Green Daily

Now that there's a greener option for practically every facet of your existence, the hardest part of making a difference can be simply finding the right place to start. And even then, those little, everyday changes (like turning off the AC at night) -- while theoretically eco-friendly -- don't feel very satisfying while you sit in your uncomfortably warm house watching polar bears die on CNN.

So maybe it's time to get focused, and take a challenge. For the past eight years, the EPA's Energy Star program has been running its Change a Light, Change the World campaign, and to date more than 1.6 million Americans have pledged their support, switching out their traditional light bulbs with more energy efficient compact fluorescents. Now, in honor of Earth Day, the organization is building on that success, launching a new challenge called "Change the World, Start with Energy Star."

The idea behind the new campaign is simple: provide a set of straightforward steps people can take to save money and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Here's the basics:

• Replace at least one traditional light bulb in your home with a CFL
• Make home heating and cooling systems work more efficiently (check out our video guide for tips on how to make this happen)
  
• Make sure homes are well sealed and insulated (check out which areas are most likely to cause problems)
  
• Enable the power management features on home computers and monitors
  
• Choose an Energy Star qualified refrigerator, dishwasher and/or clothes washer when replacing or purchasing new appliances.

So now, with this checklist in hand, you can take the pledge on the Energy Star website, knowing that you're on the right track -- taking effective steps that make a real difference in the fight against global warming.