It’s hard not to notice everyone “Going Green” these days. What seems like over-hyped marketing tactics, helping the environment isn’t all about selling cars and laptops. There are small things we can each do to help out the environment, and they don’t take much effort. Below are five easy ways you can help the environment – starting today.

Like, a Certified Mechanic. Yes, you can save 20 bucks by doing it yourself, but we’ve seen how much drips onto your driveway and heads toward the storm drain – in some cases, full pans of it. A mechanic or “Quick Lube” will actually recycle the stuff. While you’re there, have them repair any leaks and do all the scheduled maintenance that’ll make your car burn less fuel and last longer, reducing overall pollution during its lifetime. Schedule enough work, you may even have to leave it at the shop and carpool for once.

So Costco’s metric-ton vats of mayo make you laugh? Joke’s on you. The bigger containers of stuff you buy, the less plastic ends up on our beaches. That includes quarts of yogurt instead of cute single servings, concentrated OJ instead of jugs, two-litter bottles instead of six-packs. Granted, there’s some extra effort in the carrying department, but done right you may not have to visit the store again for another year. Hey, maybe now’s the time to hit your folks up for that keg-o-rator.

Every time it rains, untold armies of turds charge toward the sea to your demise. Why not just keep Fido inside all the time? Ok, so things get a little messy around the house, but it’ll sure make those late night kitchen runs a helluva lot more interesting. And it’ll give your mom plenty more to bitch about besides the dirty clothes on your bedroom floor. Besides, the only other option is actually following the furry bastard around, picking up his crap, putting it in a plastic bag and disposing of it in a trash can – which frankly sounds like work to me.

Well, maybe not entirely, but just try to make them shorter – say, under five minutes. If each person in LA did as much, it could save over 68 million gallons of water a day, as well as reduce the flow of contaniments into the ocean. While you’re at it, stop washing your clothes so much, or try keeping the loads light. And maybe keep the car scrubs to a minimum, too. Trust us, after a few showerless, dirty laundry weeks, you don’t wanna see your reflection.

If you keep the grass about 3 1/2 inches, it helps stop weeds, roots better to the soil – an erosion retardent – and you won’t use as many fertalizers that can end up as run-off pollutants. Throw in the saved gas, you’ll have the greenest “green thumb” on the block. Sure, the yard may look a little rough around the edges, but consider it a shaggy sign of your earthly love – kind of like hairy armpits on a hippie chick.

Got any other tips? Tell us about them in the comments! The best suggestion wins…well, nothing, but we might send you a gold star.