Going green is on everyone’s mind. Some are concerned about what has come to be termed our ecological foot print, others feel empathy for animals, and many are concerned with rising costs of an energy consuming lifestyle. A growing community desires an all natural existence. Whatever motivates your concern, there are lots of things you can do to “go green.”

First of all, what is an ecological footprint, and how do I determine mine? This measurement indicates how much actual earth and water it takes to grow, develop, manufacture, sustain and finally, to store waste for each person. Obviously, this will be different from person to person, and depend on many choices. Your mode of transportation, housing, eating habits, shopping patterns and more are all calculated to measure the impact of your personal footprint. Many sites and organizations exist to help you determine just what kind of an impact you have on your planet, and how much of our planet it takes to support your lifestyle.

Be aware of yourself and your habits, and you can make little changes that can have a big impact. Use canvas totes to carry your purchases when shopping. This will cut down on plastic and paper waste in the form of shopping bags. Consume less, not more, and you are doing the environment a favor. Join in and find out just how many changes you can implement to have a lighter footprint.