New Year’s Resolutions

Right in the middle of this week we'll be kissing 2008 goodbye and saying hello to 2009. If you're ahead of the curve (and you must be, if you're reading this blog), you're probably already making your New Year's resolutions. Let's get the first one out of the way: I'm going to lose weight. Yes, we are a nation of fat fatty fatsos. So let's all take a step toward reducing our carbon footprint and our own waistlines at the same time by bicycling to work. I know it's tough, but we can keep ourselves motivated with our eco-friendly "Burn Fat, Not Oil" T-shirts (http://www.teehugger.com/product_p/thjs1016.htm).

Okay, so you commute 73 miles a day through snow and bears and riding a bicycle isn't practical. Or you weigh 73 pounds already, and are afraid of losing any more weight. Fine. There are other simple things you can resolve to do to help save the planet.

1. Fight the Phantom Load Menace

Most of the electronics in your house are sucking down power even when they're turned off. Things like TVs, kitchen appliances, and laptop power adapters all "leak" power even when they're not in use. The US Department of Energy says that 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. That's a lot of juice being wasted on little green LEDs and clocks blinking 12:00. You can eliminate this so-called "vampire power" usage by unplugging your gear when it's not in use, or by plugging it into a power strip with an on/off switch that you can use to cut off all power to your favorite power leeches.

2. Replace your light bulbs

Seriously. What are you waiting for? Compact fluorescent bulbs aren't the buzzing, flickering migraine inducers of yesteryear. Today they come in lots of shapes and sizes, and work as well as regular incandescent bulbs. The Environmental Defense Fund has a handy guide to help you pick out the right bulbs for your home here: http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=632

3. Give the gift of carbon offsets

You're done shopping for your friends and family this holiday season, now it's time to buy a little something nice for the Earth. According to the EDF, when you buy carbon credits, "you essentially pay someone to reduce or remove global warming pollution in your name." It's important to buy your carbon offsets from a reliable source, so check out the EDF's Carbon Offset List at http://www.carbonoffsetlist.org for a list of fully reviewed offset sellers.

4. Get rid of your junk, but be green about it

Your New Year's resolutions might include cleaning out the ol' garage, but decluttering your life doesn't have to mean cluttering the Earth. There are safe, ecological ways to get rid of most everything, from motor oil, to pool chemicals, to those Christmas lights you just pulled down. To find out how, visit Earth911 at http://www.earth911.com

5. Get out and pitch in!

Cleaning up your own house is a good start, but there's a whole planet out there that needs a spit shine. Make it a goal this year to get out and participate in a local cleanup effort. See if there are groups in your area that let you "adopt" a section of park land, highway, or beach to keep clean. Or you can visit the Sierra Club's website to find environmental events in your area: http://www.sierraclub.org/

Happy New Year from all of your pals at Tee Hugger!