Some TIPS FOR LIVING GREEN from the Keller Williams Green Division:

• Fix any plumbing leaks - sinks, tubs, showers and toilets all should be inspected for drips and leaks. The tiniest drip can add up to a lot of wasted water.

• Turn down the heat at night and during the day if no one is home and any time you leave the house.
  
• Use compact, long-life fluorescent light bulbs. They're more expensive, but they last several times longer than the old-fashioned kind.

• During the winter, change the filter in your furnace every month. If the filter is allowed to collect dust, it will make your furnace work harder, use more energy and potentially shorten the life of this expensive appliance.
  
• Use non-toxic cleaning alternatives in your home, such as baking soda, vinegar, etc.
  
• No more plastic furniture - make sure your furnishings are constructed out of natural materials like wood, metal and glass.
  
• Read the labels of the items you're buying and avoid the use of polyvinyl chloride (also known as PVC or vinyl). It can creep up in toys, flooring, shower curtains, etc.
  
• Compost your food waste and use as nutrient-rich soil for your lawn.
  
• Cut down on paper products. Paper towels and napkins can be replaced with cloth rags and napkins.
  
• Bite the bullet and start depending on reusable items, such as water bottles, food containers, batteries, pens, razors, etc.
  
• Instead of going to a carwash or letting your garden hose run, wash your car when it rains - get out there with your chamois and your eco-friendly soap and have at it.
  
• Whenever possible, think globally but buy locally. Transporting food across country uses up an obscene amount of fuel. An added bonus is that it's good for the local economy.
  
• Cut down on your battery usage. The hazardous waste created by the lead in batteries is a danger to the environment. Instead, use rechargable or solar-charged batteries.
  
• Avoid products with excess packaging. Reward companies who use packaging sparingly.
  
• Stop using plastic bags! Plastic grocery bags are a quadruple whammy: they never decompose, they're hazardous to wildlife when they inevitably end up in their habitats, they're made from petroleum products and they can be a danger to the folks in your own household.

• Instead of lubricants containing solvents, use castor or mineral oils to lubricate switches and hinges.
  
• Be very mindful of what you throw away. Never dispose of paint, solvents, motor oil in your garbage can. Talk to your garbage collection company for proper disposal procedures of hazardous wastes.
  
• Never throw away a computer. The lead is a hazard to the environment. Most cities now have specialty companies that recycle computers. Look in your yellow pages under computer disposal.

•  Don't want your old photos and/or letters? Don't heap them on the landfill - donate them to your local historical society.