For the Planet is a page containing tips, links and information to help the average citizen keep the planet healthy, clean and green.

Green Resolutions: By Annie Bell Muzaurieta, for TheDailyGreen.com

1. I will relinquish my title of Most Likely to Acquire Useless Crap I Don't Wear
or Need.

Admit it - your closet is full of had-to-have items that have been
banished to a life of hanging unworn. You have enough notepads, pens,
books, magnets, and collectible tchotchkes to fill a ministorage unit.
Yes, our purchases keep the economy going, but most of us buy far more
than we need.  

(There are whole TV shows dedicated to demonstrating ways to unclutter!)
Remember that packaging, waste, and pollution are created to make these
items available to you. If you trash those once-new goodies when you're
no longer interested in them, they will live in a landfill for years and
years. It's time to clean out, and stop collecting crap.

2. I will avenge my phantom load.

Phantom load has nothing to do with the pounds that mysteriously
appeared on your midsection over the holidays. The term refers to the
energy wasted by electronics and power chargers when they are plugged in
but not in use.
That's right - your computer cord, cell phone charger, and time-telling
DVD player are all sucking energy from the outlet even when there isn't
anything attached or being watched (hence the spookyphantom-ness).
Actually cut the power to your electronics by plugging them in to a
power strip and flipping the switch to "off" when you're not watching or
listening.

3. I will be smarter than bottled water companies and drink for free
what they are trying to sell me.

Kicking the plastic water bottle habit might sound like an impossible
feat if you're as addicted as the average thirsty American; last year we
consumed enough water to fill about 50 billion plastic bottles. If the
fact that plastic is bad for the environment doesn't get you to quit,
just
think: Several bottled water brands use the same H20 that's available
from your faucet. So buy an eco-chic reusable stainless steel bottle,
and refill it throughout the day - for free. If you're parched at the
mere thought of quitting cold turkey, ease into a plastic-bottle-free
life by bringing one less bottle a week to the gym, or by giving them up
at the office.

4. If I can remember to TiVo "Dancing with the Stars," I can remember to
bring my own bags to the grocery store.

It's as if plastic shopping bags are required to exit a store-the
disposable sacks are forced on customers even when the purchase is just
a can of soda. But plastic bags are made from petroleum and only about 1
percent of the estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion Annie Bell plastic
bags consumed worldwide are recycled each year. Most end up in landfills
(where they take perhaps 1,000 years to decompose) or in the sea. If you
start bringing your own bags now, you'll be ahead of the curve if
plastic ones become outlawed in your community.

5. I will switch to recycled paper products at home (but not if they
make me chafe).

We know there are some folks out there who must have two-ply, but even
you can commit to changing just one thing. If you have a Larry
David-like aversion to recycled toilet paper, try the paper towels. If
brown won't match your kitchen colors, look for recycled paper towels
that are whitened without chlorine or stick with washable dishcloths. By
purchasing recycled paper products you're preventing trees from being
chopped down, and paper waste from ending up in landfills. In addition,
less energy and water are required to produce a recycled paper product.

6. I will consider whether my meal came from the farm or the factory.

Big agriculture isn't all bad. Everyone has a guilty culinary pleasure
that comes from a big factory (see: Oreos, and Cap'n Crunch). But while
you're worrying about your own carbon footprint, remember that your food
has one too. Think of how many miles your food has traveled (do you
really need berries from Chile?), how many chemicals are used, and how
much pollution and waste have been generated in the production of your
foodstuffs. Support local agriculture by shopping for food at a farmers
market. The goods will be fresh, and you might enjoy meeting some of the
people who grew your dinner.

7. I will take a day off from road rage and take mass transit or
car-pool one day a week.

If you have public transportation options available to you, try
switching to the train or bus one day a week. According to the American
Public Transportation Association, public transportation use saves 1.4
billion gallons of gasoline each year, and can reduce household expenses
by $6,200.
Plus you'll get a day off from road rage. If you don't live near public
transportation, try organizing a once-a-week carpool with your neighbors
or coworkers. You'll save on fuel, tolls, and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by removing cars from the road. As a bonus, you'll gain access
to that exclusive carpool lane.