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Wednesday marks the 45th anniversary of Earth Day. It was founded in 1970 by Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson 

 about environmental issues. Nelson was inspired by anti-Vietnam War protests taking place at the time and wanted to draw attention to pollution and green awareness by holding a national teach-in on environmental issues.

Go ahead, recycle that old TV

Climate change

The first Earth Day drew more than 20 million Americans to rallies across the nation. Today, more than a billion people participate in Earth Day activities annually, making it the largest civic observance in the world, according to the 

Interested in going green but don't have the resources for a massive overhaul? Here are a few relatively simple ideas from the Environmental Protection Agency 

 and only when there is a full load. The average household can also save as much as $40 annually by making the switch from hot to cold water in the laundry, the EPA says. 

• Before leaving home or when you're sleeping, 

 to conserve energy. Or, use a programmable thermostat. 

Replace your five most frequently used lights

 by buying only what you need and use leftovers wisely: Take them to work, freeze chicken and vegetable scraps and use them for stock, etc. 

The EPA says the average family throws away $1,600 a year in wasted food. Minnesotans alone threw out 517,000 tons of food waste in 2012, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. And that doesn't count food left in the fields — that's only what gets thrown away and ends up in landfills or waste energy facilities.

 or use a wash basin. If you have a dishwasher, use it only when fully loaded. 

. Instead, sweep driveways, sidewalks and steps.

 for watering plants or washing cars. Learn how to build one 

 can reduce the amount of garbage sent to landfills. Need a hand getting started? Check out this 

Composting will get simpler for Minneapolis residents soon. In January, the city announced it will launch the first phase of a 

 and instead turn off vehicles when parked. Idling can use up a quarter- to a half-gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air conditioner use, according to 

Telecommute, walk, bike or use public transportation

. The EPA says leaving your car at home for two days a week can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by an average of two tons per year. 

 — and use two-sided printing and copying.

 paper products, batteries and used printer cartridges. 

 used equipment to schools or other organizations. 

 file folders by sticking new labels over old ones, or fold files in the reverse direction.

Environmental News

Nancy Yang

Author

Today marks the 45th anniversary of Earth Day. Read on for simple tips on reducing waste and conserving energy.

Earth Day 2015: Easy ways to go green

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