Day 92: Calculate your ecological footprint

Find out how many planet earths it takes to support your lifestyle at www.earthday.net.

First you create an avatar, which will represent you throughout the quiz.

Answer a few questions, such as how often do you eat meat each week; how many miles you drive per week; your average electricity bill, etc.

After taking my quiz, if every person lived like me, we'd need 5.4 earths to survive.

After pledging to reduce the amount of animal products I eat, buy fewer packaged products and only purchase EnergyStar appliances, my footprint was reduced to 4.4.

To take the quiz, click here.

Day 85: Organize a clothing swap

I was flipping through Shape magazine and came across this fantastic tip from Elena Lipson, 33, of Bellingham, WA.

"I help coordinate bimonthly clothing swaps in my community. As our child grows, we're able to give away things that no longer fit, come away with a bag full of clothing for the next size up, and feel a sense of friendship as we connect with other families."

Good for the planet, good for the pocketbook and any unwanted items can be given to charity.

Day 69: Vote Earth

Save the date of March 28, 2009, at 8:30 p.m. to participate in Earth Hour, where you can cast your vote for or against global warming. Click here for more details.

Day 59: Give in gift bags

For special occasions, give presents in gift bags and attach a card so the bag can be reused. For filler in the bag, take your junk mail or used paper or newspaper, run through a shredder, and boom, you have a tissue-paper-esque product!

Day 56: In lieu of sending flowers, plant a tree

Every time I've lost a loved one, the funeral home has been flooded with flowers and plants from well-wishers. The flowers die quickly; the plants are a nicer thought because they last so long.

Taking that one step further, in lieu of flowers, why not consider planting a tree in honor of the deceased and sending a card that states your intention? It's a gift that will last beyond our lifetime.

Day 47: Freecycle

Here's how freecycling defines itself: The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,681 groups with 6,432,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free.

There are 7,655 active members in the New Orleans group.

Day 40: Reduce junk mail

Junk mail is advertising that arrives in your mailbox along with the mail you really want or need. It's impossible to eliminate all of it, but you can substantially reduce the amount you receive.

Register with the Direct Marketing Association online. You must re-register every three years.

Day 25: Recycle ink cartridges

Recycling printer cartridges will reduce the plastic put into landfills. Most cartridges can be recycled up to six times and are guaranteed by most manufacturers to work as well as brand-new ones.

Laser-Tone International, (800) EARTH-58, will pick up and deliver back to you, for free, laser and ink jet printer cartridges and other office products you wish to recycle and reuse.

Eco-Office recycles and purchases used cartridges. They will provide lists of companies in your area that will purchase used cartridge, as well as companies that will provide remanufactured ones.

My contribution: I've got one to dispose of that I'll bring to my local community center so they can cash it in.

Day 13: Paper or plastic?

The next time your local grocer asks for your choice, answer "neither," because you've brought your own canvas bag. Besides being good for the environment by reducing our dependence on petrochemicals and helping prevent litter, which can end up as debris in our waterways or suffocate animals, you can fit four times as much in one bag!

My contribution: I try to bring my reusable bags to the grocery every time I have purchases of 12 items or less. It also saves me on trip after trip to unload the trunk.

Day 3: Mobile phone recycling

If you're like me, every 2 years when your cellular contract is up, you take advantage of the opportunity to upgrade your phone. I used to save mine for my children to laugh at one day, but these days I save as little as possible.

But rather than throwing away electronic equipment, there are hundreds of charitable organizations that refurbish or recycle them. And http://www.collectivegood.com/ is a good place to start.

From this site you can choose to send your phones to a number of charities, be it animal, children, domestic, international or medical, among others. Many organizations will even pay your shipping fees. Tax-deductible receipts also are available.

My contribution: I know I have two phones, and will collect more from my immediate family this week, before sending them to Center For Domestic Violence Prevention.