going green?

the whole "green movement" has always peaked my interest and i would love to be more environmentally aware and have a smaller ecological footprint. you can find your footprint online, here, which i had done in college, and completed again today. My footprint is "21" - we would need 4.7 planets if everyone lived like me...[and i'm sure most people DO]. when i was younger [like, 12], i envisioned myself driving [like at age 17 or 18] some stupid looking solar-powered car that i couldn't be in when it got dark. i didn't want that. now, i realize, obviously i would be able to drive a "solar powered car" after dark, but also i wish so bad that i didn't have to pay these crazy gas prices and could have an anything-but-gas powered car.

i would love for it to be easier to be "green". magazines i read talk all about using light and solar energy to power their homes, using recycled materials, public transportation, energy efficient appliances...but for me, that's not really very realistic [or affordable]. however, there are some things i'm sure i could do to make a difference.

i stumbled across The Daily Green website which has a bunch of cool and easy things you can do to "go green". you can sign up for their newsletter by email as well.

here's a list of some things i can think of that are easy, and some i got from the website.

1. recycle. recycle. recycle. i'm not sure how much of a difference it would make, but it would at least help me to feel better to not toss every sheet of paper i don't need at work in the trash, or shove every plastic bottle in the garbage. i would also like to use recycled paper more, as well as other recycled materials [we have a lot of panel fabrics at work that are made from recycled fabric - one is made from recycled pop bottles or something.]
   
2. drive less or carpool. this is something that is possible for me, but out of probably selfish needs, i don't do. i could drive with my dad to work and home, but so often i don't go home right after work, so there's a problem.
3. Project Switch - switching your inefficient incandescent light bulbs. i don't really know much about this but i found it here on EarthDay.net.
4. pay bills online. how simple is this? i do it anyway, now just make sure you aren't getting the paper bills sent to your house as well.
5. eat produce from local growers. this seems fairly simple, as long as you can find where to get the produce.
   
6. "fill the fridge" - keeping it full helps it run to its max capacity.
7. "power shower" - take a 5 minute shower. this may be somewhat difficult [for those of us with long hair], but i'd say it's doable every so often.
   

Greenroom Eco [sold at Target stores] creates "environmentally friendly" paper products. Not much on their website, but i have a clipboard in the bottom red pattern made from recycled cardboard, and it's pretty cool! i have to get to Target to check out more things, then i can take some pics of that.

Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22nd. What can you do?