catherineldf | Entries tagged with earth day

So I used to call this “The Greening of Our Lives” when I started it, but there is no more “our” so I think I’ll drop that part. And I haven’t done one of these for the past couple of years because, honestly, it was too depressing. But you can click through on the hashtags if you want to see what we did before this point.

Between April of 2024 and today, I’ve:

Had a new heat pump dryer and high efficiency washer installed (just yesterday!). Energy + water savings + reduced gas use
Had new window treatments installed to help block drafts and increase natural light (also to make me feel less like Miss Havisham)
Continued to work from home so less driving time.
Got an induction hot plate and cookware set (Costco, for the win!) to reduce amount of cooking on gas stove.
Upgraded my convection oven so I use the gas oven less.
Had an home energy audit done and got a low flow shower head and some insulation on the basement pipes.
Started container gardening
Doubled down on the pollinator plants and reducing the grass. Continue to avoid pesticides and herbicides.
Switched to buying more used/refurbished electronics
Continued involvement with Buy Nothing Club
Switched Queen of Swords Press to recycled/recyclable mailers from Eco Enclose and recycled paper shopping bags from Nashville Wraps.
Switched QoSP newsletter to Buttondown, a platform that doesn’t use AI (so far) and reinvests part of the proceeds in environmental projects.
Continued with Windsource, continue to avoid AI use wherever possible, recycling, composting, reusing, etc.
Support local and international green projects.

What are you up to this Earth Day?

My standard intro: a couple of years ago, I started an annual Earth Day post on things we were doing to make our household greener. Previous posts: 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
Some of these things may be useful to you and yours if you're looking to tread a little lighter on our poor planet. I also do it for me since it's a way to remind myself of what we've done so far and what I'd like us to tackle next.

It is worth noting that we've spent years on this, making a few changes every year. My goal has been to add a few new things every year, which we are on track for. I will also note that most things on my list have had a direct cost savings in the longer term, particularly the ones with start up costs. But there are also things we can't do because of finances or the state of our yard and so forth, such as growing all our own veggies (we manage some) and there are things that stay in the planning stages for years at a time while I figure out budgeting and so forth. We also own our own home in a very urban environment in a city which supports a lot of green programs and I've done quite a bit of research and planning on all of this to approach it holistically. I recommend Green America as a good resource for tackling environmental impacts from one social justice perspective.

What we've done so far:

Switched to reusables: lunch bags, dish towels, handkerchiefs, cups, straws, traveling utensils, grocery bags, yard waste containers, etc.
Switched to recycled/refurbished: all paper products, aluminum foil, electronics where feasible (refurbished iPads, router, etc.), some furniture, some clothes, plastic containers, food packages, garbage bags, etc.
Other things we reuse: wash and reuse plastic bags, recycle magazines and single use containers for art projects, buy bulk and reuse single use containers for storage.
Basic house greening: swapping out light bulbs to LEDs, additional insulation, improved windows, green cleaners, green care products, biodegradable cat litter, energy efficient appliances, solar fan in the attic to keep the house cooler in summer, water barrel, yard waste compost, city compost, city recycling, new plumbing with water efficient shower head, toilet and faucets, yard is completely organic and planted with pollinator-friendly plants, electric mower, we use grit to deice and our house is powered by 100% wind power through our utility.
Additional stuff: Committed to buying the bulk of our groceries at the local coops and farmer's markets.

In addition, we look for reuse and donation opportunities for everything we want to get rid of that's usable: clothes go to clothing swaps as well as donation bins, books go to libraries and benefit auctions, jewelry to benefit auctions, reusable computing equipment to organizations that refurb and donate it, etc. At this point, we compost and recycle much more than we throw out.
Committed to not driving anywhere a few days out of the month and carpooling more and taking public transportation when we can. Biking is not a option for us physically or scheduling-wise and we still need two cars for the moment, but I hope to go down to one car and car sharing in the future and we do walk a fair amount.
Meat free meals and days multiple times a week
Carbon offsets, particularly for plane flights and longer road trips. Offset programs that I like: Nature Conservancy, MN Tree Trust, Cool Effect, Million Metres Stream Project (if we travel outside the U.S., I look for local organizations to donate to).
Use CREDO Mobile for my cell phone as a much greener alternative to other companies
Investments - I screen out oil companies and other big polluters from my 401K, have my mutual fund holdings with Pax World Funds and own small amounts of stock in our local coop and in Terracycle.
Switched out my credit cards to cards with B-corp banks or credit unions. Regular accounts are at a local credit union.

