Moving from one home to another – packing, purging and unloading -- can generate a lot of waste. One simple way to green your move is to invest in reusable (and rentable) storage containers that you can fill up, move and return to the moving company. Also, instead of using copious amounts of plastic cushioning material, gather all of your kitchen and bath towels and blankets and use them to wrap fragile items. And recycle everything you can: Rinse out old bottles in the fridge, tear down cardboard boxes and donate unwanted clothes and housewares to charity.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

We have all heard that reducing our meat intake can have a profound impact on greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, according to Conservation International, our global food system contributes nearly 1/4 of those emissions. While a vegetarian diet is the greenest, it's not the only choice. To reduce global warming, keep these numbers in mind: A 6-oz serving of beef equates to 330 grams of CO2. Compare that to chicken (50 grams), fish (40 grams) and vegetables, which come in at just 14 grams. Switching from beef to chicken or fish is one easy way to help reduce emissions.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

With the holiday season around the corner, many of us will be out looking for the perfect gift or shopping online to save time. The good news is that online shopping does have a smaller carbon footprint than driving to a store. But shipping can negate those environmental savings. First, avoid the fastest shipping option; overnight shipping results in much higher greenhouse gas emissions than ground shipping. And don't buy things with an "if I don't like it, I'll just return it" mindset. Buying carefully and responsibly, making sure that what you order is what you really need, can have a big impact.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION