How can someone of limited means help the environment?

You don't need to buy anything or spend anything to help the environment. YOu can do little things. I have a calico bag that I take with me for my groceries so I'm not using plastic bags. A compost bin or even a small, compact worm farm is great for getting rid of food scraps and creates excellent rich soil for your garden. Try to grow as many things as you can. Even in limited spaces you can grow some amazing plants - some vegetables grow very well on patios or in pots. The more you can grow, the less you need to buy, which means you're not paying for farmers to send huge polluting trucks out across the country to supermarkets to supply your vegetables. Recycle anything you can think of. I shred newspapers and add them to my compost heap. I return soda cans and bottles to be re-cycled. Turn down the thermostat on your water heater. Set your heating control to slightly lower temps. If you get cool, grab a blanket and use it as an excuse to cuddle up to the rest of the family. Set your air-con to slightly higher temps. Use a clothes line to dry laundry instead of a clothes dryer. Turn off any lights that aren't in use. Turn off appliances at the switch - not on stand-by. TVs on stand-by still use quite a lot of electricity. I use a rainwater tank to collect water from my roof. I use rainwater to water my gardens, to wash my car or wash the dog and to wash the floors. It takes my kitchen sink 1 gallon of cold water to run through until the water is hot enough to fill the sink with hot water. I keep an empty ice-cream tub handy and collect that 1 gallon of cold water before the water warms up. This goes out on the garden rather than flushed down the sink uselessly. If you don't have your own yard, ask your local council area or government department if they have an environmental reserve area for tree planting. Then plant some trees. I can think of plenty more things, but I've written long enough ;)

There are many sites where you can sign online petitions to help the environment. One of the most comprehensive web sites that tries to make a difference is care2.com You can find petitions from many domains: environment, social causes, health and so on.

Oh man! There are so many things that you can do to go green without spending a dime. In fact you could actually save money and everyone loves that right!? Here are some ideas I can think of right off the top of my head: Always turn of the faucet while brushing your teeth instead of letting the water run. If you are picking up something from the store and you can carry it without a bag, pass on the bag. Re-use empty containers like sour cream or butter containers as tubberware or if you do not want to that then just recycle them. Start a compost pile for those banana peels and the like. Walk to where you need to go or if it is too far ride a bike or carpool. Plant a tree or two.

Killjoy is right there is a lot you can do without spending a dime. The same thing you can do brushing your teeth as Killjoy suggested you can do with your shower. We used to call them Navy showers because when you're on a military ship you have to conserve water. Turn on the shower, get all wet, soap up, turn off the water, scrub up, then turn the water back on just long enough to rinse off. Turn your thermostat down and wear warmer clothes inside in the winter. Line dry your laundry in the fresh air (when possible) If you use a dishwasher turn the heat dry cycle off. Recycle everything you possibly can. When you're out and about and you see trash on the ground, pick it up. Volunteer. There are lots of organizations that can use the help, and lots of events to actively do things to help the environment.