Top 5 Ways To Save Money And The Planet

If you don't give a (insert expletive here) about the environment then here's a jolt of motivation: MONEY. The numbers are in and it turns out you'll save cash—a lot of it—by adopting these tried and true 5 eco-conscious habits.From turning off the lights to using energy efficient appliances, there are hundreds of ways to eco-nomize.

1. Put On

30 years ago, President Carter asked the country to turn down the thermostat and "put on a sweater." Carter wasn't making a fashion statement; he was encouraging Americans to conserve energy during the 1979 Oil Crisis.

Alliance to Save Energy claims a one-degree thermostat reduction can save 3 percent on your heating bill.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather wear a cute sweater and spend my money on massages, fancy chocolates, and bourbon.

2. Turn Off

Monday, the United States Department of Energy (USDE), announced electricity rates will jump more than 10 percent this winter—the largest spike in 25 years. Rather than getting a second job, take the extra bit of time to power down and unplug when you're finished using electronics.When the five o'clock whistle blows, but before you, "yaba-daba-dooooo" home, shut down your workstation—the whole thing including printer, disk drive, and central processing unit. According to The United States Department of Energy a year of nightly computer sleep will save you $90.If you'd rather not economize for your office, then, at least, try powering-down at home. Tell your kids to shut down when they're done searching the web, IM-ing and doing their homework (if you're lucky). Make a habit out of unplugging at rest cell phone chargers, ipod mounts, electronics on standby, and anything else that hemorrhages electricity and your money.

To see idle electronics in action, watch my Treehugging friend George Spyros' informative mini-film, "Vampire Power."

As the video points out, standby power is voracious. Kill the beast by simply unplugging or hooking all appliances to a surge protector—then hit the off switch when you're ready to power down.

3. Get Efficient

If you have a terrible memory, or just can't be bothered to unplug and power down, at least replace old and inefficient electronics—even if still working—with Energy Star certified alternatives. Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov/) and the USDE. It employs hundreds of energy wizards to identify and label (with the below blue and white badge) the most energy efficient products on the market.With over 18,000 highly-efficient appliances, Energy Star products saved America a whopping $14 billion in 2006—enough energy to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equal to 25 million cars.A single-family house revamped with Energy Star products will decrease energy use by 30%, salvaging the average American family $600 a year.

4. Replace Your Lightbulbs

The greatest eco no-brainer of all. Do I really need to go into this one again?

5. Buy Less Junk

Useless junk will only waste your money and the world's depleting resources. Reckless spending tends to leave us broke, guilty, and looking for storage space. When you do have to make a purchase, seek only the best quality, highest efficiency product available. If you're not afraid of cooties, consider the Salvation Army—far cheaper and more eco than any behemoth retailer.To learn more about how you can save money while saving the planet visit greendandsave.com. Other excellent sources of information can be found on the USDE, EPA, and Energy Star websites, linkable above.

Olivia Zaleski is a freelance writer and green living expert residing in New York City where she writes for environmental news and lifestyle authorities Treehugger.com, TheDailyGreen.com, and Eco-Chick.com. Olivia is also The Huffington Post'sEnvironmental Columnist and has played an integral role in the launch and development of HuffPo Green, a section dedicated entirely to environmental news and advice. Olivia's eco-tips can also be heard on VoiceAmerica Channel's The Dr. Pat Radio Show and seen on ABC's Good Morning America, where she regularly serves as a guest expert and green living authority.