5 Easy Ways to "Green" Your Life

Going green is about more than just adding some kelly, lime, and forest to your decor. While we can't resist the color (how about that Mallory pendant in White and Margaritaville? We love it!) we're also all about incorporating the other kind of green into our homes and our lives.

Adding a little environmental friendliness into your daily routine is actually pretty easy. It's just a matter of changing little things, one at a time. If you're looking for a place to start, here's a great list of six simple things you can do to make that change:

1. Put Your Computer to Sleep

We'll be honest here - we don't turn our computers off every night before we go to sleep, and that is a huge waste of energy. There's a very simple way to get around that, though. We've changed our computers' power settings so they "go to sleep" if they're left alone for 20 minutes. That's long enough that the computer won't power down when we don't want it to, and we save some energy (and money!). Check out the "systems and maintenance" section of your control panel to adjust your power settings.

2. Dim the Lights

Along the same lines, you'll save energy if you put your lights on dimmers (every little bit counts) and even set them on timers. Timers are a great resource, too, if you travel a lot and need lights to turn on and off, so your house doesn't appear empty.

3. Take a Shower

A 10 minute shower uses about 25 gallons of water, while the average bath uses between 30 and 70 gallons. That's a big difference, especially when you're heating the water! While we certainly appreciate the restorative powers of a nice hot bath, there's a lot to be said for showers, which can be invigorating or relaxing. And then there's the outdoor shower, like the one pictured. That's a real treat!

4. Trickle It then Turn It Off

When you're washing your face or brushing your teeth, you really don't need to leave the water on full blast! This habit is an easy one to break -it's just a matter of remembering. Consider sticking a little note on your bathroom mirror ("turn it off!") as a gentle reminder. Soon enough, you'll be turning that faucet without even thinking about it.

5. Plug It

Speaking of faucets, if you've got a leaky one, it's not just annoying, it's also a water-waster. Fix those random drips and drabs and you'll be doing yourself - and the environment - a favor.

These aren't the only easy energy and water-saving tips out there. What are your easy green strategies? Please leave them in the comments!