If you are in the market for a new washing machine, make sure you get a front-loading model, which uses a third less water, heat energy and detergent than standard top-loading designs.

Front loaders are more effective and efficient designs, and they have been working hard at laundromats across the world for decades. These days, major brands (such as the Frigidaire pictured) are offering that efficient cleaning power in models made for homes, and many boast the latest in electronic features, cool colors and more. Other leaders include Bosch, LG, GE, KitchenAid and Kenmore.

Make sure your new machine is certified by the EPA's Energy Star program, which signifies high energy efficiency. According to GE, the average family will save enough on energy bills with the company's Energy Star washer and dryer to pay for the appliances in just 12 years.

Find the top-rated models, as rated by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, at goodhousekeeping.com.

It's cold season and runny noses are making their annual appearance. The most eco-friendly way to blow your nose is to use the old-fashioned handkerchief. However, if carrying a used hankie in your pocket adds a stomach ache to your symptoms, look into the option of purchasing tissues made with 100% recycled paper.

According to the Resource Conservation Alliance, each American uses approximately 800 pounds of paper per year. By using paper products made from 100% recycled material you not only help protect forests by lowering the demand for trees, but you also help lower the formation of toxic dioxins and furans in the environment by avoiding products bleached with chlorine.

Greenpeace has been waging a public, and recently successful, campaign to get major manufacturers of disposable paper products like tissues to stop using wood from old-growth forests, particularly in the vast Canadian boreal forest.

Here is a list of some of our favorite recycled tissue brands:

Related: 11 Ways to Save Trees ... Without Planting One

• Seventh Generation ($13.25 for three boxes at amazon.com)
• Green Forest ($46.21 for a 24-box case at amazon.com)
• Natural Value
• Small Steps by Marcal ($33.29 for a 30-box carton at sears.com)

For more options, consult this handy Greenpeace guide to recycled paper products (you can even download an app, or print a pocket guide). Or if your ready to give the old hankie a try, check out this pack of reusable organic cotton tissues from Better For Grownups. Just throw them in the wash when your ready for a clean one.

Related: The Benefits of Recycled Toilet Paper

At health food stores like Wild Oats/Whole Foods, community co-ops and even many supermarkets, you can often get foods from bulk bins, whether that's candy, bagels, rice or honey. Choosing this option will save packaging waste, and you can get exactly how much you want.

Packaging materials make up more than 30% of all consumer waste, according to the EPA. So making a dent in all those boxes, cans and piles of plastic wrap will have a real impact. Ideally, bring your own reusable containers to the store and fill up with what you'll need. You can even bring a measuring cup so you don't have to eyeball it.

For the best in fresh, healthy eating, ask the bulk bin manager how often the stock is replenished. When you get home, store your dry goods in airtight containers in a cool, dry place.

Seasonal eating is easy in summer, when produce at the local farmers' markets is abundant. But in winter, across wide swaths of the U.S., the options tend to dwindle after the fall harvest. But with a little creativity, you can create wonders with those familiar seasonal ingredients – root vegetables, winter squashes, kale and other winter greens, along with preserved foods and maybe some sustainably raised meat.

Conveniently, many winter vegetables are natural health foods – rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K and beta carotene that promise an immunity boost at a time when the common cold and the flu are circulating.

And, thanks to a proliferation of CSAs and local farmers' markets (16% growth in the U.S. in 2010 alone), locally grown winter produce is increasingly easy to find. Trend-setters have embraced the movement, as celebrity chefs develop winter recipes to inform and inspire us.

After decades during which society generally demanded the widest variety of foods, no matter what the season, where or how they were grown and how many miles they where shipped, the tide is turning. (See which foods are least fresh and travel farthest to reach U.S. supermarkets in winter.) Don't let winter be a barrier to seasonal eating. Try a new winter ingredient, warm up with a soup, try a new winter recipe and embrace the surprising abundance of even the coldest season!

The U.S. water supply is considered to be among the safest in the world, with all but 15 million Americans receiving treated tap water from public water systems.

For those 15 million relying on drinking water from private wells, though, regular testing or a water filter may be the only protection from contaminants that can be colorless and odorless, but do real harm. Many rural water supplies are safe because groundwater is naturally filtered, but shallow wells or nearby sources of pollution may compromise their integrity. In some areas, contamination can come from the ground itself, if naturally occurring arsenic or fluoride deposits are nearby, for instance.

Many who drink public water also may want to use a filter because certain contaminants may still be flowing along with the treated water.

Along with removing that chlorine taste that often accompanies treated water, the right filter can remove the disinfection byproducts that flow through the tap. The Environmental Protection Agency, which sets the standards for allowable levels of contamination in drinking water, and the testing procedures water plants must adhere to, has cracked down on the allowable levels of disinfection byproducts in tap water, as science reveals health risks. But not all watchdogs have been satisfied with the EPA targets, and a recent Government Accountability Office study found that many water quality and water testing violations go unreported.

