Essential Skill #49: Restock for the Earth

If you're still buying bottled water, you're behind the curve. "Worldwide, we drink some 41 billion gallons of bottled water a year," says author David de Rothschild in The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook, "even though it's often no safer or better-tasting than tap, and wastes fuel and water for bottling and transport."

That's not to say you need to tote around a glass or cup, or simply go without. There are plenty of refillable, durable water bottles out there for you to choose from.

But you need not limit this philosphy to water bottles alone. "A useful rule for reducing global warming," writes de Rothschild, is to "buy less stuff." And when that's not an option, follow these tips and buy:

• Recycled paper products
• Vegetable-based, biodegradable cleaning products
• Fair-trade, shade-grown coffee
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL's)
• Natural or organic personal care products
• Rechargeable batteries

"If buy stuff you must," writes de Rothschild, "restock with planet-friendly goods."

Essential Skill #48: Green Your Roof

What home renovation can reduce your cooling and heating costs by 50 percent (not to mention greenhouse gas emissions)? It's Essential Skill #48 in The Live Earth Global Warming Handbook:

Green your roof.

A green roof (i.e., a roof covered with soil, grass and foilage) absorbs solar radiation. So instead of bouncing off the roof and into the surrounding area, or penetrating the roof and heating up the house inside, heat is absorbed by the plants. So you're not only keeping your neighborhood cooler, but also your house for a lower electric bill and fewer carbon emissions. Even during the winter time, a green roof acts as insulation so you save on heating bills too.

Though you should probably consult with a professional, here's the basics for installing a green roof on top of your home:

1) Lay down a waterproof layer over your standard roof
2) Top it with drainage materials and soil
3) Plant foliage native to your region -- the less water needed for growth, the better

"Your roof -- or, rather, your green roof -- should be a key part of your carbon reduction strategy," writes author David de Rothschild in The Handbook, "plant it, water it, enjoy it."