"Its not easy being green"

Such true words from a frog, Kermit the frog to be exact.

Thinking about today's significance & everyone trying to do their part to be "green" sometimes it isn't as easy as we would have hoped. Its hard to break people of their habits, their preconceptions and remind them who/what they are doing this all for, the future generations.

OK, so I'll elaborate a little. My FIL is very stubborn and gets into moods where he just doesn't care, does things his way and that is that. Oh, we have some deep & animated conversations at times about many topics and recycling is definitely one of them (I still love him anyway, even if he is a stubborn old man......don't worry, his kids call him an old man all the time).

One of the things I have to keep my eye on him about are the empty water bottles. I often see random ones thrown in the regular trash, even though their is a bag full of empties waiting to be recycled sitting on the other side of the kitchen.

So, I pick them out of the trash & walk maybe ten steps across the room & place them in the recycle bags. Then later on I remind him that he most likely walked right by the recycle bag to get to the trash to throw away the bottle. And then, the debate begins (as my husband silently leaves the room).

So, besides battling with my FIL about recycling, here is what I have done to be more green in the last year-

• Bought Fluorescent light bulbs to replace burnt out regular bulbs in my house
• Bought grocery bag/sacks to replace the plastic bags at the grocery store (now I just have to remember to bring them in with me while I shop)
• I bring magazines I've read to work for co-workers to read & then toss them in the recycle bin
• Recycle mail that could be tossed in the recycle bin (at work so I don't have to fight with my FIL)
• When I cook, keep can's out of the trash for recycling
• Bring clothes and unwanted household items to Good Will rather then throw things away to fill up the landfills
• Turn off lights, TV's and computers in rooms we are not occupying
• Walk to the ice cream stand at the end of my street rather then drive (which we did last Sunday and I got a Strawberry/Vanilla twist in a cone, y-u-m-m-y)
  

So, those are my basic contributions to help out mother earth. I hope to add to my list next year. Any suggestions for other simple solutions?