Earth Day was April 22nd and it continues to be an annual reminder that we humans impact the planet’s resources in negative ways. And since our population continues to grow and most resources are finite, it would behoove us to save some for the grandkids on down the road. Doing so includes a personal reward of conserving both resources and money. Here are some ways to do it.

Faucet Fix: Many modern faucets include aerators, which simply add bubbles to the water to increase its volume. If you have old ones, aerators can be added so you use 50% less water.

Water Warming: Most of us have our water heater set too high, so to save electricity or gas (and money) shoot for a setting of 130-140 degrees. Installing a pre-fab insulation cover saves as well. Heating water is 15 to 20 percent of home energy use, and turning down the water temperature reduces energy consumption around 5% for every 10 degree drop. Using the insulation cover saves another 5 percent.

Frugal Flushing: Modern toilets are designed to do the job with less water, but old ones use 4-5 gallons per flush. Placing something in the tank to displace some of the water will reduce use. Bricks have been suggested, but just find a plastic container that will fit in the tank without interfering with the flush mechanism. Saving a gallon of water per flush saves 3000 gallons per year for an average household.

Tabs on the Tires: A lot of vehicles on the road have under-inflated tires. The simple act of checking and maintaining proper pressure will increase gas mileage 3%, and also reduces tire wear.

Appliance Compliance: Many foods can be put in the oven while it’s pre-heating. Micro-waves use considerably less energy to heat food, as does toaster ovens when heating smaller portions. Keeping the refrigerator temperature 10 degrees too cold ups energy usage 25%, so shoot for 40 degrees. The freezer should be 0 to 5 degrees. Dish and clothes washers are best used with full loads. Use a warm wash/cold rinse on your washer to save hot water, and keep that dryer lint trap cleaned out.

Light Right: L.E.D lighting saves a lot of energy and over time a lot of money, and they have a long use life. They cost more up front but over time will save money and resources. Become a light Nazi and harass everybody into keeping them off when not in use.

Trim the Trash: It takes a lot of energy and resources to make containers from raw materials, plus landfills are expensive and becoming difficult to increase. While recycling may not personally save you much money, it reduces public service costs, which hopefully saves on taxes. It requires extra time to sort recyclables such as paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum, glass, and tin, but doing so reduces the volume of trash going to the landfill by half.

Grow Green Giants: I had to throw one in about trees, it’s what I do. Trees are not only pleasing to the eye, they are good for the lungs. A mature tree will absorb 13 pounds of carbon dioxide annually and release 10 pounds of oxygen. Trees absorb pollutants such as lead and dust particles. Properly located around the home, trees can help cool your home and save on air conditioning, which in turn reduces energy use and electric bills. And they can do so for generations. So if you have room, plant one, or a dozen, or an acre.