What we've done since last Earth Day:

Well, we've certainly been driving and flying a whole lot less.
Had the attic refinished, including full insulation. Between that and replacing our ancient furnace with an energy efficient one, we've cut our natural gas usage by 35-40%.
Replaced the A/C with an energy efficient one (windpowered!)
Began converting the remaining lawn to clover - pollinators love it!
Growing some food, including getting a couple of mushroom logs, planting chard, cultivating raspberries and planting a service berry bush in the front yard.
Started using Ecosia as a search engine, when feasible. This is a German B Corp that plants trees when you do searches - they work with a bunch of international nonprofits, including the Jane Goodall Institute.
Switched out dental floss to refillables/recyclables, switched out my replaceable head toothbrush with a bamboo-handled one, switched to a metal razor with replaceable blades and switched out our plastic water filters for a Kishu Charcoal refillable metal one with compostable fill (the water does actually taste better).
Continued working on reducing our food waste, which is now at an all time low since I'm home all the time to cook.
Put more effort into buying our clothes from green and Fair Trade companies; we always did some, but are doing more now.

Next up:

We've done more takeout with plastic than I'm happy with so hoping to make some changes there while supporting out local restaurants. Many of the places we order from provide compostable or recyclable packaging, so it could be worse, but damn, that's a lot of forks at a certain point.
Finish replacing the lawn with clover (we're already down to mowing every 3 weeks or so and need to do almost no watering, apart from the rain barrel).
I was using public transportation more, pre-plague, so hoping to get back into that, more walking, car pooling, etc.
Look for more options to reduce our gas usage and possibly get a bidet.

Other things as I discover them.
And that's it for now. Feel free to share the things that you're trying or any questions you have about what we're doing.

Because we have traditions, dammit.
My standard intro: a couple of years ago, I started an annual Earth Day post on things we were doing to make our household greener. Previous posts: 2019 2018 2017 2016

Some of these things may be useful to you and yours if you're looking to tread a little lighter on our poor planet. I also do it for me since it's a way to remind myself of what we've done so far and what I'd like us to tackle next.

It is worth noting that we've spent years on this, making a few changes every year. My goal has been to add a few new things every year, which we are on track for. I will also note that most things on my list have had a direct cost savings in the longer term, particularly the ones with start up costs. But there are also things we can't do because of finances or the state of our yard and so forth, such as growing a lot our own veggies and there are things that stay in the planning stages for years at a time while I figure out budgeting. We also own our own home in a very urban environment in a city which supports a lot of green programs and I've done quite a bit of research and planning on all of this to approach it holistically. I recommend Green America as a good resource for tackling environmental impacts from a social justice perspective. And, of course, some of these things are on hold, given current conditions.

What we've done so far:

Switched to reusables: lunch bags, dish towels, handkerchiefs, cups, straws, traveling utensils, grocery bags, yard waste containers, etc.
Switched to recycled/refurbished: all paper products, aluminum foil, electronics where feasible (refurbished iPads, etc.), some furniture, some clothes, plastic containers, food packages, garbage bags, etc.
Other things we reuse: wash and reuse plastic bags, recycle magazines and single use containers for art projects, buy bulk and reuse single use containers for storage.
Basic house greening: swapping out light bulbs to LEDs, additional insulation, improved windows, green cleaners, green care products, biodegradable cat litter, energy efficient appliances, solar fan in the attic to keep the house cooler in summer, water barrel, yard waste compost, city compost, city recycling, plumbing with water efficient shower head and water efficient toilet and faucets, yard is completely organic and planted with pollinator-friendly and native plants, we use an electric mower, we use grit to de-ice and our house is powered by 100% wind power through our utility.
Additional stuff: Committed to buying the bulk of our groceries at the local coops and farmer's markets.

