Happy Earth Day!

In celebration of Earth Day, I thought I would share some photos of the fig tree in our yard. I've been documenting its growth since the first sign of of budding leaves by photographing it once a week (yes, you can call me a dork, but this tree just really makes me happy, especially when it's full of leaves). Six weeks later, it's really getting there!

I would consider us to be a fairly eco-friendly minded bunch here, but personally speaking, I always strive to do more. I wish I could say I was ready to live plastic-free like someone I know, but alas, I'm not quite there yet. However, B and I have made some changes that were really easy to incorporate into our day to day lives. I thought I'd share these with you (courtesy of the April issue of Real Simple magazine*), just in case you are also looking for ways to be more eco-minded. A little really does go a long way- if we all did our small part, think of the big impact we could make!

Recycle Aluminum and steel cans.
Because recycling these cans directs valuable metal into new products, saving 95% of the energy required to manufacture aluminum from scratch and 74% of the energy needed to make steel. If everyone in the U.S. did this for 1 year it would be the equivalent of 3,934,118 cars taken off the road for 1 year.

Recycle newspapers and magazines.
Because Americans throw away more paper than any other kind of trash. Recycling paper would not only save trees but also reduce contributions to air pollution by 95%. If everyone in the U.S. did this for 1 year it would be the equivalent of 5,511,566 cars taken off the road for 1 year.

Wash laundry on a cooler setting.
Because about 90% of the energy used to wash clothes goes to heating the water. If everyone in the U.S. did this for 1 year it would be the equivalent of 3,316,442 cars taken off the road for 1 year.

Switch five lightbulbs to compact flourescent lightbulbs (CFLs).
Because a 25-watt CFL provides the same amount of light as a 75-watt incandescent. CFLs use 1/3 of the energy and last 10 times longer. Switching 5 bulbs could save about $400 over the CFL's lifetime. If everyone in the U.S. did this for 1 year it would be the equivalent of 4,751,350 cars taken off the road for 1 year.

Modify the temperature on your thermostat.
Because modifying the temperature just 4 degrees will save energy, and because there's no reason your house needs to be the perfect temperature even when you're not at home. If everyone in the U.S. did this for 1 year it would be the equivalent of 12,353,510 cars taken off the road for 1 year.

Follow the speed limit.
Because sticking to the 65 MPH speed limit improves fuel economy by almost 15%. That will reduce your car's emissions and help you save $ at the pump. If everyone in the U.S. did this for 1 year it would be the equivalent of 28,121,158 cars taken off the road for 1 year.

Have a great day, everyone! Are you doing anything special in honor of Earth Day today?

* You can get even more ideas and read the article in it's entirety here.