Another contaminant of concern is lead, which can enter tap water from the pipes in older homes long after the water has flowed from a municipal water treatment plant. Cooking with and drinking only cold tap water after opening the tap long enough to flush water that has been standing in pipes will generally prevent exposure, but some filters can also remove lead.

For a home that has particular contaminant concerns, use Environmental Working Group's water filter buying guide to find the best model. Prices range from $80 or less for a basic well-rated carbon filtration system like the Culligan RC-EZ-Change 4 to $670 for reverse osmosis system like the Water Factory SQC-4 Reverse Osmosis System, or several hundred for a combination carbon-reverse osmosis filtration system.

If you aren't quite ready to trade up your old storage hot water heater for a high-efficiency tankless system, then at least give a thought to some added insulation.

Hot water accounts for 13% of the typical utility bill, so improving the efficiency of your heater can go a long way toward saving energy and cutting down on carbon emissions.

Consider wrapping your old heater in a layer of insulation. For the nominal cost of about $15, an insulating jacket can reduce heat lost through the walls of the tank by 25-40%.

Make a dent in holiday waste this year by "recycling" your fresh Christmas tree after you are done celebrating.

Instead of taking up valuable space in landfills, where decay is painfully slow because of a lack of oxygen, Christmas trees can be readily ground into wood chips or made into useful compost. Considering that nearly 29 million households opted for a real Christmas tree in 2006, that's a lot of wood chips!

To make it easy, the industry group National Christmas Tree Association has teamed up with Scottsdale, Arizona-based conservation group Earth911 to point consumers in the right direction with their trees. On their Website, you can enter your zip code to find the nearest of 3,800-plus spots nationwide that accept old trees.

You now know to look for recycled paper and alternative fiber wrapping paper for the holidays, but it's easy to forget to make sure all that material gets recycled when you are done celebrating. This year, collect the paper, bows and boxes and keep them out of your garbage.

Between Thanksgiving and New Year's, the average American household increases its trash output by 25%, resulting in 5 million extra tons of garbage. But it doesn't have to be a total loss. Most paper can be readily recycled, either through curbside programs or local drop-off centers. The trick is to prepare by having a box or bag ready, so when everyone starts tearing through their presents under the tree in an ecstatic frenzy, you can easily divert the scraps into one convenient location.

Better than third-party recycling is to save wrapping paper, bows and boxes for reuse later. If you have room, you can use them for next year, or possibly even other holidays. Wrapping paper scraps make great packaging or craft material, and ribbons can be used as ties.

Related: 11 Ways to Save Trees ... Without Planting One

Compact fluorescent light bulbs have now been around for years, but many homeowners haven't warmed up to them because of their uneven performance. Many bulbs, particularly early on, failed to brighten quickly, and when they did, the light wasn't as warm as the traditional incandescent bulb.

That's too bad, since a good Energy Star-rated bulb will save consumers about $1 a month over its lifetime. (Energy Star bulbs are, in fact, rated or quality as well as efficiency, making them a good choice.)

Halogen light bulbs are more efficient than incandescents, while LEDs are the most efficient and long-lasting of all, but also the most expensive.

So what's a consumer to do? Good Housekeeping has the answer: Its engineers in the Good Housekeeping Research Institute spent months testing light bulbs to find out which efficient bulbs lived up to their packaging claims, gave off a warm light, and brightened quickly. The results are easy to see.

With the switch from cell phone to smart phone, VCR to DVR and answering machine to voice mail, it's no surprise that e-waste is a fast-growing category of waste filling our landfills and being burned up in our trash incinerators. Not surprisingly, e-readers, laptops, iPhones and other electronics make up one of the biggest and fastest growing categories of holiday gifts. But electronics are made up primarily of components that can be recycled, and improper disposing can lead to pollution of air and water.

Unfortunately, as of the EPA's latest analysis, more than 80% of electronics are trashed rather than recycled. Compounding the problem is this: Some supposed recyclers have been shown to be fraudulent. Instead of stripping down computers and phones to their constituent parts for reuse, they were dumping much of the waste in third-world nations, where the poor were left to pick through for valuable bits, exposing themselves to toxic pollution in the process.

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends using only e-cyclers certified by one of two third-party groups, e-Stewards or R2 (which stands for "responsible recycling"). Be aware that two prominent watchdogs on this issue, Basel Action Network and Electronics Takeback Coalition, back the e-Stewards program but loudly criticize the R2 program. (Everyone agrees that a recycler claiming to be legit based on an "EPA number" is not presenting adequate credentials.)

