I read an article a few days ago in the NY Times about living green. Instead of feeling inspired, I came away feeling kind of defeated. So often, when we read about zealots — people who take our little ideas and turn them into big, dramatic action — we feel, well, kind of pathetic. Sometimes it seems like it’s just too hard to live in a way that doesn’t end up dooming our planet, so we give up even trying.

But then I was intrigued by this final thought:

“What does a life with less energy look like?” she said. “It’s fun to try to get the most out of the least. It’s like a party game.”

So instead of seeing it as a chore, let’s approach this as a game. Everyday I challenge myself and my children to treat the world with greater care and respect.

Here are the small steps I have taken, along with my family, to minimize our impact on the environment:

1. WASHING IN COLD WATER: I am using cold water Tide and washing whites and colors in cold. Proctor and Gamble are clients of my husband’s and he told me once how frustrating it is for them trying to change the habits of consumers because we are as stubborn as donkeys! Apparently, cold water Tide washes whites IN COLD WATER just as well as in hot water. Yeah! Also, you can use a lot less.
2. RE-USING PLASTIC: I am rinsing out my ziploc bags. As long as you have somewhere to dry them, this works just fine.
3. CUTTING DOWN ON LAUNDRY: I go through the hamper and take OUT the clothes that do not look or smell dirty.
4. LOWER THE HEAT: This will be hard to keep up once it gets really cold, but we’re keeping the thermostat at 63 degrees this year. Kevin chopped tons of wood and we will start using fires more regularly to heat the house.
5. RETIRING THE GAS GUZZLER: We have an ancient Landcruiser that we love. This year, it’s going into retirement.
6. REPLACING LIGHTBULBS: The incandescent bulbs are much nicer these days, and it’s not so hard to get used to their light. You won’t believe how much less frequently you have to change them. Save money, save energy!
7. DOUBLE-SIDED PRINTING: In writing my novel, 400 + pages long, I have probably used 5,000 realms of paper. To minimize waste, I single space when printing and re-use the back side of paper to print revised drafts.
8. TAKING THE TRAIN: I can either drive and park for $11 or take a train and pay $10 for the tickets. The train is restful and low stress. I read the whole way, and my little walk through the streets of Boston to the office is invigorating.
9. RE-USING STYROFOAM COFFEE CUPS: Easy–this one’s a no-brainer.
   
10. USE ALL LEFT OVERS: I know people who never keep left-overs, and to me that seems outrageous. We just had the most delicious and nutritious chicken soup last night that my husband made from the chicken bones left over from our roast the day before. Felt like a free meal… and no waste!

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