In addition, we look for reuse and donation opportunities for everything we want to get rid of that's usable: clothes go to clothing swaps as well as donation bins, books go to libraries and benefit auctions, jewelry to benefit auctions, reusable computing equipment to organizations that refurb and donate it, etc. At this point, we compost and recycle much more than we throw out.
Committed to not driving anywhere a few days out of the month and carpooling more and taking public transportation when we can. Biking is not a option for us physically or scheduling-wise and we still need two cars for the moment, but I hope to go down to one car and car sharing in the future and we do walk a fair amount.
Meat free meals and days multiple times a week
Carbon offsets, particularly for plane flights and longer road trips. Offset programs that I like: Nature Conservancy, Friends of the MIssissippi, Cool Effect, Million Metres Stream Project (if we travel outside the U.S., I look for local organizations to donate to). I have traditionally donated to Tree Trust, but they ae now self-sustaining through their various programs.
Use CREDO Mobile for my cell phone as a much greener alternative to other companies
Investments - I screen out oil companies and other big polluters from my 401K, have my mutual fund holdings with Pax World Funds and own small amounts of stock in our local coop and in Terracycle.
Switched out my credit cards to cards with B-corp banks or credit unions. Regular accounts are at a local credit union.
Scrap metal recycling and rag recycling, as well as getting a paper shredder so we can recycle more paper.
Doubled down on cutting our food waste with more meal planning, more freezing of leftovers and more focus on making sure leftovers get eaten by incorporating them into other meals and so forth.
Vote.

What we've done since last Earth Day:

Had a new energy efficient furnace and central air installed last summer. This is already reducing our electric bills and we're starting to see a reduction on gas too.
Redoing the attic (finally!) - happening right now, as a matter of fact. Between this and the furnace, we should be able to cut our house's carbon footprint by at least 50%.
Digging up more of the lawn and replacing it with native plants and clover. I'm thatching and seeding now.
Started growing a tiny bit of our own veggies and fruit.
Started using wool dryer balls with each load and are seeing a reduction in dry time (we didn't use fabric sheets to begin with, so no change there).
I changed jobs so I was taking the train and bus to work a couple of times a week before the state shutdown kicked in. Now going on to month 2 of working from home with only one car available, so driving a lot less. I will eventually be switching back to alternating public transit and driving when I have to return to the office.
Started bringing reusable straws and containers for leftovers when I eat out.
Swapped out our single use plastic water filters for refillable Kishu Charcoal ones. Gotta say, the water tastes better!
Vote.

Planned for this next year, in addition to above:

Less driving and air travel (not entirely voluntarily, but so it goes).
Keep working on reducing the amount of single use plastic that we use by switching to refillables, compostables, plastic-free packaging and reusables.
Look at installing a bidet.
Look into tankless water heaters. We couldn't install one before because of how our basement was piped, but that's been changed with the new furnace.
Vote.

Other things as I discover them.
And that's it for now. Feel free to share the things that you're trying or any questions you have about what we're doing.

My standard intro: a couple of years ago, I started an annual Earth Day post on things we were doing to make our household greener. Previous posts: 2018 2017 2016
Some of these things may be useful to you and yours if you're looking to tread a little lighter on our poor planet. I also do it for me since it's a way to remind myself of what we've done so far and what I'd like us to tackle next.

It is worth noting that we've spent years on this, making a few changes every year. My goal has been to add a few new things every year, which we are on track for. I will also note that most things on my list have had a direct cost savings in the longer term, particularly the ones with start up costs. But there are also things we can't do because of finances or the state of our yard and so forth, such as growing our own veggies (our trees shade much of the yard) and there are things that stay in the planning stages for years at a time while I figure out budgeting and so forth. We also own our own home in a very urban environment in a city which supports a lot of green programs and I've done quite a bit of research and planning on all of this to approach it holistically. I recommend Green America as a good resource for tackling environmental impacts from one social justice perspective.

What we've done so far:

Switched to reusables: lunch bags, dish towels, handkerchiefs, cups, straws, traveling utensils, grocery bags, yard waste containers, etc.
Switched to recycled/refurbished: all paper products, aluminum foil, electronics where feasible (refurbished iPads, router, etc.), some furniture, some clothes, plastic containers, food packages, garbage bags, etc.
Other things we reuse: wash and reuse plastic bags, recycle magazines and single use containers for art projects, buy bulk and reuse single use containers for storage.
Basic house greening: swapping out light bulbs to LEDs, additional insulation, improved windows, green cleaners, green care products, biodegradable cat litter, energy efficient appliances, solar fan in the attic to keep the house cooler in summer, water barrel, yard waste compost, city compost, city recycling, new plumbing with water efficient shower head, toilet and faucets, yard is completely organic and planted with pollinator-friendly plants, electric mower, we use grit to deice and our house is powered by 100% wind power through our utility.
Additional stuff: Committed to buying the bulk of our groceries at the local coops and farmer's markets.

