I need to add one more thing that we started doing this month that I hope will make a difference too:

We are making more of an effort to buy our food from local sources.

As I discussed earlier, so much of our food is shipped great distances before reaching our stores. This uses fuel, and fuel use adds carbon to the atmosphere. It takes a bit more thought when planning the week's grocery shopping, but that's part of the fun.

I visited the Woodstock Farmers' Market on Tuesday and bought honey, bread, second year green onions, lettuce and arugula. I even bought four strawberry plants that are supposed to do well in partial shade (which is what our yard is). The market is on my way to work, so this is a convenient stop. It is also pleasant. I know (or am getting to know) several of the farmers, so it is nice to stop and chat and catch up a little.

In mid-June our CSA farm share will start, so we'll be getting plenty of fresh, local, chemical-free produce, but until then, I will swing by the farmers' market and see what is available.

And even after the CSA starts, I'll definitely go by to get a loaf of bread each week (and occasionally a pound of ground beef from a local cattle farm). As various fruits like strawberries and blueberries (chemical free from local farms) become available, we'll be sure to get those.

In the heat of summer when tomatoes are plentiful, I may even start buying extra from a local farm for canning! I used to can tomotoes and salsa when we lived in Peoria and had a sunny garden that we grew lots of vegetables (and raspberries) in. Having fresh, homemade salsa, tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes durng the winter is a real treat. (Our yard in Harvard is pretty shady - we would have to move a tomato plant around the yard throughout the day for it to get enough sun to thrive! We've tried growing them in several spots, but have had no success -- in five years of trying, I think we got one tomato!)

In addition to local beef, we also have a friend who raises chickens, and we can get a whole chicken once in a while. Regardless of where in the US you might live, you can find local sources for at least some of your groceries at www.localharvest.org - not only can you reduce your carbon contributions, but you'll be eating food that is fresh and full of vitamins and minerals (which are lost from food that is shipped long distances - the vitamin and mineral content of food drops each day after the food is picked.)