It seems that everyone is jumping on the green bandwagon these days, and for good reason. Being eco-friendly not only helps the environment, it saves you money, too. All it takes are a few surprisingly simple changes.

1. Around the House: Pull the plug  Your computer, TV, stereo and other electronics continue to draw electricity even when they’re turned off. The wasted energy is equivalent to a 100-watt lightbulb that is always on. Switch to power strips so that you can cut the current completely when devices aren't in use.

2. Around the House: Support local farmers  By purchasing fruits and veggies from local farmers, you not only have a better idea where your food comes from (and can ask about pesticides and other chemicals you want to avoid), you'll also help reduce the energy that's required to transport food across the country.

3. On the Go: Walk the walk  Most of us automatically hop into the car even for short trips, but running errands on foot is one of the best things you can do for the earth. "Anytime you don't have to burn fossil fuel, we're all better off," says Terry Link, director of the Office of Campus Sustainability at Michigan State University in East Lansing. If your destination is too far to hoof it, carpool with another mom or consolidate your errands.

4. On the Go: Follow the 15-second rule  If you do take your car, don't let it idle while waiting for school or practice to let out. "If you're waiting for more than 15 seconds, turn off the engine. Otherwise, you're wasting fuel," says Link. Also, skip the warmup. Your car doesn't need it—it's ready to go when you are

5. On the Go: Shop smart  At the market, opt for one large container of your family's favorite munchies instead of smaller bags or boxes. "If just one out of 10 products you bought had little or no packaging, it would eliminate more than 50 pounds of waste per household a year," says Elizabeth Rogers, coauthor of The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time.

6. On the Go: Forgo ATM receipts  Do Mother Nature a favor and just say no. If every American skipped cash machine receipts, it would save a roll of paper more than two billion feet long and reduce one of the top sources of litter on the planet, according to Rogers.

7. On the Go: Be a take-your-own-bag lady  When Michele Butler of Oviedo, Florida, and her 12-year-old son, Griffon, hit the supermarket, they take along cloth bags for toting groceries home. If you must get a disposable bag at the store, opt for paper over plastic.

8. On the Go: Pack a waste-free lunch  Single servings and individually wrapped foods are convenient, but discarded packaging is definitely not good for the environment. When making your child’s lunch to go, include a reusable drink container, silverware and a cloth napkin instead of disposable items, suggests Savedge. In place of plastic wrap or foil, stash sandwiches in a reusable container or wrapper, like the Wrap-N-Mat (wrap-n-mat.com).

9. On the Go: Nix the DIY car washes  Surprisingly, commercial car washes are a more earth-friendly option than sudsing up your SUV in the driveway. The pros use less water per wash and often reuse rinse water.

10. Family Fun: Get crafty  Empty toilet paper rolls, used printer paper, scraps of colorful fabric—instead of thinking of them as trash, consider these castoffs fodder for kids’ art projects. Designate a bin to collect “supplies” as you find them. Not only will you keep potential garbage out of the landfill, you'll also fire up your child’s creativity by letting him cut, paste and color to his heart's content.

11. Family Fun: Announce fêtes the eco-friendly way  Hosting a Memorial Day barbecue or a birthday bash for your child? Save trees by sending your guests electronic invitations (available at sites such as evite.com) instead of paper ones.

12. Family Fun: Set up a swap  Is your child tired of her toys or your teen bored with his DVD or video game collection? Instead of hitting the mall, encourage your children to temporarily trade with pals. Not only will they get to try out a friend's stash, but their own stuff will seem fresh when they get it back.