Green up youth sports

Consider carpools. If distance isn't an issue, try walking, biking or skating to games and practice.

Recycle paper, cans and bottles. If there are no recycling bins, see if you can set up your own recycling center for practices and games.

Encourage your athletes to fill up their own reusable, washable bottle with water from home.

Consider team T-shirts made with something other than regular cotton and plastisol ink. Many printers are starting to offer friendlier material options, such as organic cotton or hemp and water-based (permanent) inks. Visit www.pimn.org/environment/greatprinter.htm or www.doitgreen.org/greenpages.

Skip the team photo packages and opt to capture and share the memories with your digital camera.

Work with your community or local recreational center to get funds for an on-site compost bin. Make it a team-building project to build a compost bin from extra material in your garage. Field-grass clippings and fruit scraps and peels are just some of the waste that can be composted.

Ditch the pre-wrapped, processed junk. Encourage zero waste, healthy snacks such as apples, orange slices or bananas (compost those peels), or bulk-food trail-mix. Have a jug of ice water or 100 percent juice available and use reusable cups or water bottles.

Make sure your used sports equipment has a second life by donating or handing down to athletes in need.

From Ryan North at doitgreen.org.

Minnesota gains from recycling Recycling has worked. Since its beginning it has reduced carbon emissions, water and energy consumption and the need for landfill use, as well as conserved natural resources.

In 2006 the impact of residential recycling saved 46 trillion BTUs of energy. That's enough to power all of the homes in Ramsey County for a year.

From the Recycling Association of Minnesota

Insulate for comfort and money Make sure the insulation in your walls and ceilings is sufficient to conserve energy use. Many older homes may have little or none, or the insulation may be compacted and have lost some of its insulating capacity.

For greener driving • Keep tires properly inflated.

• Change oil and air filters regularly; use the proper grade of motor oil, and recycle unwanted fluids.

• Drive the speed limit and use cruise control when appropriate.

• Don't drive a car full of clutter. Remove excess weight from vehicle and trunk.

• Combine errands to minimize driving.

• Give up the car whenever possible. Instead, bike, walk or take the bus or light rail.

• Buy smart. Go for fuel-efficiency. Look for conventional gas engines that get high mileages and gas/electric hybrids.

From Alliance to Save Energy

Looking for recycling for electronics? Find the most responsible recyclers, local and national, at www.ban.org/pledge/Locations.html.