Little Things

A lot of people get intimidated when they think about "going green," or "being an environmentalist," or "caring about the earth and not killing everything on it with our big, stupid feet." They think they can't afford a hybrid car, or they can't take the bus every day to work because a) their town doesn't have a bus stop; b) there is a bus stop, but there's only one and it's across town; or c) there is a robust transit system with many stops but each and every bus in the fleet always seems populated with odd, hobbit-like people.

Well, look, you. You don't have to feel bad about things like this. Everyone has obstacles to overcome in their lives, some are big and some are small but they're all relative to you. Remember when you first learned to drive? That was a big thing, back then, but looking back the act of driving is really quite easy. That's why you do so much of it, after all. You really should stop that. Anyway, making a change to a green lifestyle is just another part of your life where you might encounter big and small challenges, and like any other time, it's often best to tackle the small ones first.

The following are some things I'm working on in my own life, and I'd encourage you to give them a try, too. See how you like it.

1) This winter, turn the thermostat down one degree at a time over a period of an hour or so and see how low you can get it before you become uncomfortably cold. We all have different body temperatures, so there's really no right number to shoot for. But maybe all this time you've been using up more energy on your heat than you needed to, and this is a good way to find out. In the summertime, do the same thing but turning the temperature up one degree at a time. See how hot it can get before you can't take it anymore.

2) When you get up in the morning, if the sun is already up don't immediately start turning on lights around the house. Get out of bed and just see how much you can do throughout your day with just the sunlight coming in through the windows. I bet you'll be surprised at how much the sunlight really does illuminate. And not only will you be saving yourself a lot of money on electricity costs, but all that sunlight is going to make you feel great--unless your albino, in which case you might want to skip this experiment altogether.

3) Try to start combining trips in the car. Instead of going to the store in the morning, then going out later to rent a movie, make a list of everything you'll need that day and just make one trip. Little by little you might notice some savings in gas spending. But what you might not notice is the amount of CO2 you're not spitting into the atmosphere with all that driving around.

4) When you're ready, make a trip to your local organic grocer and just browse; don't buy, just see what they have. Maybe you'll be surprised to find some actual "normal" food there; it's not all wheat grass and soy beans. Then you might just find something that sounds good, and end up introducing yourself to a new diet.

5) Visit sites like BigGreenCity.com or listen to the podcasts available at TheLazyEnvironmentalist.com. Both are great resources for getting your feet wet in the comfort of your own home, and getting educated on issues and solutions involving environmentalism and sustainable-living. The most important thing is learning, because if you don't know how you can help, how can you help? I'd also encourage you to check out Bridging the Gap's website. It may seem like a lot to take in, but look over it at your own pace and you are sure to take away some valuable information.

6) Finally, keep a journal or a blog like this one that will let you keep track of your little accomplishments and look back over them with pride. Accountability is important, but so is a feeling of achievement. Maybe even keep a running tally of the amount of CO2 or electricity you've saved, if you've got access to that information. Whatever helps you keep on track, do it. You owe it to yourself and your neighbors--both human and otherwise!

If you conquer all of these little steps, then maybe it's time to move on to something bigger. Think of something you never thought you'd be able to accomplish as far as living the green lifestyle, like purchasing a hybrid vehicle, and set that as a goal. First, research which make and model is right for you (HybridCars.com is probably the best resource), then figure out how long it will take you to save up the money. If it's 6 months or 5 years, it doesn't matter. Make a plan and stick with it. After all, isn't long-term planning sort of what the eco-lifestyle is all about?