Eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead of canned ones. The average U.S. household of four buys about 450 pounds of canned fruits and vegetables per year (although some of this weight is the can itself and liquid the food is swimming in). If instead you purchased an equivalent amount of fresh seasonal fruits and veggies, you could save $225 per year or more. The growing, processing, packaging, and transport of canned goods consumes many times more energy than the production of fresh varieties. Additionally fresh produce tends to have better flavor and is more versatile when it comes to preparing meals. Try to buy canned products only for long-term or emergency storage.

Shift It Tip: If you can’t find fresh varieties of the produce you’re looking for, check out the freezer section. Frozen fruits and vegetables have more flavor and nutrition than canned ones.

Buy or rent costumes from a vintage shop or thrift store, instead of springing for a new Halloween costume—especially a plastic one. Save up to $25 per year or more. Conserve the resources, energy, water and chemicals that would have been used to make and transport a new costume.

Shift-It Tip: You don’t have to spend any money at all to outfit the family for Halloween each year. Offer to host a family or neighborhood costume swap: Arrange all the hand-me-downs as though they were in a store, and let the kids go “shopping.” You can also throw a party and require everyone to make their costumes from stuff they were planning to throw away. Offer a prize for the most creative one.

Make the next pet leash or collar you purchase be made from organic canvas materials instead of nylon. Nylon production emits nitrous oxide—a type of greenhouse gas associated with global warming.  If every dog in the U.S. eventually received a replacement leash made of organic fibers instead of nylon, it would prevent the release of as much greenhouse gases as 250,000 households produce each year.

Name-brand staples that are not organic contain pesticide residues and are highly processed, sometimes sacrificing nutrition. The more you can eliminate artificial ingredients and pesticide-laden products from your diet, the better.

Shift-It Tip: When buying frozen fish look for product that is either vacuum sealed or has a layer of ice on it. Flash-frozen fish is most likely to maintain its quality.

Shift-It Tip: If you think ground turkey tastes dry compared to beef because of its lower fat content, try mixing in some finely diced onions, carrots and celery. This French technique will keep the meat juicy and flavorful.

Instead of choosing a vacation that involves staying in a hotel, consider pitching a tent in a state or national park and save up to $2000 or more on accommodations for a two-week trip.  Tent-camping can be a great way to reduce the ecological footprint of your vacation and an excellent way to practice living with limited resources. Compared to a hotel, you’ll save energy and water, reduce waste, and experience nature.  Breathe fresh air, get back in shape by going on a hike every day, and stand in awe of huge canyons, waterfalls, lakes, mountains, wildlife, and meadows.  Be sure to take fantastic pictures!

Don’t speed.  Driving over the speed limit can severely cramp your MPG and your pocketbook.  The difference between 60 mph and 80 mph is $900 in gas expenses per year (assuming 500 high-speed miles driven per month).  Drive slower and you’ll also save 225 gallons of gasoline annually.  On average, for each 5 mph you drive above 60 mph lowers your gas mileage by about 2.5 mpg.  In addition to the obvious reduced risk to your safety and driving record, sticking to the speed limit will also save you the time it would take for 15 additional fill-ups per year.

If you’re new to camping or don’t do it very often, rent your gear or borrow it from a friend and you’ll save up to $1500 or more compared to buying new gear.  You’ll also conserve the resources used to produce new equipment, which for most people sits in the garage or basement and gathers dust for 50 or more weeks per year.  Not only will you save the time it would take to shop for the right gear but you can avoid buyer’s regret. In fact, if you’re thinking of buying your own gear, renting first can be a great way to try out different styles and brands to see which you like best.

If you’ll be hitting the road for your getaway, buy regular octane (low-grade) gasoline—unless your vehicle calls for “premium fuel” only—instead and save up to $150 or more per year in gasoline expenses.  For a standard engine, switching from premium fuel to regular unleaded gasoline results in more complete fuel combustion, which improves gas mileage and reduces smog-forming tailpipe emissions.