Hi!

Over the years I've found myself becoming more and more aware of the issues we face with the environment. I used to only be concerned with crime, economics, politics, jobs...Until I realized that without our home-the Earth-none of that matters. I also didn't really think too much about what the world was going to be like after I died since not only did I not have children, I was infertile so was most likely never going to have any. So, what did I care what happened after I died. How things change unexpectedly and oh, so suddenly.

I am now married to a great guy and we have three children together. A 3 year old and 4 month old twins.

My husband has always been conscious of the environment, and is always looking for ways to live better, greener, more sustainable lives. I had never really thought much about it. I mean, I would put my aluminum cans and plastic bottles in the recycle bins if they were around, I didn't litter (much), always tried to remember to shut off the lights, not let the water run. You know, the things almost everyone does when they think about it, and assume it's enough to help.

I really had no idea.

Recently I came across this blog, http://sharonastyk.com/. She talks a lot about energy conservation, depletion, green living, etc. But, what really caught my eye was her Riot For Austerity post.

"The Riot for Austerity came about this way. In 2007, after the release of the IPCC report, and a number of books drawing attention to climate change, a friend of mine and I were discussing our frustration that no political organization was considering any kind of emissions cuts that even resembled those necessary to limit the damage from climate change. In fact whenever we discussed the 90+% emissions cuts required to give us the best chance of a reasonable stable climate, the immediate reaction was “that’s not going to happen!”

Stealing a great line from George Monbiot’s wonderful book _Heat_, in which he laments “no one has ever rioted for austerity” Miranda Edel and I, both mothers of children who would be living for this world, wondered if it was really so inconceivable that people could change their lives. After all, our grandparents had done so during WWII – was it really so alien, so far away? Frustrated at lack of political responsiveness, we decided we wouldn’t wait – we’d see if we could make the cuts in our own lives. Someone, we argued, had to model a way of life that was actually viable given the limits of our planet’s resources and pollution absorption capacity. So, why not us?

We set two goals. First, we would spend a year trying to get our emissions down by 90% over the American average. Second, we’d use this as part of a larger public strategy to point out that it can be done – that we don’t have to wait for political action – indeed, that we can’t wait."

So, I figured out our numbers. It took me about two days to find the information and get the figures I needed. I got frustrated many times when I realized that it's rather difficult to find out what national and state averages for energy, natural gas, and water usage. Things, you would think, should be available to anyone, and easy to find.

I'm starting this blog for two reasons. First, to keep track of our progress. To share the things we are doing, are trying, tried but didn't work, etc. Second, to share this with others. Because it's not just about 'showing them' that it can be done. It's not about saving money, even though it will. It's about the realization that we CANNOT continue to live this way. Some people theorize that if we continue at the rate we're going, increasing our usage at the rate it's increasing, we may not make it past another decade or two before we have completely depleted our resources. Whether or not that is correct, it is certainly a scary thought. Even worse, what kind of world are we leaving for our children or grandchildren? And, what kind of example are we setting by living like this?

So, here we go!