Nassau County residents celebrated Earth Day on Tuesday by planting trees, buying local produce and vowing to live a greener life.

"People are starting to accept that global warming is a reality. It is hard, however, to focus on the melting of the polar ice cap when we have more immediate concerns like paying our mortgage and taxes or dropping the kids off at school or soccer practice," said Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi.

Suozzi initiated Green Levittown, attempting to make America's first suburb, America's first green suburb. Although there are some major lifestyle changes people can make to live a greener life, they are sometimes costly and overwhelming. So, start small.

Some tips that everyone can follow include: replace the incandescent light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent lights; replace old windows and insulation; keep plants in the house to filter the air; start a compost pile for food waste and use it as a nutrient-rich fertilizer; buy food in bulk to avoid excess packaging; donate old books to libraries or schools; use paper bags for groceries; use rechargeable batteries; make sure all faucets and toilets are in good repair and don't leak and turn off lights, air conditioners, etc. when leaving the house.

Eliminating unwanted junk mail is also an easy first step toward living greener. Check out www.catalogchoice.org, which is a free service that helps people unsubscribe to unwanted catalogs.

Buying local produce helps the environment and the local economy. Restoration Farm, formed by Daniel Holmes and Caroline Fanning, is a privately run, organic vegetable farm in Old Bethpage. "Organic is going mainstream, and as that happens, many people are becoming skeptical of its standards. There's just no way of knowing the truth about an organic apple shipped from thousands of miles away," said Holmes. "Buying locally grown food allows you to talk to the farmer and even visit the farm. You can see what's actually going on."

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Education also marked Earth Day by announcing a new Green Schools Challenge contest to bolster recycling in every school across the state.

The yearlong competition will determine what schools can do to recycle, promote and buy recycled products, reduce waste and toxics and conserve water and energy.

All public and private elementary, middle/junior high, and high schools that comply with their local recycling laws or are in compliance by Feb. 1, 2009 are eligible to apply. Prizes will be awarded in several categories, including some based on school size. The tentative goal is to announce winners on Earth Day 2009.

"Young people have often led the way for environmental change in America," said DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis. "It's crucial to connect them to the natural world and issues surrounding it because they are the environmental stewards of the future. This contest is one way to do that. We look forward to hearing about innovative ideas from New York schools."

"The Board of Regents and the State Education Department view this 'Green Schools' challenge as a wonderful opportunity to teach children about environmental stewardship while putting their lessons into action," said Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills. "We are committed to help promote sustainability and conservation at schools across New York State."

Recycling in New York State has come a long way in the 20 years since the passage of the state's Solid Waste Management Act. The municipal recycling rate has increased from just a few percentage points in 1987 to nearly 30 percent in 2005.

For more information on the competition and for an application, go to the "Green Schools" page on the DEC website: www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8803.html.