There are many ways to take action on protecting and preserving our natural environment. Here are 10 eco-friendly tips that will help to reduce waste and save you some money:

Tips #1. Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.

Tips #2. File your taxes electronically to cut back on paper usage. Look into having your tax forms emailed to you instead of mailed as well.

Tips #3. Bring your own sustainable drinking mug: By doing this you’ll not only avoid the waste that comes with a disposable cup, but most coffee chains give you a discount for bringing your own mug.

Tips #4. Switch to bars of soap: this simple change from liquid to bars will reduce the plastic you’re bringing into the house.

Tips #5. Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You might pay more now, but you’ll be happy when you don’t have to replace items as frequently (and this means less waste!).

Tips #6. Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminium, stainless steel and recycle plastic rather than single-use or disposable water bottles, with you when traveling or at work.

Tips #7. Wear clothes that don’t need to be dry-cleaned. This saves money and cuts down on toxic chemical use.

Tips #8. Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine – wash clothes goes to heating the water.

Tips #9. Buy in bulk. Purchasing food from bulk bins can save money and packaging.

Tips #10. Skip the bottled water. Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste.