More tips are great ways to go green indoors and out— and save money in the process.

In your bathroom:

•The aerator, the screw-on tip of the faucet, ultimately determines the maximum flow rate of a faucet. Aerators are inexpensive to replace and can be among the most cost-effective water conservation measures. For maximum efficiency, purchase aerators that have flow rates of no more than 1.0 gallon per minute. When replacing an aerator, bring the one you’re replacing to ensure a proper fit. You can find quality aerators at hardware stores and home centers for $10-$20, and achieve water savings of 25 to 60 percent.

• Check for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes. Check the toilet for worn out, corroded or bent parts.

• Avoid unnecessary flushing. Dispose of tissues, insects and other similar waste in the trash rather than the toilet. If you have older toilets in your home (those built before 1982), every flush uses 5-7 gallons of water. Newer toilets are designed to flush using only 1.6 gallons. If the toilet flush handle frequently sticks, letting water run continuously, replace or adjust it.

In your kitchen:

Try some natural, chemical-free “recipes” for common household cleaning:

Soft Scrub – Add enough soap to 1/8 cup baking soda to make a creamy mix. Apply with sponge to clean and rinse the surface well. Use and discard.

Appliance Cleaner – Dry baking soda shines up small appliances. Try rubbing a teaspoon onto your appliances with a clean flannel cloth.

Toilet Cleaner/Deodorizer – Sprinkle toilet with ¼ cup baking soda. Drizzle with ¼ cup vinegar and scour with a toilet brush.

Oven Cleaner – Sprinkle oven with ½ cup baking soda and spray with water. Let sit for several hours or overnight before scraping up stains and spills. Rinse thoroughly with water.

Hardwood Floor Cleaner – In a bucket, mix ¼ cup distilled white vinegar in one gallon warm water. Mop wood or linoleum floors, and then rinse with water, making sure not to leave large pools to dry.

Glass Cleaner – Mix ½ cup of distilled white vinegar and 4 cups of water and pour into a clean spray bottle. Spray the glass and clean.

Furniture Polish – Mix 1 ounce of lemon juice and 2 ounces of olive oil. Use a clean, soft cloth and make the furniture beautiful!

In your yard:

• Buy trash liner bags with 100 percent post-consumer recycled content. Producing trash bags from recycled plastic requires less energy than manufacturing those same bags from virgin plastic. If just one in ten U.S. households began purchasing trash bags made from 100 percent recycled materials, the annual energy savings could meet the heating needs of four thousand households in Fargo, North Dakota, for the entire year.

At the store:

*According to the Sierra Club, every American produces about 4.5 pounds of garbage a day. Items with excess packaging and products that are discarded after only a few uses cost more money, use up valuable resources, and create more waste.

• When shopping for food and household goods, buy in bigger quantities. A larger container means less packaging, and a family of four can save $2,000 a year in the supermarket by buying “big.” Ten cents of every shopping dollar pays for packaging.

• Buy items like cereal and raisins in a large box instead of individual serving sizes. Snacks can portioned out in reusable containers.

• Buy juice in concentrates and use reusable containers instead of single serving packs.

• Look for “refill packs” for products such as diaper wipes: They use up to 90 percent less packaging than regular, hard-plastic containers.

Culled from “True Green,” by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin (published by the National Geographic Society in May 2006) and the Macon County Conservation District website (www.maconcountyconservation.org)