Earth Day - How Green Are We?

Today was Earth Day and as the day closes I have to stop to think about our family what we do and don't do to help keep our earth clean and healthy.

It been a topic of discussion between Michael and I for several years now. He's a LEED certified Architect and all through grad school he had his hands in ideas for greener building and building structures that fit into the environment. He's kind of passionate about it.

When it comes to our home habits I'd have to honestly say that we are sort of 'Light Green'.

What Light Green Means to Me.

1. We are pretty good about not wasting electricity, though we could improve.
2.Cleaning is Overrated. I don't mop my floors more than once a week. I avoid using harsh chemicals to clean, however I do have some that are used about once every two weeks for deep cleaning. My kids are rarely sick and my friends are still my friends whether the house is sparkling or sticky.
3. We live super close to the grocery store (close enough to walk) and 80% of the time we remember to use our reusable grocery bags. And for those of you who are not yet using them: did you know that they are SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE TO CARRY GROCERIES IN? Plus, you can fit about 3 plastic bags worth of groceries into one. It's he avier, but the bag is sturdier. That means fewer trips from the car to the kitchen!
4. I combine trips and carpool with friends on a regular basis. I can't stand the whole routine of getting Hayden out of his car seat and into the house and up all those stairs - so I try not to have to do it more that twice a day. And when I go long distances (like to Ikea or the Temple or whatever) I bring a friend along.
5. The whole family is pretty conservative about water usage. We *could* do better with shower minutes, but we're not too far off the mark. Especially since at least 2 days out of the week I don't get to take a shower (I know it's gross - but you moms out there know what I'm talking about).

I'm sure there are some things we could improve on, but right now finances don't permit. Besides, I'm not completely sold on the whole Hybrid vehicle thing - I'm not sure that it's the ultimate solution.

So that's our green-ness in a nutshell.

How green are you?