In addition, we look for reuse and donation opportunities for everything we want to get rid of that's usable: clothes go to clothing swaps as well as donation bins, books go to libraries and benefit auctions, jewelry to benefit auctions, reusable computing equipment to organizations that refurb and donate it, etc. At this point, we compost and recycle much more than we throw out.
Committed to not driving anywhere a few days out of the month and carpooling more and taking public transportation when we can. Biking is not a option for us physically or scheduling-wise and we still need two cars for the moment, but I hope to go down to one car and car sharing in the future and we do walk a fair amount.
Meat free meals and days multiple times a week
Carbon offsets, particularly for plane flights and longer road trips. Offset programs that I like: Nature Conservancy, MN Tree Trust, Cool Effect, Million Metres Stream Project (if we travel outside the U.S., I look for local organizations to donate to).
Use CREDO Mobile for my cell phone as a much greener alternative to other companies
Investments - I screen out oil companies and other big polluters from my 401K, have my mutual fund holdings with Pax World Funds and own small amounts of stock in our local coop and in Terracycle.
Switched out my credit cards to cards with B-corp banks or credit unions. Regular accounts are at a local credit union.

What we've done since last Earth Day:

This is the first year we've gone backward. We had to have to our big ash tree in the front yard cut down due to various factors (Emerald Ash Borer, roots growing into the foundation, etc.). We'll be planting a serviceberry in its place and getting something more durable, better suited to our small front yard and producing edible berries in the bargain.
Got rid of one air conditioner and put in insulating curtains in the bedroom.
Replaced the utility sink in the basement. No more leaks!
Added insulation in the garage.
Added more native plants
Doubled down on cutting our food waste with more meal planning, more freezing of leftovers and more focus on making sure leftovers get eaten by incorporating them into other meals and so forth.
Added scrap metal recycling and rag recycling, as well as getting a paper shredder so we can recycle more paper.

Next up:

Getting a new energy efficient furnace/AC this summer
Redoing the attic (finally!). Between this and the furnace, we should be able to cut our house's carbon footprint by at least 50%.
Digging up more of the lawn and replacing it with native plants

Other things as I discover them.
And that's it for now. Feel free to share the things that you're trying or any questions you have about what we're doing.

Continuing my annual tradition.
Happy Earth Day! Happy park or river cleanup or whatever project you are doing today!

A couple of years ago, I started an annual Earth Day post on things we were doing to make our household greener. In looking back, I may have skipped a year or two there, but now seems like a very good time to revive the tradition. Some of these things may be useful to you and yours if you're looking to get greener. I also do it for me since it's a way to remind myself of what we've done so far and what I'd like us to tackle next.

It is worth noting that we've spent years on this, making a few changes every year. My goal has been to add something new every year, which we are on track for. I will also note that most things on my list have had a direct cost savings in the longer term, particularly the ones with start up costs. But there are also things we can't do because of finances or the state of our yard and so forth, such as growing our own veggies (our trees shade much of the yard) and there are things that stay in the planning stages for years at a time while I figure out budgeting and so forth. We also own our own home in a very urban environment in a city which supports a lot of green programs and I've done quite a bit of research and planning on all of this to approach greening holistically.

