With the beginning of a new year upon us, we look forward and make our ceremonious New Years resolutions. Im sure that a lot of you will pledge to start exercising more, or maybe finally write that great American novel. Maybe you will resolve to clean out the garage, to spend more time with your family and friends, to stop smoking, to eat healthier, to lose weight.: all fantastic options.

Perhaps this year, with our struggling economy and with so many environmental challenges facing us, (global warming, air and water pollution, water shortages, overpopulation, depletion of natural resources, and the list goes on) you might consider adding a green resolution to your list: one that will help to save you money while helping to save the planet.

Below is a list of easy, attainable changes that you could make without major effort. By altering habits and making some slight changes in the way we live, we can all easily contribute towards the solutions that are so necessary. And because these suggestions are so easy to do, it may be the first New Years resolution that you have ever been able to keep!

SOME SUGGESTED GREEN RESOLUTIONS:

→ ALWAYS RECYCLE! Not only does recycling keep waste out of our already overflowing landfills and helps to conserve our natural resources, it also takes less energy to collect and reconstitute recyclable material than it does to mine and produce new raw materials.

→ Change your bulbs. One of the easiest and least expensive changes that you can make is changing your household light bulbs from traditional incandescent to CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights.) CFLs are four times more efficient and last up to 10 times longer than incandescents. And, less energy used equals lower power bills!

→ Wait to do laundry until you have a full load, and then wash using the cold water cycle. A washer takes between 30 to 60 gallons of water per load. You will save energy and water, and even more money!

→ Install low-flush toilets or place a plastic bottle filled with stones in your existing toilet tank. Both will reduce the volume of water stored in the tank and used per flush, but will still be adequate for flushing.

→ Keep your vehicle tuned up, check that your tires are properly inflated and replace your air filter. These minor changes can improve your gas mileage by up to 4%, 10% and 3% respectively.

→ Shop for fruits and vegetables at your local farmers market. By supporting your local growers, you can have a positive impact in many ways. You are keeping your dollars within your own community to help the local economy. Many fruits and vegetables at farmers markets are grown sustainably and/or organically, keeping pesticides and other chemicals out of the soil, air and water supply. The energy used to transport your produce is much lower than produce shipped across the world. And the best part is the taste: absolutely amazing! Most fruits and vegetables available at a farmers market are picked fresh, many times just hours before you purchase it. Also, its a great way to interact with your friends and neighbors.

→ Purchase carbon offsets from organizations that invest in clean energy projects. Did you know that PG&E customers can zero out the carbon emissions that their power and natural gas usage creates for just a few more dollars added to your bill each month? Visit PG&Es ClimateSmart program at www.wecandothis.com for more info.