( Oprah.com ) -- You can become a part of the fight against global warming . Former Vice President Al Gore shares the five things you can buy now that will help solve the climate crisis -- and save you a few bucks ! Plus , more of his easy going green tips ! Former Vice President Al Gore speaks onstage during Live Earth New York at Giants Stadium on July 7 . Five things you can buy . 1 . Compact fluorescent lightbulbs . These energy-efficient bulbs cost less than $ 4 and are produced by major corporations like GE . If every household in America switched five regular light bulbs for five fluorescent bulbs , it would be the equivalent of taking 1 million cars off the highways for a full year . 2 . Outdoor solar lighting . These yard or patio lights cost less than $ 20 , and they do n't burn any electricity or produce any CO2 . 3 . Programmable thermostats . Though these thermostats cost from $ 50 to $ 100 , they can actually cut your heating and cooling costs . Set the setting so it 's a little bit cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer when you 're not in the house . A difference of 2 degrees can reduce a home 's CO2 emissions by up to 9 percent over the course of a year . 4 . Air filters . Changing the air filters in your heating and cooling systems regularly can knock 2 percent off of your CO2 output each year . 5 . Electric water heater blanket . Water heaters use a lot of energy and generate a lot of CO2 . A blanket costs less than $ 18 and can cut your home 's CO2 emissions by almost 4½ percent . Keep green in mind ! Gore says that when you 're shopping for major home appliances , look for the Energy Star label . `` This is a signal that you 're getting an environmentally efficient appliance that 's going to save you money at the same time , '' he says . During a simple trip to the grocery store , you make hundreds of decisions that can have real environmental impacts . With just a few easy changes , you can make a positive difference in the world . Instead of regular aluminum foil or plastic wrap , buy recycled aluminum foil . It uses just 1/20th of the energy needed to produce regular foil . Look for items without extensive packaging . Most food packaging material uses some petroleum-based plastic . There are several ways to cut down on the energy and waste this produces . Look for minimally or unpackaged items instead . Experiment with bringing your own packaging or buying in bulk . Purchase brands that use bio-based instead of petroleum-based plastic . Recycle or reuse packaging materials you end up having to buy . Bring a cloth bag to the grocery store instead of using its plastic bags . An estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year . That 's 1 million bags used per minute . And , according to the EPA , more than 380 billion of those are discarded in the United States . Less than 1 percent of those are actually recycled . Instead , these bags will clog landfills , create litter , choke streams and harm marine wildlife , like whales , seals and sea turtles . Buy local and organic . Buying seasonal , locally produced food helps in a number of ways . Most food travels 1,500 miles from `` farm to fork . '' But buying local food drastically reduces the energy spent on food shipping . Local goods also tend to use minimal packaging , are fresher and come in more varieties . The best place to track down local food is at your local farmers ' markets or through the Community Supported Agriculture Department . Farmers who grow produce organically use less fossil fuel and release fewer greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere . Organic farming is better for the land , for the farmers and for the consumers . E-mail to a friend . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. All Rights Reserved .
Former Vice President Al Gore says easy things can help climate . The former vice president said the U.S. should focus on reducing carbon emissions and not trying to stop global warming by cutting down trees. Buying local , organic produce reduces energy use . Look for Energy Star label on new appliances .