It's Not Easy Being Green...

I have to admit it--Al Gore scared the @#$% out of me with An Inconvenient Truth. But like many people, it's been difficult to incorporate that fear into positive action. I don't buy sustainable and/or organic products, I don't recycle as much as I should and I know I waste far too much water...Heck, I felt guilty a couple of months ago when my blow dryer crapped out on me and I had to toss it out. What was I to do? I have no skill in fixing electronics, and getting it repaired would most likely cost far more than a replacement. And then there's the fact that it's not biodegradable--so it's just adding to our growing landfill problem.

Still, I don't tool around in an oversized, gas-guzzling SUV. In fact, I walk most everywhere so I don't drive much at all. My 14 year-old Mazda has less than 90 thousand miles on it. And I save plastic bottles and cans for the little old guy who comes around and rummages in dumpsters. That way I feel I'm doing two good deeds at the same time by recycling via him. But I know I could do more...

This past Monday was "Blog Action Day" which brought attention to blogs and bloggers that are focused on the environment, climate change, and sustainability. Such as The Lazy Environmentalist--which appeals to me for obvious reasons. Or GreenDimes which also provides simple tips on easy ways to adjust the way we live to be in better harmony with our environment.

The GreenDimes website and companion blog's main focus is the elimination of junk mail--and the planting of trees. Since they launched a little over a year ago, they have reduced junk mail output by over TWO MILLION pounds, planted or saved over 300,000 trees and saved almost 6 million gallons of water. That's pretty damn impressive! Now, if they could only do something about spam e-mail...