We love that the notion of cutting down waste has gone from something for the uber-frugal, to something we all want to do, both to save money, and make sure the earth as we know it is still here for our kids in years to come. After all, the little differences we all make individually can add up to big change, right?

So we’re happy to share some of our favorite ways to cut back on unnecessary waste, brought to you by our sponsors at Glad who seems to be thinking the very same thing these days–and doing some cool stuff to help us out in that department.

[photo above via]

1. Unsubscribe from unwanted catalogs
Catalog Choice is our first line of defense against those catalogs that go right from the mailbox into the recycling bin. Sign up and it really works! Another smart option: Green Dimes which promises to eliminate 90% of all unwanted solicitations. Or at least the ones that come in the mail.

2. Program your appliances
The future is here and it is green! We’re in love with energy-saving technology like the Belkin WeMo that lets you turn appliances on and off remotely–even from another country!–using just the device and your cell phone as a remote. It sure beats keeping the A/C on all weekend while you’re away, when you really only need it turned on a couple hours before you get home.

3. Skip the individually wrapped snack packs
We all know that buying in bulk is a great way to save, but sometimes we (guilty) opt for single-serving snacks for the kids because it’s easier to toss into a lunchbox. Instead, grab reusable snack containers– from fancy bentos to reusable sandwich bags to those simple plastic food containers in the supermarket– and just portion out those goldfish crackers or banana chips yourself. It only takes a few seconds longer.

4. Donate old cell phones
Please don’t toss all those outdated brick phones and unused cameras–the amount of chemicals in them is amazing. Instead, we’ve got 5 ways to recycle your tech, all of which are better than tossing them in the garbage.

5. Charge with solar power
We’re seeing so many more truly useable and affordable solar chargers cropping up lately, like the XD Design Solar Window Charger. Suction one to the window of your home or your car, and keep your phone and other small gadgets charged without spending a dime on electricity.

6. Recycle (duh)
We all know by now that recycling is the right thing to do, even if if it’s not always the easiest. Be sure to rinse out those jars and yogurt containers and set them aside, along with newspapers, cardboard boxes, egg cartons–you know the drill. If you don’t know where to find a recycling center in your area, Glad’s site can help with that.

7. Seek out products that you can use fewer of
Want to use less plastic? That’s getting easier these days. It’s nice to see big brands making changes that consumers are asking for, like the Glad ForceFlex bags, which stretch to hold more trash without tearing, meaning you’re using fewer bags all around. Also. . . taking fewer trips to the store. We’re all for that. Big time.

Thanks to our sponsor Glad for letting us share our own favorite ideas about cutting out waste.

Take small steps to reduce waste and earn a chance to win big. Sign up for the Glad® Trim Your Waste Program here.