Living a greener lifestyle

Chris and Mar's new website (can I link it yet?) is a delightful blog compiling information on living greener, healthier, and earth-friendlier... if I may sum it up thusly. I think it's awesome that we are slowly learning to embrace environmentally sound options in our lives. We live in a privileged part of the world and yet it's so easy to squander all of our resources, to waste when we could re-use, to harm the earth carelessly. It's sort of an interesting conundrum ... it's cheaper to use disposable stuff and to eat non-organic food... and although as one of the richest nations in the world, we have the ability to choose better options ... we usually don't. Our consumerist, get-things-cheaper attitude takes over. We complain about items made in China when they turn out to contain lead or are made of something disgusting, etc. But we usually won't bring ourselves to spend more to buy a locally made item or food product. The almighty dollar governs our lives. Of course, the less we spend now, the more it costs us in the future. Interesting how that works.

As the price of gas climbs ever upward, I find myself wondering how I can lessen my own impact on the earth. Unfortunately there is little I can do about my commute. There is no reasonable transit option and I can't carpool with anyone. I do try to drive the hybrid twice a week (and I am campaigning for hybrid #2 when we finish paying off the first one...) I can't work from home and what's worse, I often have to drive to and from various places while I'm already at work.

So... here are some small things I am trying to do - feel free to add suggestions!:

• pack a lunch - it means less packaging and it's healthier anyway (I'm doing my best!)
• lighten up on the gas pedal - it's more gas-efficient. And avoid idling!
• recycle, recycle, recycle. Ugh, this is a tough one sometimes. But after seeing some shows on landfills and what shouldn't be in them, I'm convinced!
  
• grow vegetables - well - this is just a dream for now.
  
• get a water meter at our new house - complete with low flow toilets and faucets and showerheads
• take shorter showers
• use reusable bags rather than plastic