I am always open and willing to try new ways to green my routine and everyday living. As I was getting ready one morning it hit me how much of a process it is to get ready. For a girl it may require more steps in being fully ready and groomed in the morning but there is plenty to learn for both guys and gals here. I've compiled some of my favorite tips for saving energy, conserving water, and consuming less overall, just in getting ready for the day.

You're alarm goes off and you groggily shuffle with half opened eyes to the bathroom. You grab your tooth brush and proceed to brush those pearly whites. And then next (if you're a guy) you will usually shave. First thing you can change about this picture here is to make sure that toothpaste and shaving cream is natural since most of these products contain phenols and carcinogenic chemicals that can be ingested by the skin and absorbed by the body. Choose toothpaste without artificial dyes, SLS, silica and other harmful ingredients and try shaving cream made with almond or coconut oils. Oh and never leave the water running while brushing or shaving!

Check your thermostat - Before hopping into that shower, check the temperature on your water heater. Changing the setting from 140° to 120° can save you up to 10 percent in energy bills!

Use Less water - I think most of can admit that sitting under hot flowing water is relaxing and leaves you with the feeling that you never want to get out of the shower. Well its time to be strong and pull yourself away from being seduced by the ever so relaxing hot water. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that a typical shower head uses two gallons of water per minute. If you take a 15 minute shower that's 30 gallons of water! Switching to a low flow shower head can also help in cutting down some water usage.

Let your hair air dry (for ladies mainly) - If you can manage some extra time in the morning then skip the blow drying. It is way better for your hair since blow drying sucks the moisture right out of your hair and makes it easily breakable. Towel dry your hair and then brush it straight. Run your fingers through it and give it a toss frequently. Doing this instead of blow drying will save a considerable amount of energy. Try to keep in mind to only blow dry when absolutely necessary. There are also energy efficient blow dryers and straighteners out there that use less watts than others do.

Get rid of the vinyl - A lot of us use or have used vinyl shower curtains in the past. just say goodbye to the PVC. Polyvinyl Chloride is the fancy name for vinyl and creates a nasty chemical called Dioxin during manufacturing use and disposal. Dioxin is a known carcinogen that can also disrupt hormonal systems and may cause reproductive and immune system damage. So don't bring any #3 plastic, vinyl, or PVC into your life.

Ditch the razors - 2 billion disposable plastic razors are purchased each year. Eventually they get tossed into the landfill. A more permanent razor with changeable razor heads would be a better choice to help reduce waste.

Your cup of coffee - Fair trade Organic is the way to go. Carry a stainless steel mug with you to work or school.

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