Living in California has definitely opened my eyes to the importance of being conscious of our impact on the environment – from the amount of electric vehicles you spot on the streets to the additional fee you’re charged if you forget to bring your reusable grocery bag, it seems like everyone in San Francisco is making an effort to go green.

But sometimes being eco-friendly can seem a bit intimidating and instead of feeling guilty every time you’re at the gas station or confused when faced with a compost bin, I wanted to share 5 little ways you can be greener in your everyday life:

BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug): If you’re a serious coffee drinker like I am, bringing your own reusable coffee mug to your local coffee shop can really make a big difference and eliminate the waste of paper to go cups. Try keeping a coffee thermos stashed in your bag or car so you’re always set and look for dishwasher safe options to make cleanup easy on yourself.

Bike Commute: Look for opportunities to ride a bike over hopping in the car – from riding to the office to running errands on the weekend, a bike can be a great way to get your day’s exercise in, skip the hassle of finding a parking spot AND reduce your own carbon footprint.

Shop the Farmer’s Market: The shorter the distance your food has to travel to you, the better it is for the planet. Shopping your local farmer’s market or buying direct from local farm (or growing your own!) means your food will be fresher and more flavorful, being harvested at its peak rather than spending time sitting on a truck and grocery store shelves.

Ditch Bottled Water: It’s time to forget bottled water for good! Easily filter tap water with a Brita or CamelBak water filter pitcher and grab a reusable water bottle for hydration on the go, or even make your own sparkling water with a SodaStream. Mother Nature AND your recycling bin will thank you!

Try PG&E’s Home Energy Checkup Tool: If you’re a PG&E customer, PG&E has created a new tool that makes it so simple to do a little checkup on your home energy consumption and get tips on how to lower your energy bill and reduce energy waste throughout your home. The Home Energy Checkup tool takes only 5 minutes and offers a peek into how much energy your appliances are using and the little things you’re doing around your house that may be raising your energy bill each month (I definitely need to get better about turning off lights after I leave the room!)

Anyone else making more of an effort lately to go green? What are some of the little things you’re doing to be more eco-friendly?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of PG&E. The opinions and text are all mine.