You’re in the checkout line at the grocery store and it’s time to make your decision. Which do you choose — Paper or Plastic? 

How about neither? 

When grocery shopping, bringing your own bag is the more environmentally responsible choice.

In the U.S., petroleum-based plastic bags consume approximately 12 million barrels of oil annually. Many of those bags never get recycled. They often end up in landfills, trees and waterways where animals may mistake them for food.

Paper bags, although more easily recyclable, and often viewed as the more eco-friendly choice, can consume four times as much energy to produce as plastic bags. The manufacturing process also generates up to 70 percent more air pollution.

Make it easy on yourself and the environment — Keep your own reusable shopping bags in your car with you. That way you will always have them with you when you need them. Many major grocery stores now sell re-usable shopping bags for as little as $0.99 each right near the checkout counter. You can also often find them free at local events where businesses use them as promotional give-aways.

So the next time you’re checking out at the grocery store and the cashier asks you “would you like paper or plastic?” you can feel good about yourself and your environmental footprint when you say, “I’ll be using my own bags today!”

Happy Earth Day! To celebrate the occasion, here are some great eco-wise and money-wise Earth Day tips that you can put into play all year long to reduce help you live a eco-friendly lifestyle and reduce your environmental footprint.

Did you know…

Replacing just one 75-watt incandescent bulb with a 19-watt CFL can cut 75 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year, and up to 750 pounds for the life of the bulb. Not to mention the financial savings on your energy bill. If every U.S. household replaced just one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent, the emissions savings would be comparable to taking 3 million cars off the road for a year. 

Hand washing dishes can actually use up to 50 percent more water than a water-saving, energy-efficient dishwasher. But before you celebrate, check the date on your dishwasher. Those made before 1994 use more water than current models, so it may be time for an upgrade to an Energy Star-rated model, which is 41% more efficient than the federal standard. Even if you have a brand-new, hyper-efficient model, you can still conserve water and energy. Only run full loads, and don’t waste time and water pre-rinsing dishes; new models are equipped to handle even the most stubborn gunk.

Appliances like clocks, stereos, dvd players and other remote devices continue to suck up electricity even when you are not using them, as do chargers that are left in outlets. You can reduce your energy usage and environmental footprint by unplugging some of the appliances you only us occasionally.

Turning your computer to the “hibernate” or “sleep” function can save 95% of the electricity you would have used if you left your computer running on full power. Setting your computers to shift into snooze mode when you’re not using them can produce significant energy savings. It could also prolong the life of the computer.

The standard showerhead spews 4.5 gallons-per-minute, but by replacing it with a 2.5-GPM head, you could save 20,000 gallons of water per year. For less than $25 you can replace your water hogging shower head with a more efficient one, and you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice water pressure in the process.

Almost half of all direct mail catalogs are never opened, but each year nearly 62 million trees are destroyed and 28 billion gallons of water are used to produce them. Give yourself, your mail box and the environment a break and get off those mailing lists.  Use toll-free numbers provided on junk mail to request that your name be removed from listings. Ask online retailers that you frequent send you their specials via email instead of printed mail.