Jessica Biel’s good deeds seem largely about saving animals, not the planet. She’s well-known for her support of PETA and other pet and wildlife organizations. And her first short film as a producer, Hole in the Paper Sky, carries a strong animal rights message.

But this glam-girl, who made it big on TV’s “7th Heaven” and in films including The Illusionist, has done some work on the green front too. In describing her life’s work on her MySpace page, she lists “environmentalist” right up there with “actor and producer.” She’s using her page to plug eco-passions like the Make the Difference Network she founded with her dad to “make a positive impact on the planet.” She earned a green thumbs-up from The Daily Green for carrying Anya Hindmarch’s “I’m Not a Plastic Bag” to farmers’ markets. And lately, Jessica and beau Justin Timberlake have both been singing the praises of a consumer eco-tips guide called The Green Book.

Yet in this time when eco-activism is practically a prerequisite for stardom, we wondered how green Jessica Biel really is in her everyday life. Here’s our Q&A.

Q: What’s the nerdiest green thing you do at home?

JB: I use CamelBaks and drink tap water. I recycle religiously, but I’m trying to minimize even the amount of recycling we generate in my house. Did you know that more than 60 million plastic bottles end up in landfills and incinerators every day — 22 billion last year?

I’m also trying to use less water. Old habits die hard, but if all Americans turned off the water when brushing our teeth, we could save up to 1.5 billion gallons a year.

How else are you walking your talk as an environmentalist?

If we really want to make changes, we will all have to make a personal commitment.  My producing partner, Michelle Purple, and I intend to run environmentally sound productions and earmark a portion of any earnings from our projects for environmentally focused initiatives.

Do you nag friends and family to go greener?

I do my fair share of reminding people, especially when they are in my house! Ask my dad about the mini-lectures he’s gotten from me and my roommates if he doesn’t use the proper recycling procedures!

What’s your best idea for saving the planet?

With the price of gas and its environmental impact escalating, and its availability dwindling, we have more reasons than ever to investigate alternative forms of energy and transportation. We’ve already made some great advances. While we look for even better technologies, let’s start making hybrid cars more affordable to the average car buyer!

What are three things you think are go-green no-brainers?

One, change your light bulbs. The Green Book says that if every American family changed out just five regular light bulbs with more energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, we could keep more than 1 trillion pounds of greenhouse gases out of the air.

Two, no plastic. And three, recycle everything!

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