HadashiWorld

1. get a collapsible tote bag, or some other cheap nylon or canvas-type bag. put it in the trunk of your car. oh come on, just stuff it in with all the other crap back there! now, every time you go shopping, use that for your groceries or merchandise instead of getting plastic or paper bags. it is amazing how many bags you WON'T use when you start doing this, and how much happier you'll be without having a squillion plastic sacks tumble out of your kitchen cabinet under the sink. you can't possibly need that many trash liners. (exception: doggie owners, i know you need poop sacks -- but you might want to check out this much more earth-friendly option. i have friends who swear by them.) the only trick is remembering to stuff the tote bag back into your random-crap-filled trunk before the next shopping trip, but you'll get the hang of it before long.
2. find your local farmer's market and buy yummy food stuff there. would i cringe if i went to the Big Grocery Store and dropped $25 on produce? heck, yeah. do i cringe when i drop 25 big ones at the farmer's market? you bet i do, but at least i know that a) it's well-spent -- every bite of that produce will have flavour and quality and freshness that Big Grocery Produce doesn't. b) by purchasing stuff that's locally grown, i'm reducing the amount of carbon emissions caused by transporting food from thousands of miles away. eating local is really, truly an exponentially good thing. c) the cashier at the Big Grocery Store doesn't care if i'm getting 5 lbs. of fuji apples. Mr. Ha of Ha's Apple Farms does, and he says thank you and uses my name. small personal moments are valuable, especially if you live in a big city.
3. it's all about light. we replaced all our bulbs that we could with those spiffy CFC (compact flourescent) bulbs. yes, they cost more -- but oh, the benefits! it's just a few bucks, people. change 'em out and then you can more or less forget about them because they last so incredibly long. (if you do make the switch, tell the nice Earth Day Network peeps here. they'd appreciate it.) but don't forget to switch them off when not in use -- that's another easy, yet effective thing -- turn off stuff you aren't using. plus, come utility bill time, your checkbook will thank you. yes, that includes the T.V. if you're not watching it, why is it on?
4. speaking of utility bills, open your windows. or pull the shades on your windows. in other words, instead of using the central air to control temperature, try the windows and your clothing choices indoors first. obviously, living in Southern California affords us this fine-weather luxury, but we have been known in wintertime to put on socks and a sweater instead of turning on the heat.
5. on trash day, we usually put out half a can of non-recyclable waste, and approximately three times that amount in green and recyclable waste. now, i realise we have it cushy since our city provides different bins for each type. however, there was a period of many years of apartment dwelling that i would seperate trash and drive/handcart the recyclable stuff to an appropriate bin, because all we had was a big dumpster. separating trash isn't hard when you spend a few dollars to have multiple, smaller trash cans.

remember, all these things are actions we've done so long that they are habits -- and therefore, so easy it borders on laziness. my point is that a tiny bit of effort goes a long way, and that you don't have to be a live-off-the-grid vegan activist to be more responsible for your carbon footprint. while those are admirable people indeed, let's face it: most of us like our first-world amenities. i am very excited about the hot water that i will be running a tub full of in a few minutes for that epsom-salt bath. is it wasteful of me to run that much water? perhaps -- but i'm going to soak for at least an hour and it's not something i do every day, so i think it's a balanced, fair choice. deprivation is absolutely not necessary for living responsibly.
of course, if you're so inclined, there are plenty more "sacrificial" ways to be greener; you can check out something called carbon offsets, or you can invest in a more fuel-efficient car, or you can even try to walk to the post office every now and then. but start with something, and then keep doing it until it's so normal you don't even think about it anymore. i'd love to hear what other simple things people out there are doing to be a little more responsible; any other sneaky adjustments to life that enhances its quality.
thanks for listening...and now i shall crawl to the bathtub. ahhhhhh!

note: if anyone wants to see a description and photos of the hike i did, some enterprising soul has posted about it here...just scroll past the equipment descriptions to the very lovely pictures of Strawberry Peak.