Labor Day Weekend is just around the corner -- and with it, the football and tailgating season in the United States.

It's an annual ritual: head out to the game, break out the barbecue, and enjoy an afternoon with friends and family. There's no need to skip the fun, even if you're trying to live more lightly and be kinder to the Earth. With all the green options available to consumers these days, you can tailgate with the best of them and still leave behind a modest environmental footprint.

Just to make the point, we've rounded up a few ideas for an eco-friendly tailgating party. Click through to read the article and get started. Because green's got game.

No, it's not your imagination. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are already getting shorter -- by almost two minutes each day, depending on your latitude.

It all adds up. This time next month, most commuters will be returning home by twilight. Summer activities will be at an end, and we'll all be spending more time indoors.

Lighting typically represents about 25% of a home's overall energy use. A 1997 study found, perhaps unsurprisingly, that homes use 50% more power for lighting in the darker months than the rest of the year. This means that making adjustments now can payoff both in lower annual energy bills and in a reduced environmental footprint for your household.

Ready to lighten your autumn lighting needs? Click through for three ideas to get you started.

EcoGeek of the week is a guest column written by Hank Green of EcoGeek. 

A year ago when we saw an article at MAKE: on how to make a fuel cell out of a band aid we knew we had to get in touch with this guy. Gavin D.J. Harper is a frequent contributor to EcoGeek and has written several books in McGraw Hill's "Evil Genius" series.

Most recently, Gavin completed "50 Solar Power Projects for the Evil Genius." The book, filled with projects on how to harness the sun for your own personal gain was forwarded by Willie Nelson and has been sitting on my nightstand for the last few days. We're happy to have Gavin as this week's ecogeek of the week. Read the whole article for a look at our solar-powered future.

Don't think of it as autumn. Think of it as nature's little hint to get composting.

Fall is just around the corner -- and with it, an ample supply of carbon-rich leaves to stock your compost pile. Rather than sending them to the landfill, why not set them aside to improve next season's soil?

Leaves count as "brown" bulk in a compost heap. They're half the equation: you'll need a roughly equal amount of nitrogen-bearing "greens," as well. Green material includes grass clippings and most forms of vegetable waste from your kitchen. Mix the two together with a little water, air, and sunshine, and you're set to improve next season's soil -- while reducing your household's output of solid waste.

Read through for tips on getting started.