With the worst oil spill in American history monopolizing headlines and one of the worst recessions in decades still looming, two of the biggest trends in our society are money saving and sustainability. Fortunately, these are two concepts that often go hand in hand. Going green is usually a great way to save money as well, so browse through these tips and kill two birds with one stone.

1. Toss the Disposables: Ok, so obviously you should throw away your disposable trash, but we’re suggesting you get rid of them once and for all. Disposables actually cover a pretty broad range of areas; Drink from a water bottle not bottled water. Use and wash real dishes, not plastic or Styrofoam. Consider trying cloth diapers on your baby and ditch the costly, disposable diapers.
2. Change Your Bulbs: As they burn out, replace your traditional incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, which according to Energy Star, use 75 less energy than their counterparts. This energy reduction allows them to last ten times longer, saving you around 30 per bulb!
3. Carpool: It may be the oldest trick in the book, but few of us maximize the potential of this travel technique. Arrange a system with other parents in the neighborhood or coworkers that live in your area.
4. Install a Temperature Monitoring Device: These easy-to-use gadgets help your thermostat maintain a constant temperature no matter how the weather outside changes. A thermostat sensor can save you a great deal of money on your energy bill and reduces pollutants emitted during electricity production.
5. Smart Showers: Obviously shortening your showers saves water and money, but another method for reducing waste here is installing a low-flow shower head that uses less water. This way it’s not even something you have to think about, the device reduces the amount of water used for you.