Automobiles are as American as baseball and apple pie. Admit it, you can't remember the last time you walked or biked to get somewhere. Your car is just too convenient a mode of transportation, but it may be time to rethink your ways.

Whether it's turning off the water while brushing your teeth, unplugging electronics when they're not in use or turning off the lights when you leave the room, adopting an environmentally friendly lifestyle on a budget is easier than you think. Here are a few simple ideas to make green living a part of your lifestyle.

The idea of doing home renovations in order to save money may seem like an oxymoron. However, that's exactly what green renovations are supposed to do. By purchasing energy-efficient appliances, windows, doors and more, your energy costs will decrease, and you can save significant amounts of money.

Thanks to the federal tax credit program, you can recoup 30 percent of the total installed cost of a solar water heating system. It's a great time to switch to solar power for your water heating needs. But before you buy a solar water heater, do your homework, learn about the technologies available and review just how solar-friendly your home can be.

Contrary to myth, well-fed birds won't get too lazy to search for food; they'll just get healthy and happy. And the better the food is you feed them, the more likely they'll continue to come back bringing their colorful plumage and welcome song to your backyard.

When the sun shines on a beautiful summer day, it's easy to gauge how important our yards are. Take a walk around your neighborhood and you'll likely see a majority of your neighbors out mowing lawns, pulling weeds, cutting flowers and more. And once the work of maintaining the yard is done, it becomes the scene of garden parties, backyard barbeques and games like bocce and croquet.

The summer months are right around the corner, and water conservation will undoubtedly be brought to the forefront for those who are impacted by seasonal droughts and water usage restrictions in their towns. It seems to be abundant, but water is a relatively scarce resource. Less than 1 percent of the world's fresh water is readily accessible for direct human use. Here are a few tips that you can follow to reduce your water consumption in the bath.

The trend for gardening at home continues to grow - and people are taking a particular interest in raising their flowers and vegetables organically. With such prominent figures as Michelle Obama taking public initiatives in organic gardening, more and more products that cater to the trend are appearing.

With so many products claiming to be green these days, it's hard to know which ones are the real deal. A great indicator for certified sustainability in the bathroom is the WaterSense label, which is granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). By learning how (and which) products meet the criteria, you can easily incorporate the best - and most eco-friendly - products into your bath.

Protecting the earth means using it wisely, a concept that extends to virtually all aspects of life, from the emergence of renewable fuels to the conservation of plants and species.