At least 25 states have e-waste laws to compel responsible recycling, and several retailers and manufacturers, like Dell and Best Buy, have been praised by advocates for their efforts to boost e-waste recycling rates. Congress is considering new legislation to tighten e-waste export restrictions, and both advocates and many prominent retailers and manufacturers are strongly in favor of it.

Remember, before you recycle, consider reuse. While that television or desktop computer may no longer be of use to use, it may well be of use to others. Look for opportunities to donate your devices, give them away using services like Freecycle, or try to trade them for cash; many computers and phones can be traded in or sold. No matter how you dispose of your used electronics, clear private data thoroughly and discontinue any service contracts before handing it over. When you buy new devices, complete the circle by looking for products made from recycled materials, like the Samsung Replenish.

For sushi lovers concerned about mercury contamination, the Sierra Club has developed Safe Sushi, a new free app for smart phones that can help consumers determine the pollution levels in their favorite fish.

The app won't tell you if the fish you're enjoying is sustainably harvested, another key concern for green consumers, but it will help you keep a potent toxic substance out of your body. Mercury, released primarily from burning coal, rains down into the environment and contaminates fish. People are exposed primarily through eating seafood, and the health effects, particularly on developing children (pregnant women and nursing mothers take note), can be severe, including permanent reductions in IQ. Brain damage, in other words.

To check out the app, visit the Android Market or iTunes.

This holiday season, cut down on waste and save resources by choosing recycled and alternative fiber paper for your gift-wrapping needs.

During the holidays, Americans will send nearly 2 billion cards and use more than 38,000 miles of ribbon. Then there's gift wrap. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's, the average American household increases its trash output by 25%, resulting in 5 million extra tons of garbage. According to the Carnegie Mellon Green Practices initiative, "If every American family wrapped just three presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields."

So what to do? Instead of buying any old wrapping paper, pick up some made from recycled paper or alternative, tree-free fibers like hemp. You'll be surprised how beautiful new designs are. Options include offerings from Smith & Hawken, Paporganics, Of The Earth and Fish Lips Paper Designs.

Or, get a little crafty and repurpose what you have around the house. Wrap presents in old posters, magazine and newspaper pages or paper bags. Decorate those with your own colors and designs for a fun, personal touch. You can also use reusable cloth gift bags, now sold by companies such as Lucky Crow.

Related: 11 Ways to Save Trees ... Without Planting One

At no time do American mailboxes fill up with more catalogs and coupons than around the holidays. Do the planet, and yourself, a favor and get your name off direct mail lists. It's been estimated that we use as much as 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water to produce junk mail for just one year. Each American household received an estimated 850 catalogs, credit card solicitations and other junk mail.

You can stop 75% of all junk mail by registering for the Mail Preference Service on the Direct Marketing Association Website. For a fee of $1, they will help remove your name and address from prospective mailing lists. Be patient, as it may take up to 90 days for most mail to stop. But you will be glad you did.

You may also want to check out SlotGuard, which can help stop phone books as well as junk mail.

And, the newest option is the Stop Mail envelope from Catalog Choice. For $6.75, you can stuff junk mail into it, send it to Catalog Choice and the company will communicate to the senders to stop the unwanted mail.

Related: 18 Simple Ways to Go Green While Decluttering Your Home

The Green Good Housekeeping Seal was introduced in 2009 with the goal of testing the green marketing claims of the many supposedly eco-friendly products on the market and "set a mainstream bar for consumers who want to live a greener lifestyle." Like its venerable predecessor, the Good Housekeeping Seal, the green seal comes with a limited guarantee that the product works as promised — and that it meets green criteria for sustainability and safety. Good Housekeeping backs up its testing with a limited two-year warranty that promises a refund or replacement if the product is defective.

The Good Housekeeping Research Institute has released its first-ever assessments of paper products, and several products have earned the seal: TENA Overnight Pads and TENA Super Long Pads, both products for women with weakened bladders; Scotts Naturals Bath Tissues, a toilet paper; and Pampers Cruisers, a diaper.

Products are considered on a range of sustainability criteria, including use of recycled content, avoidance of toxic chemicals, and reduction of energy use during manufacturing. The environmental programs of the company that makes the products is also a factor in green-seal consideration.

Paper is only the latest category of products to be considered for the Green Good Housekeeping Seal. Other product categories include beauty; cleaning; paint and coatings; food; and electronics and appliances.

Select ground transportation, instead of rush delivery, for your mailing needs and cut down on fossil fuel use and pollution.

In our harried society, it's easy to forget about Mom's birthday, or when the mortgage payment is due, until the last minute. But try to avoid overnight shipping, which burns the most fossil fuels per item. In fact, ground shipping tends to be six times more energy efficient than air.

Also, because airplanes release their greenhouse gases way up in the atmosphere, they tend to do more damage than gases emitted at ground level, at least as far as global warming is concerned.

Avoiding overnight delivery will also save you a bundle of money, since companies add a hefty price for the service.