Top 5 Green Tips for Labor Day

This weekend is Labor Day weekend, which for most people means a day off, lots of hamburgers and the symbolic end of summer. However, whether you're hosting a party, taking a trip or just sitting around the house Labor Day can also be a great time to go green.

Here are the top five tips to make your Labor Day a little more green this year:

• Prepare your home for winter – The extra time off is the perfect time to get your house ready for the upcoming cold weather. Potential projects include changing air filters, closing any vents in unused rooms, upgrading your home's insulation, installing radiant barrier, caulking windows and doors and installing a programmable thermostat.

• Cook with green energy – Instead of non-natural charcoal and lighter fluid, try cooking with propane, natural gas, natural charcoal or just plain old wood with a chimney starter. The chemicals in non-natural charcoal and lighter fluid pollute more and may emit VOCs.

• Use real plates – While they can be tempting, it's much easier on the earth to skip the paper and plastic plates, utensils and napkins by serving your food with reusable items.

• Carpool – Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest weekends as far as traffic is concerned. Whether you're taking a trip with family or just heading over to a friend's house for a barbecue, see if you can carpool to reduce your carbon footprint. If you're hosting a party, try to arrange a carpooling scheme for your friends.

• Serve green food – An easy way to make your festivities more eco-friendly is by serving local, organic and seasonal food. In early September, foods in season include peppers, corn, berries, tomatoes, and onions. Shop at a farmers market to make sure your food is local and check to make sure the produce you are eyeing is organic.