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In the shifting political climate, Americans are looking at how they live and the effects their lifestyle has on the earth. Specifically, lifestyle choices and habits can increase global warming and the greenhouse effect. "Living green" involves adjusting one's lifestyle to have a lesser impact on the earth's atmosphere. Although some people get overwhelmed at the prospect of "going green", there are those who have made the choice to live green and are sharing their ideas with others. Some simple methods to gradually incorporate going green into your lifestyle follow. Making only a few adjustments in your daily life will have a favorable impact on the planet. Here are some suggestions to get you going in the right direction.

Educate yourself about going green by checking out www.americanforests.org. Earth911.org will keep you informed about various environmental organizations and events in your neighborhood. Campaign Earth.org also provides a clear, concise explanation regarding global warming and many suggestions on how to live green.

Begin your going green campaign by taking part in your community's recycling efforts. Hopefully, you are already recycling your home waste, many are. But if not, get started. The initial month of recycling involves reminding yourself not to throw certain items in the garbage and to place them in the recyclables container instead. After that, it will be like second nature. You will be surprised at how little garbage you will be leaving at the curb. In my own household, we leave out nearly twice the amount of paper and plastic recyclables as we do garbage.

Ever waited in a line of cars for something or someone? Switching off your car engine during these waits preserves fuel while decreasing carbon dioxide levels in the air. In fact, www.enginesoff.org reports that for every 10 minutes less in the day your car is idling, 550 pounds less of carbon dioxide is in the air. Amazing.

At the grocery store, we're asked, "Paper or plastic?" The green answer is "Neither". Ecobags.com suggests you take eco-friendly bags with you to the store to tote groceries home. Environmentally friendly bags made from hemp or canvas are durable, can be re-used for years, and are biodegradable. Plus, you won't be building up your supply of all those pesky sacks. Gotta stop for that morning coffee? Campaign Earth (www.campaignearth.org) suggests you take along your own coffee mug so you won't be disposing of one more coffee cup.

Many products we use are harming

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