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For the sake of conservation, there are probably a wide variety of daily habits and routines we could amend and in some cases do without. Just because our parents taught us to do it and their parents taught them to do it, doesn’t mean we need to follow suit. Conservation has to start at home and what better way to start than to review your daily habits and routines?

a) Brushing your teeth: Now I’m not saying to skip brushing your teeth all together, but there are simple actions you can take that can promote conservation while brushing. Turn off the water while you are actively brushing your teeth. Use baking soda or make your own organic toothpaste, instead of using store bought toothpaste.

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b) Washing dishes: Skip the “pre-wash” before putting your dishes into the dishwasher. Just load your dishes in and once your dishwasher is full, run the dishwasher. Don’t run a cycle if it’s only half full. If you have to choose between hand washing and using the dishwasher, opt for the dishwasher. You’ll save time, water and money.

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If you don’t have a dishwasher, use one side of the sink to scrub and the other side to rinse. Add water to the sink, then use biodegradable or vegetable-based soap and elbow grease to get your dishes clean.

c) Transportation: Many people are stuck in the same routine day in, day out when it comes to how they get around. Why not switch it up? Conserve a little. Instead of driving to work on your own, car-pool. Rather than fighting traffic and wasting gas, take the train. Instead of driving to the store for one or two items, walk or ride your bike.

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d) Washing Clothes: Just like with the dishwasher, only run a cycle when it is full. Use cold water instead of warm or hot. Your clothes get just as clean without having to pay to heat your water. If you can, hang your clothes up to dry. Although I wouldn’t recommend that in the middle of winter.

Here are a few more tried and true tips for earth-friendly laundry.

e) Taking a shower or bath: People tend to use less water when taking a shower than when taking a bath. If you time yourself, you can be in and out of the shower in no time flat. Another good tip is to turn the water off while you soap up. No reason to have water running down the drain if you aren’t using it.

f) Putting Gray Water to Use: When it comes to “gray water”, people need to get out of the habit of tossing the baby out with the bathwater. In other words, rather than watching the water go down the drain, there are ways you can put gray water to good use.

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g) Don’t Simply Turn Off, Unplug: Over the years the idea of convenience has sometimes taken a front seat to conservation. There are many things we leave plugged in for convenience sake. But in all honesty, it’s really not THAT convenient to do so.

Take the various appliances you have on your kitchen counter, in addition to turning them off when you are done using them, unplug them. Keep computers, printers, stereos, etc connected to power cords and use the power strip to turn these electronics off.

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Here are a few more energy-saving tips.

h) Unplug your kids: The same basic theory applies for your kids, esp in terms of unplugging them. It doesn’t do a kid any good to keep them “plugged in” to the television, video games, etc. They need to get out and do things. They want to be creative, do projects, they need exercise, need to run around, need to burn off their stored up energy, etc. So conserve your power and use theirs…unplug your kids!

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Now we all know there are many different daily routines we follow. The ones I listed here are just a few basic ones that might help get you thinking about your daily routines. So, take a few moments to review your own. What simple ways could you improve your daily routine in favor of conservation?

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When it comes to lowering your carbon footprint and doing something about climate change there are many actions each of us can take.  Now, you may ask yourself, “I’m just one person, what can I really do?”.  As far as I’m concerned, it’s going to be people just like you and me who are going to be the driving force that can really make a difference. 

You can add solar panels to your home, you can add a wind turbine in your yard, you can grow your own vegetables and herbs, you can unplug your appliances/computers when not in use, you can use a fuel additive to lower harmful emissions coming from your vehicle or get a hybrid/electric vehicle, you can use public transportation, bike or walk to your destinations, you can cut down on your meat consumption, you can volunteer and help clean up your local beaches/parks, you can educate your children on water and energy conservation and the list goes on and on.

Of course there are also big steps that companies and governments can take, but without individual people changing their own actions and demanding that change in others, it’s going to be a much longer road.  Here are a few more steps you, as an individual, can take to do something positive about climate change while educating others to do the same:

1) The No Impact Project starts this Sunday (Oct 18th).  The No Impact Project is a basically a one-week carbon cleanse.  Whether you want to create as little impact on the environment as possible or you just want to save some money or you want to see how no impact living would affect your life, this is for you!  It’s a day-by-day project that lays out simple ways for you to impact your own life and habits, your community and the environment.  And remember, this project isn’t designed to preach about all the things we are doing wrong, it’s designed to give each of us tips and suggestions to help live a better life and have less impact on the environment.  Check it out!

2) You can get your child’s school to join the I count for my Earth Campaign. I count for my Earth is a program created to get our children educated and more environmentally aware of the world around them.  It also helps empower them to be able to do something to make a difference.  My daughter always makes sure lights that don’t need to be on, get turned off and reminds us that leaving them on “wastes power”.  Get your child(ren) more environmentally aware and knowing ”I count for my Earth”. 

3)  Last week I wrote about carbon dioxide and International Climate Action Day.  On October 24, 2009 people around the world are being asked to take one day – one moment of their life – to help get the word out….actually, get the number out.  You can organize your own activity or attend an already planned activity in your area, that helps draw attention and awareness to the number 350 and what it means to all of us.

4) You can go to the Seal The Deal! website and sign the petition for a fair climate agreement at the upcoming Climate Change Conference.

5) From December 7th-18th, 2009 world leaders are gathering in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Conference 2009.  Their goal is to negotiate and come to an agreement on a new climate treaty.  You can do your part by requesting your leader takes the bold actions needed to reduce greenhouse gases.  You can even submit your own video with your views, opinions and questions on climate change.  (The best ones will be aired on December 15th during the COP15 CNN/YouTube TV debate.)

6) And last, but not least, blog about it.  Today is Blog Action Day ’09.  It’s a day uniting bloggers from around the world to write about climate change all on the same day.  Bringing awareness to the issue is the first step.  Hopefully this action will not only bring about more awareness to the issue of climate change, but will result in global discussions and actions.

Hopefully these tips will help you answer the question “What Can I Do About Climate Change?”.  Let me know….I’d love to hear your ideas and find out more about what you are doing about climate change.  

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Most of us are trying to do our part, no matter how big or small, to help the environment and make our lives a little more “green”.  Any little bit helps and when it comes to kids, they like to do their little (or big) part to help.  They want to do what we’re doing, so…why not let them make a difference?

Well, Disney is counting on just that.  With their recent launch of Friends for Change: Project Green, they are asking kids to come and take a pledge to start doing small actions that can make a big difference.  Pledges like turning off the lights when they leave the room, turning off the water while they are brushing their teeth, using rechargeable batteries, donating or recycling instead of throwing things away, etc.  And if parents are smart, they will encourage their children to take the challenge so they can learn more about conservation, how to save energy, etc.  Trust me, it will teach good habits AND save you money!

For example, my three year old daughter turns off the lights when she leaves a room (and reminds us if we don’t), she likes to fill up the tub half-way and turn off the water so she can take a bath and not keep the water running, she knows that cans get recycled not just thrown away, etc.  My one and a half year old is even learning to keep areas clean by picking up trash, etc.

So if you are looking for ways to help the environment and save money, in addition to the things you are probably already doing like buying local and/or organic, using an effective fuel additive, cutting down basic household expenses, recycling, etc – get your kids to take the Friends for Change pledge.

As a bonus, when the kids complete the projects they’ve pledged to do they get to help decide how Disney will distribute a quarter of a million dollars to environmental causes every three months for the next year – one million dollars total.  Remember, it doesn’t matter how big or small you are, everyone can do something to help live a little “greener”.