9 Money-Saving Green Steps You Can Take in as Little as 10 Minutes

Think you don’t have the time (or money) to go green? Look at it this way: In less time than it takes to bike to work or fry up that meatless bacon in a pan, you could finish any of these small projects that will save money and shrink your environmental footprint.

How much time do you have? Quick ways to save money and the planet:

If you’ve only got 10 minutes...

• Put signs above faucets to remind your family to turn off the water when brushing their teeth. Saves 26,000 gallons of water.
• Adjust your tire pressure. Eliminates 3.3% of your average MPG.
• Turn your thermostat up two degrees higher than you normally keep it in summer. Or install a digital thermostat and program it to conserve energy when you're away or asleep. Saves 10 to 15% off your cooling/heating bill.
• Plug your TV, computer, cable box, stereo and game console into smart power strips. Saves 10% off your power bill.

If you’ve only got 30 minutes...

• Vacuum the coil on the fridge. Shaves 6% off your power bill.
• Dry a load of laundry outside. No clothesline? Try a portable drying rack. Skipping the dryer can save an annual $135.
• Put up a shade sail or radiant barrier over a window to block the sun’s heat. Slashes 12% off your heating/cooling bill.
• Install a low-flow showerhead. Saves 18% off your water bill.

If you’ve only got an hour...

Gather the family and brainstorm what each of you can do to be more earth-friendly this year. Make it a contest with prizes! One winning idea: switch to a reusable water bottle and save oil, carbon and an annual $334.

Portions adapted from Celebrate Green! by Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. Copyright © 2008 by The Green Year, LLC, Renton, WA. Excerpt printed with permission from the authors.