Read part I of our Sustainable Home Makeover.
Read part III of our Sustainable Home Makeover.

As the first decade of the 21st century reaches its halfway mark, the US population continues to gradually make changes toward everyday sustainable and organic living. Simple decisions, like eating organic food grown by local farmers, or buying organic coffee and tea grown by independent farmers in third world countries, support and promote cultural diversity.

The second installment of our series includes five easy tips with big benefits.

If you're like most OrganicAuthority.com readers, you've made a commitment to living an organic lifestyle. But does your eco-friendly mindset extend to your job?

The American workplace needs an organic "tune-up" when it comes to managing daily supplies and materials. We love to buy "stuff"-and we routinely throw it away (preferably sorted and placed in the appropriate recycling bins). But is your company truly dedicated to going green? Does your boss realize that being eco-friendly incurs no additional costs-and actually saves money (from hard costs to tax write-offs)? Do your employer and coworkers understand that your company can be fined for improper equipment disposal?

Here are some tips from the experts on organic office etiquette. Share them with your coworkers and employer so your workplace-and the world-can profit from going green.

Admit it: You're a beauty product junkie. Your eyes light up every time you spot a new organic soap, cleanser, body wash, lotion, body scrub or bath salts in a magazine advertisement or in-store product display.

But as we all know, bath and beauty products can put a crimp in your budget-especially if you like to share your latest finds with friends and relatives when gift-giving time rolls around. (Check out the Lemon-Brown Sugar Body Scrub below.)

Here are some great spa "recipes" for creating do-it-yourself organic beauty treatments. They're fast, simple and, best of all, easy on the pocketbook. We recommend using certified organic ingredients in all recipes to minimize your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals, toxins and preservatives. Remember: What you put on your skin will be absorbed by your body, so why take chances?

In a recent print ad for Pedigree dog food, a pudgy bulldog lists his New Year's resolutions:

1. Make up with postman.
2. Give cats a chance.
3. Lose a few pounds.

Unfortunately, this committed canine stands a better chance of achieving his goals than the average human, who has likely thrown in the towel by now. Researchers have found that while 40%-50% of us make resolutions on Jan. 1-a ritual that has existed since ancient times-a whopping 60%-80% of us surrender within a few months.

Most resolutions fail because they're overreaching and unrealistic. The No. 1 New Year's resolution comes as no surprise: to lose weight. And most of us experience dismal results because we place ourselves on restrictive-and potentially dangerous-diets that leave us feeling deprived.

Here are some resolutions you can really keep to stay fit-and they'll allow you to adopt or maintain an organic lifestyle.

Read part II of our Sustainable Home Makeover.
Read part III of our Sustainable Home Makeover.

This is the first installment in our series on "How To Gradually Makeover a Conventional Home into a Sustainable Home." If you follow our simple tips, over time you can begin to reap the rewards of simple living and reduce your impact on the environment by making easy changes in your everyday life.

I have gradually made effortless modifications in my daily routine. One doesn't need to throw out the baby with the bathwater and commit a lot of time and money when moving toward a more sustainable and organic lifestyle. You can start by simply replacing the items you run out of with products that are people and environmentally friendly. This is how I've done it; it's extremely easy and it's also saved me money. Here are five effortless tips and it couldn't be easier to get started.