51 ways to save the environment

If last week's Independence Day celebrations left you feeling patriotic, then consider this: What better way to show your love for your country than by preserving it for future generations? Check out this Global Warming Survival Guide from Time Magazine that offers 51 suggestions for saving the environment. Some are big -- building a "green" house, for instance -- and some are small, like hanging your clothes on a clothesline or changing to compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Other great ideas include:

• recycling your fleece (visit Patagonia to find out how)
• turning off your computer when not in use
• planning a clothes swap with friends to avoid buying new
• letting employees work from home (or close to home) to reduce emissions
• paying your bills online to save paper and gas
• doing an energy audit on your home
• bringing your own bag to the supermarket (an oldie but still a goodie)

Sometimes environmental issues seem overwhelming, but I think that the Global Warming Survival Guide is proof that everyone has a contribution to make, even if it's as small as turning off your computer or tucking a canvas bag in your pocket before you go shopping.