Look up the word “garage” in the dictionary, and you’ll see some variation of the definition “an indoor area for parking/storing motor vehicles.” If only life were that simple. Chances are your garage contains much more than cars.

Today’s garage is used for storage, housing noisy appliances (washer/dryer) and maybe even shelter for surprise visitors. So while you’re cleaning the garage this summer, consider greening it as well.

1. Reuse Your Junk

The garage is where products go to collect dust. You don’t plan on using them, but you store them in a corner of the garage just in case. Sporting goods, books, old electronics? All these items can be reused by someone else so less new products are made.

They don’t call it a garage sale for nothing. If you moved all your junk from the garage out to the driveway for a sale, you may be surprised what gets sold. There’s also sites like Craigslist and Freecycle to help you out, as well as second-hand stores to get a tax write-off.

2. Check for Hazards

The garage is also a popular spot to store hazardous materials, such as paint, pesticides and household cleaners. If a fire breaks out in your garage, any of these products that are flammable can help it spread. When clearing out household hazardous waste (HHW), avoid the garbage can or the drain. Many states have either collection days or permanent collection sites to properly dispose of HHW; find one using Earth 911.

3. Pan for Oil

Whether or not you work on your own car, the garage is a great place for exposing leaks because your car is stationary for hours at a time. Place a pan underneath where you park and check it weekly for any fluids. If you’re leaking, take your car in and get it fixed so you aren’t leaving oil on the street.

4. Isolate the Garage Climate

The garage is probably one of your least insulated rooms in the house. It will be coldest in the winter, warmest in the summer. Minimize this impact by keeping any doors closed that connect the garage with your house. This will keep your energy costs down and use less resources on heating and air conditioning. Avoid building rooms over your garage if possible.

5. Monitor Garage Door Parts

Your garage door has two jobs: to open and to close when you push a button. But lots of individual parts go into this process. Check the springs, cables and rollers every few months for wear. If you see potential problems, call a repairman before you have a real problem and have to replace the entire door.

6. Chill Out Your Water Heater

Your water heater manufacturer should provide a recommended temperature for while you’re at home. But what about when you’re on vacation? Before you hop in the car for a trip, turn down your heater to the lowest setting to save energy. Just remember to adjust it once you get back, unless you like cold showers.

7. Think Energy-Efficient Entertainment

For some, the garage might replace a den as the room to get away and be entertained. Instead of featuring big screen TVs and video games that drain energy (and have difficulty handling extreme temperatures), what about a dartboard or a poker table? These are also more mobile in case you need room to park extra cars.

8. Make a Clean Sweep

Like it or not, your garage floor may accumulate leaves and other debris over time. While it may be quicker to clear these materials with a hose or a blower, why waste the water and energy? Use a broom to sweep them into the driveway. You can also collect yard debris and add it to your compost bin.

This story is part of Earth 911’s “Green Eight” series, where we showcase eight ways to green your life in various areas. Click here to see Earth 911’s “Green Eight” archive.

Trey Granger is a staff member at Earth911.com