In this Instructable, I will teach you tips how to help the environment, help your wallet, and save the world.

Oh, and don't forget to vote for me in the Green Design Contest.

Step 1: Reduce

Consumerism. people say it's awful, and never do anything about it. But if you cut down on the products you buy, and the waste you create, it makes economic sense. For example: According to the USDA, the average american consumes about a loaf of bread a week. Most americans thrown out the heels, but (assuming that the heels have about the same amount of calories as a normal slice of bread) that wastes about 160 calories per week. That's equals 8342.4 calories a year for one adult. The average calories a human needs to survive is 2,250 calories a day. That means you waste enough food to survive on for four days. If you assume that 2/3 of americans throw away their heels, that's 1.7 million calories a year, wasted on heels alone. That's enough to feed someone for more than two years. Here are some other ways to save resources, money, and time that are incredibly simple:

• Leave the stems of mushrooms on.
• Buy more efficient lightbulbs.
• Turn the brightness on your computer down.
• Turn down your thermostat. In winter, every degree is about a 5% decrease in heating costs.
• Don't use lights in the middle of the day.

Step 2: Reuse

The second most important. People tend not to see uses for items beyond their intended use, this is called cognitive bias. There are whole books dedicated to uses of things in ways not intended, like using pencil lead as a lubricant, or peanut butter as a scratch remover, I've included some coince ones below:

• Using a coffee cup as a ziploc bag opener.
• Using a paperclip to replace tree ornament hooks.
• Using olive oil as shaving cream
• Using budder to make swords (fellow Recruits will get this)
• Using coffee filters to diffuse a camera flash.

What I am trying to say is that every problem isn't solved by buying some random gadget, most problems can be solved by the thing you already have (and it makes you feel like Macgyver).

Step 3: Recycle

Recycling, while not as important as the others, is still important. It is also a decent way to make money if you really, really like soda. per pound prices for soda cans can range anywhere from $2.00 to $0.50. This isn't much, but hey, your still helping the environment.
Of course, you can also recycle glass, other metals, paper, and plastic.

Step 4: Conclusion

Lots of environmentally friendly projects are silly little crafts using plastic bottles or cans, but those don't really help the environment. There is only so many trinkets you can make before your trucked off to a mental institution. What you need to do to help the environment is to think about the impact your actions have. Eat sustainable fish. Don't pig out on junk food, and when you ignore this and do anyways, at least recycle the rappers. Turn off the lights when you leave the room, and EAT THE FREAKING HEELS OF BREAD!

Sorry about that, I have a small anger management problem. In time I hope to work through it. Have a good day, go green, etc. etc.