If you don't yet have a New Year's resolution of your own, here's one to consider: making your home a more environmentally sustainable place to live - and living a more sustainable life in it. Here are some tips to help you do just that, starting today and into 2013.

Be discerning about the products you bring into your home and where they come from. Become a "locavore" - buy locally produced food at farmers' markets, for example. Before buying something for your home, be it a cleaning product or decorative accessory, ask yourself a few questions: Does this product have minimal packaging? Is it made from naturally sourced ingredients? Is it made from sustainable/eco-friendly materials?

Conserve water. Install low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and toilet tank water-displacement devices. Don't use use your toilet as an ashtray or garbage can. Don't let water run excessively while rinsing dishes or vegetables, brushing teeth, or shaving. Don't let clean water escape down the drain while waiting for it to warm - collect it for watering plants, for example. Turn your shower off while you lather up. Run your dishwasher and washing machine only when fully loaded.

Conserve energy. Swap incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent ones. Prevent "phantom power" loss: use "smart" power strips, which automatically cut power completely to devices that are "off". Install a programmable thermostat so you can automatically adjust your home's temperature while you're sleeping and at work, for example. Run your dishwasher and do laundry during off-peak hours. Use cold water instead of hot whenever possible (e.g. when washing clothes).

Go paperless. Register to receive your bills and bank statements online, and pay bills by phone or Internet; many companies now charge a fee to send you paper, so you might save money every month by going electronic too. Think about how you can replace paper (and save money in the process!) in all rooms of your home - for example, use washcloths and fabric napkins instead of paper towels and napkins.

Compost your yard and/or kitchen waste. Whether you have a big compost bin in your backyard, a worm bin (also known as a "vermicomposter") on your balcony or patio, a motorized under-sink composter, a decorative countertop "crock"-style composter with replaceable carbon filter, or you simply collect your kitchen scraps in freezer bags and drop them off when you visit your local farmers' market, there's a way to compost no matter what type of home you live in.

Be conscientious about how you rid your home of stuff you no longer want. Divert as much as you can away from landfills by recycling and donating reusable items to charitable organizations. From paint to old cell phones, packing peanuts to motor oil, you'd be surprised to learn just how much of your trash can be turned into someone else's treasure just by doing a little homework.