Here are some simple ways I have found to help our planet
and all its creatures:  I know there are many other ways, but
a lot of them (such as buying a hybrid vehicle) are just not
affordable for me, right now.   No, I am not a granola eating
hippie, I am just trying to be rational:

  • Eat locally grown, mostly vegetarian, organic or
    minimal impact foods
  • Eat less!  
  • Bring drinking water from home
  • Grow your own--we have space for a garden and
    enjoy it LOTS---if you don't have garden space, you
    can enjoy fresh sprouts in your kitchen window
  • REDUCE consumption---I don't do much shopping at
    all, and when I do shop, I combine trips
  • BUY PRE-OWNED, whether your next home, vehicle,
    or book.  Pre-owned usually works just fine, and
    sometimes is even better than new!
  • REUSEand REDUCE PACKAGING by refilling bottles
    for shampoo, cooking oils, and buying in bulk
  • COMBINE TRIPS and have a neighbor come along,
    you'll get to know each other better too!
  • USE MASS TRANSIT if you can
  • RETHINK vehicle purchases:  if you think that buying
    a $35K hybrid vehicle is going to save gas, think of
    the larger picture:  your OLD vehicle is merely going
    to be used by some other person.....unless you know
    that it will go directly to the junk/parts yard, buying a
    new vehicle is just adding to more, new consumption.  
    The idea is to REDUCE manufacturing of new
    vehicles (and reduce their transport across the seas,
    etc).  Keeping your OLD vehicle well maintained
    might actually be "greener" than buying a new one
    every few years.
  • SHOWER LESS, do an old fashioned sponge bath
    instead, it will take a few days for your skin and hair
    to adjust, but unless you're a teenager, it's actually
    better for you to not submit to the drying effects of
    too many showers (not to worry---I do plan my
    showers to take place before every performance)
  • FLUSH LESS especially if you have older toilets
  • ADJUST THERMOSTAT for cooler in winter and
    warmer in summer..... we use wool blankets, sweaters
    and slippers in the winter, and a fan in every room
    during summer.  
  • COMPOST kitchen scraps, leftover foods, shredded
    papers---we dig ours directly into the garden soil,
    enriching it, eliminating the need for chemical
    fertilizers, and reducing need for watering
  • GO NON-ELECTRIC  think of new ways to not use
    any electricity....maybe it is as simple as not having
    the lights on, everywhere in the house, or only having
    one TV set, period   
  • Best of all, HIRE LIVE STRING MUSIC instead of
    electric instruments such as DJ's... Our instruments
    were made a couple hundred years ago (reduce,
    reuse, recycle) and require absolutely NO electricity!  
    They are powered by human beings, not nuclear
    power plants, and you are supporting the local
    Minnesota economy too!
  • I'd love to hear from you about how you are doing
    your part to reduce/reuse/recycle, email me your
    suggestions.  THANKS!