10/27/09

Speak up with kindness. If your favorite coffee shop prints out receipts for every purchase, and everybody just tosses them automatically in the trash, ask the manager to stop printing receipts. Oftentimes stores print receipts as a courtesy to customers, but customers won't complain -- fearing they'll appear discourteous. So sometimes speaking up can have the fastest, most meaningful change.

10/26/09

Grab an old white sheet and cut a small hole in the center with scissors. Drape it over a solar outdoor lantern and hang it in a tree. Draw eyes, a mouth and whatever else you want on the sheet. At night as the lantern glows, so will the white sheet, making it appear as a spooky ghost hanging in the tree.

10/25/09

It's a simple idea, but a calorie-burning one: Walk. Make it a new family activity to take a walk at least once a week. Walk someplace fun and reward the kids with a delicious treat at the final destination, like an ice cream cone. You'll lower your carbon footprint and gain a little exercise, too.