Earth Day Recap: Easy Ways To Go Green & Make Your Life Better

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Hybrid cars, "green" products, solar powered homes and energy saving appliances have made Earth Day more en vogue than ever. Today, communities across the country held all kinds of events, but the biggest gathering — The Climate Rally — is happening at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. this Sunday (April 25).

Sting, John Legend, the Roots, Q-Tip, and a slew of artists are scheduled to perform, and organizers  will urge Congress to pass clean-energy legislation in 2010.  Also participating in the event are "Avatar" director James Cameron and civil-rights activist Jesse Jackson.

On the 40th anniversary of the day a bunch of 20-somethings organized the first Earth Day to raise environmental awareness, Vice President Joe Biden announced this week that the Obama administration will invest $452 million to retrofit buildings in 25 communities from Wisconsin to New York.

This use of Recovery Act funding will be part of the White House's ambitious plans to cut down energy use and reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.

Do you want to be part of the solution, but aren't sure where to start? No worries, we got you covered!

Simple Ways To Go Green

Change a Light Bulb
Installing a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) is the quickest, easiest way to save energy and money. Unlike incandescents, CFLs convert most of the energy they use into light rather than heat.

Good for You: They consume about 75 percent less electricity and last up to 10 times longer (10,000 hours as opposed to 1,500). Replace one 75-watt incandescent bulb with a 25-watt CFL and save up to $83 over the life of the bulb.

Unplug Things That Glow
Anything that has an LED (light emitting diode) that glows even after you turn it off continues to draw power (that you pay for). Your TV, cell phone charger, and printer are likely culprits. Unplug the offenders from wall sockets and plug them into power strips instead. When you leave a room, flip the strip switch to cut the flow of electricity.

Good for You: Unplug appliances and electronics that glow and you could save $200 a year.

Recycle Your Electronics
Americans tossed out a whopping 5.5 billion pounds of electronics -- TVs, stereos, cell phones, and computers -- in 2005, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The result? Millions of pounds of chemicals and heavy metals ended up in the ground even though it's easier than ever to recycle electronics. The Consumer Electronics Association created mygreenelectronics.org to help people find a recycling resource in their area. The site also provides a list of electronics, from laptops to baby monitors, that are easier on the environment and your energy bill.

Good for You: The average American household has three cell phones stashed in a drawer. Sell unused cell phones to greenphone.com. You'll receive about $35, and the phones will be refurbished and resold. If 1 million people recycled one cathode-ray tube TV this year, we'd keep 4 million pounds of lead out of the ground.

For more great tips, check out this list from Better Homes and Gardens.

Earth Day was founded by the late U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin to raise awareness about environmental issues and was first held on April 22, 1970. It has since turned into an international event that often features a week's worth of activities centered on conservation and clean-energy awareness.

Tr3s Comunidad, how did you reduce your carbon footprint today? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags 2010, Earth Day, go green, tips