it IS easy being green

I have been so excited lately reading about everyone's efforts to "be green". It is a cause very close to my heart. Oprah had a show a week or so ago that pointed out how very small personal concessions can save a great deal in reduction in landfill and using resources. Our family has always been quite "green". It was largely from frugal necessity, but saving the earth has been high in our consciousness as well. When DD was about 3 my mother got her a subscription to Ranger Rick and she became a very vocal Earth Saver. I still remember her riding in my mother's wagon in the grocery store and informing my mother, very loudly and with tears, that she couldn't buy those paper towels because then she would be hurting the Earth. We have always used cloth napkins, cloth diapers, fabric cleaning cloths, fabric wrapping bags and canvas shopping bags. As you can see from my napkin basket no energy is wasted on ironing either. ;c) We have a laundry day so drying is done in succession to avoid reheating the dryer for each load. I will very seldom use the oven for one meal, but cook multiple meals or a lot of baking per heating. Last year we replaced most of our light bulbs with CFL bulbs. I also recently started eco-cleaning with baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar. It has become game to see how small we can make our personal impact.
A number of us at our office have started working towards making our workplace more green as well. Most now have their own coffee mugs and water bottles. We have also started ordering post consumer paper products and are bringing in inexpensive silverware and extra mugs for client visitors. I think the fact that everyone is more aware and are trying to work together is a huge step in the right direction.
There still a lot of other things that we can do. I found a great website that gives suggestions for being green with everything from your pets to your wedding. There were a number of facts that I didn't realize like how bad clumping kitty litter is for your cats as well as the environment. I'm going to have to make a change there.