Taking care of the planet isn’t a once-a-year activity — going green should be evergreen! Sound like a big task? Start small. The best way to take care of our world is by starting with yours.

It takes a plan to protect the planet, but your friends at Fox are here to help. Try these fifteen easy tips to make going green part of your routine!

1.) Turn off the lights

Switching off the lights when you’re not in the room is the easiest way to save energy at home. Even if you are in the room, turning off the lights can still be a bright idea. Is it a nice, sunny day outside? Turn off the lights, open the blinds, and brighten your home with the most energy-efficient lamp there is — the sun!

2.) Recycle.

Turn your trash into treasure and recycle your discarded materials for future use. Just be sure to recycle the right items (please don’t put a garden hose or truck tire in the recycle bin). How do you know what’s recyclable? Look for the recycle symbol on your papers, glasses, and plastics.

3.) Choose to reuse plastic containers.

Do you purchase products that come from plastic food containers, like butter? Or do you have plastic take-out containers from your favorite delivery place? Wash them when you’re done and voila, you have a new container for your leftovers! By reusing plastic containers, instead of buying new ones, you’ll help out the environment — and your wallet!

4.) Pick reusable drink containers.

Here are some not-so-pleasant stats: 2.5 billion disposable food pouches, 28 billion water bottles, and 182.5 billion straws wind up in landfills every year. Yeah, it’s a lot. While you shouldn’t reuse plastic bottles more than once, but you can purchase reusable plastic drinking containers with built-in straws.

5.) Don’t touch that dial!

Your parents probably told you once or twice (or 1,000 times) to not touch the thermostat. It was good advice. When you adjust the thermostat, it forces your HVAC to work much harder to heat or cool your home. Here’s a better idea: stick with a consistent temp throughout the season. The Department of Energy recommends 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter.

6.) Turn on the fan.

Most of your household energy use is used to heat or cool your home. So instead of adjusting your thermostat dial, give your HVAC a break (and your wallet too) by using fans. Using energy-efficient box, tower, and table fans are a great idea, while overhead ceiling fans are the best choice of all. Set your overhead fan to run counter-clockwise in the summer to circulate cool air through the room and clockwise in the winter to push warm air down. Just remember to turn your fans off when you leave (fans work on people, not rooms).

7.) Cook outside!

Going green doesn’t have to be a chore. After all, what’s more fun than a cookout? During the spring and summer months (or those randomly warm fall and winter days), ditch the kitchen and cook your meal outside! Go beyond burgers and hot dogs with creative concoctions like garden salads and fresh fish.

8.) Purchase energy-efficient appliances.

Need to replace your refrigerator, washer, dryer, oven, TV…whatever? Look for the ENERGY STAR®-certified logo! You’ll be amazed at how much energy (and money) you’ll save over the lifetime of your products when you switch to energy-efficient appliances and electronics. Check out energystar.gov to see what’s available!

9.) Be bright about your lights.

You may not be in the market for a major appliance, but you always need light. So switch to energy-efficient LED bulbs, which use 90% less energy than conventional bulbs and last up to 25 times longer.

10.) Start a garden.

Is there anything tastier than fresh vegetables straight from your garden? What makes them even better is knowing how much energy you’re saving! Not only are you saving gas by not driving to and from the grocery store, but you’re also saving the energy it takes to bring fruits and vegetables to the store in the first place! Don’t want to grow your own? Visit a farmer’s market and buy local. You’ll support the local economy and protect the environment!

11.) Make a composting pile.

Sixty-percent of landfill waste is compostable…sixty percent! So instead of throwing away any vegetables or fruits that you didn’t finish, put them into a compost pile instead. Pretty much any veggie or fruit is a welcome addition to your pile, just avoid including meats, dairy or eggshells. Pro tip: Pour your old beer into your pile to add some yeast.

12.) Get creative with your composting.

Feel bad about that bag of spinach you threw away? We’ve all been there. Throwing away spinach (or any green waste in plastic bags) creates methane gas inside landfills. Yikes! Here’s a much better idea: Start a worm composting bin. Your worms will eat your green waste and create worm casting you can use in your garden!

13.) Take shorter showers.

After your HVAC, your water heater is your second-biggest energy user. We’re not going to suggest you take cold showers (those are the worst), but taking a shorter shower — the sweet spot is about five minutes — can make a big difference to your household’s bottom line. Plus, according to dermatologists, shorter showers are better for your skin. That’s a win win!

14.) Be wise about water.

There are lots of ways you can be wise about water in your household besides taking shorter showers. You can wash your clothes in cold water, turn off the faucet when you’re brushing your teeth or shaving, take baths instead of showers, and never use your toilet as a trash.

15.) Do your cleaning with Fox!

One of the easiest and most convenient ways to go green? Choose Fox! Your friends at Fox are affiliated with America’s Best Cleaners and the Green Business Bureau, and actively share ideas and inspiration on how to be a greener cleaner. Our eco-friendly efforts include: using biodegradable detergents, switching to electricity-and-water saving equipment, reusing bags for pick up and delivery, recycling hangars, installing solar panels on our rooftop, monitoring our equipment for efficiency, and much more. Plus, we’re just getting started! By 2023, we plan on replacing our entire fleet of delivery vans with electric vehicles!

So in a very tangible way, you’re helping the environment just by doing your cleaning with Fox. What could be easier than that?

Try these 15 easy and you’ll become a pro at protecting the planet. Because life’s better when it’s clean — and green!