You, too, can help make the planet a better place to live

Last week, Sandpoint Mayor Ray Miller signed the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, committing the city to cutting greenhouse gases.

In doing so, he became the first mayor in North Idaho to commit to reducing his city's impact on the environment. As he signed the agreement, Miller noted that "whether you're doing it for the economy or for the environment, it just makes sense to do these things."

Sunday, while running errands, I ended up with a free "green" light bulb thanks to the nice folks at Home Depot. I'd already converted most of my light bulbs to compact fluorescent ones (there's one lamp which doesn't use a "regular" style of light bulb), but it will be handy to have a spare just in case. The reason for the light bulb giveaway was to celebrate Earth Day, which was celebrated on Sunday.

It's an issue that crosses party lines, economic boundaries and ideologies. It is something that we all can do — and it's easy.

There are plenty of other things we all can do — not only for environmental reasons, but because they make sense for a whole host of environmental and practical reasons, too.

According to ClimateCAN.org, the top 10 things you can do to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are:

1. Change a light bulb. Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

2. Drive less. You will save a pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don't drive.

3. Recycle more. You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by recycling half of your household waste.

4. Check your tires. Properly inflated tires use less gasoline. Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air (and improves your gas mileage, too).

5. Use less hot water. A low-flow showerhead can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year and washing your clothes in warm or cold water can save 500 pounds per year.

6. Avoid products with lots of packaging. You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you reduce your garbage by 10 percent.

7. Adjust your thermostat. Lowering your thermostat just 2 degrees in the winter and raising it 2 degrees in the summer can save 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

8. Plant a year. A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

9. Turn off electronic devices. Turning off your TV, DVD player and other electronic equipment will save your thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

10. Spread the word.

? Caroline Lobsinger is the managing editor of the Daily Bee.