Great Article at How Stuff Works

The article by Katie Lambert "Ten Things You Can DO to Help Save the Earth" is a quick list of things everyone can do without making big changes. Since everyone (including me and my family) seems to have trouble making the big changes need in one step I think these 10 things are a great way to start. They are actually mostly what I started with when I became concerned about mine and my family consumption of energy and resources. I actually just finished the last one on the list adding an electric programmable thermostat so that when were sleeping I adjust the temperature to use less energy till about 1/2hr before we're due to get up.

I actually got one that has 4 temperature setting for M-F and 4 for the weekend so that it will adjust to our different schedules without me reprogramming or overriding every weekend and weekday change. It was fairly inexpensive I got it for less then $30 at the local big discounter (you the know the one with the smiley). The scariest part was rewiring the thermostat but the directions are easy and the wires color coded and it included labels just in case. So I actually had it awhile before attempting. Now I wish I'd done it sooner. The house is actually more comfortable since it adjusts for us, since I know how we like it during the day. Especially as we had a cold front return. It is good I had it on because with the old one I had to manually turn it on as my littlest liked to turn the heat up when she was cold and since she hates to wear clothes that happens a lot.
I hope that if you haven't read the article you will take the time to see not only what you can change to make a difference, but what you already do. So that you can pat yourself on the back, I think it's important to be proud of the little changes we've made, or even the big. Pride in our choices and in our way of being responsible for our own consumption can hopefully spread to others, kinda like the smile you get when you least expect it. It just makes you want to smile, so maybe if we have pride in what we're doing and why, maybe the good feelings from that can out weigh the negativity we feel and see in others and spread to them.

Good luck and remember that even a drop can over fill the teacup, maybe you'll be that drop.

Article cited is:
Katie Lambert. "Ten Things You Can Do to Help Save the Earth". March 27, 2007 http://people.howstuffworks.com/save-earth-top-ten.htm (April 10, 2007)