With Earth Day taking place on Tuesday and today being Arbor Day, it seems there’s no better time to discuss how you can make you home a little more eco-friendly.

Image via Ram Reddy [Flickr]

Do An Energy Audit

A DIY energy audit can help you understand where you can improve the energy use of your home. This audit checklist can walk you through insulation, air leaks, heating and cooling, lighting, appliances and electronics.

Switch Out Your Old Light Bulbs

LED and Compact Florescent Lights (CFL) both use way less electricity, produce less heat, and are more long-lasting than old incandescent. Switching just one old bulb for a CFL prevents 400 pounds of greenhouse gases over the course of the bulb’s life. Even more impressive, six LED lights still use less energy than just one incandescent. The bulbs are all cooler as well, meaning you won’t need to crank up that air conditioning as much over the summer.

If you don’t like the cold look of CFLs, LEDs have a more traditional, warmer feel. But if you have migraines or some other condition that limits your use of these eco-friendly alternatives, you can at least switch them out in hallways, closets or other areas where you don’t use the light frequently.