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2015—the equivalent of taking more than 30 million cars off the road.

Composting is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and provide your plants with valuable nutrients. Organic material, such as food waste and yard waste, accounts for more than 30 percent of the waste stream in the United States.

When organic material ends up in landfills, it decomposes and emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.