5. Turn on the faucet.

Americans sip from millions of plastic water bottles daily, which require vast quantities of oil, and, ironically, water to produce, transport and dispose of. Instead, stay hydrated from what pours out of your tap and outfit your kitchen with a good quality filter, like Zerowater, if you're concerned about water quality. Bring it along with you in a stainless steel or glass bottle.

6. Downsize snack time.

Americans are snacking more than ever. And from crunchy kale chips to nut butter packets to jerky trail mix, there is no shortage of new packaged snack foods on the market. Therein lies the problem: Packaging, much of which isn't recyclable, ends up clogging landfills. "The trend towards single serve items is an environmental red flag," Vogliano cautions. He suggests quelling hunger and putting less strain on the environment with package-free nibbles, like whole fruit.

7. Be a subzero hero.

Soon, local markets from coast to coast will be bursting at the seams with delicious gifts from Mother Nature. So when asparagus and strawberries grown close to home are readily available at budget-friendly prices, consider freezing the bounty for future use. That way, Vogliano says you'll do your part to lessen the environmental damage and food waste caused by transporting out-of-season foods great distances from farm to dinner table.

8. Choose fairly.

Foods like bananas, chocolate, tea and coffee certified Fair Trade are grown by farmers who were better compensated for practicing more sustainable agricultural methods. This includes shunning dangerous pesticides and slash-and-burn land clearing that decimate forests and wildlife habitat.

9. Be number one.

When it comes to your diet, strive to eat one-ingredient foods more often. Unadulterated whole foods use up less energy to produce and are often more nutritious than their more processed counterparts. So, think brown rice instead of rice cakes, potatoes instead of potato chips, and whole oranges instead of OJ.

10. BYOC.

Toting your own tote to the grocery store is a great start, but when visiting bulk bins, the cheese counter at your local market, and even some salad bars think about bringing your own reusable container. This little bit of environmental do-goodery can help stamp out the blight that is plastic waste.

11. Host some compost.

Composting scraps, like egg shells and banana peels, diverts food waste from landfills, which Vogliano says is a way to reduce climate-warming methane production. No municipal compost program? There are heaps of composting options for all kinds of indoor and outdoor spaces. Bonus: free fertilizer for your garden.

12. Plan ahead.

"Take inventory of what's in your fridge and plan out a weekly menu in advance of grocery shopping to cut down on excessive food purchases and the amount that ends up in the waste bin," says Vogliano. This can also reduce the number of times you drive back to the store, which reduces gas usage and saves time.

(Environmental Nutrition is the award-winning independent newsletter written by nutrition experts dedicated to providing readers up-to-date, accurate information about health and nutrition in clear, concise English. For more information, visit www.environmentalnutrition.com.)