Start supporting renewable energy: buy a car that supports ethanol fuel or biodiesel, or buy a hybrid, which requires less gasoline to fuel. Walking, riding a bike or taking public transportation also lessens the impact of gasoline on the environment.

Replace a refrigerator older than 5 years with an Energy-Star one. The energy saved by an Energy-Star appliance is greater than the energy used to create the old refrigerator.

For a $4 monthly fee, the NC GreenPower program pays a premium to clean electricity producers to encourage the investment in green technologies. The donations help pay this premium, and can be added to a regular electricity bill. Each payment pays for 100 kilowatts of green power, which reduces one’s energy impact on the environment.

According to GE, compact fluorescent bulbs can last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs and use less energy, saving the user an average of $46.00 per bulb.