What we've done so far:

Switched light bulbs to compact fluorescents and LEDs as they burn out.
Switched to reusables for coffee cups, drinking cups with straws and yard waste disposal.
Had extra insulation blown into some of the walls.
Replaced the interior windows throughout the house.
Committed to buying the bulk of our groceries at the local coops and farmer's markets.
As each appliance died in our 100 year old house, we upgraded to a more energy efficient version. In the course of 20 years, that's the washer and dryer, the stove, the AC, the fridge and the water heater. We're eyeing the ancient octopus furnace for the future.
Installed a solar-powered fan in the attic which keeps the house at a more even temperature so we use less AC in the summer.
Replaced old electric and plumbing setups with more efficient ones. Last year's much needed new bathroom sink and shower cut our water and gas bills, for example.
Organized our reusable bags, put a set in each car and committed to using them for nearly all shopping.
Recycling and composting. Minneapolis has really ramped up their recycling program and added a new citywide composting program. We already did some at home composting and are continuing to do that while participating in the city-wide programs. In addition, we look for reuse and donation opportunities for everything we want to get rid of that's usable: clothes go to clothing swaps as well as donation bins, books go to libraries and benefit auctions, jewelry to benefit auctions, reusable computing equipment to organizations that refurb and donate it, etc. At this point, we compost and recycle much more than we throw out.
Replaced our collapsing front retaining wall with medium-sized rocks and bee-friendly organic plants. We hired a local woman-owned green landscaping firm for this and they did a terrific job.
Committed to not using pesticides or herbicides on our yard.
Switched to green de-icer and grit in the winter to melt ice.
Committed to not driving anywhere a few days out of the month, carpooling more and taking public transportation when we can. We also have meat-free days once a week or so. Biking is not a option for us physically or scheduling-wise, we still need two cars for the moment, but I hope to go down to one car and car sharing in the future and we do walk a fair amount.
Carbon offsetting, particularly for plane flights and longer road trips. We started including this in our trip budgets - when we went to New Zealand last year, for example, New Zealand Air and one of the B&Bs we stayed at offered some options for local organizations doing tree planting and environmental restoration so we kicked in some money toward those. When we take road trips or fly anywhere, I donate a few bucks to the Nature Conservancy or Minnesota Tree Trust to offset the gas that our relatively-efficient roadtrip car burns off, etc.
Installed a rain barrel for the nonwinter months (yes, we have one). Also multiple bird feeders and a bird bath.
Switched our electric bill to 100% wind power (check out utility programs and solar garden shares in your area if you're not in MN or Colorado).
Had our yard dedicated as a "Pollinator Friendly Patch" by the City of Minneapolis - we'll be planting more bee and butterfly-friendly plants this year.
Hired a green cleaning service that hires local artists to come in once a month and clean the house.

What we've done since last Earth Day:

Replaced our ancient toilet with a new water-efficient one.
Starting work on refurbishing our attic to make it into an office space and make it more energy efficient.
Replaced our driveway pad to improve rain run off and drainage.
Switched to CREDO Mobile for my cell phone - CREDO plants trees, uses green energy, coordinates various progressive political and environmental campaigns.
Switched my main credit card to one that benefits Green America through a B-corp bank that reinvests in affordable housing and green projects. Green America focuses on building green businesses, fighting environmental racism, sustainability and long term green planning.
Dug up a couple of more yards of our remaining lawn and began replacing it with native plants.
Switched from single use paper tissues to cloth handkerchiefs (this has been surprisingly great - much more comfortable!).
Added a "leftover" night to our dinners to reduce food waste (generally, leftovers are also lunch).
Started bringing a refillable water bottle or equivalent (and a traveling tea cup set) with me when I go to conferences so I use fewer disposable plastic cups.

Next up:

More work on the attic.
Rehousing our extra window unit air conditioner because we haven't needed it since we put in the solar fan.
Replacing the utility sink in the basement to improve drainage and reduce leaks.
More native plants and bee and butterfly friendly plants in the yard
Other things as I discover them.

And that's it for now. Feel free to share the things that you're trying!

Happy Earth Day! Happy Science March or river cleanup or whatever project you are doing today!

A couple of years ago, I started an annual Earth Day post on things we were doing to make our household greener. In looking back, I may have skipped a year or two there, but now seems like a very good time to revive the tradition. Some of these things may be useful to you and yours if you're looking to get greener. I also do it for me since it's a way to remind myself of what we've done so far and what I'd like us to tackle next.

It is worth noting that we've spent years on this, making a few changes every year. My goal has been to add something new every year, which we are on track for. I will also note that most things on my list have had a direct cost savings in the longer term, particularly the ones with start up costs. But there are also things we can't do because of finances or the state of our yard and so forth, such as growing our own veggies (our trees shade much of the yard) and there are things that stay in the planning stages for years at a time while I figure out budgeting and so forth. We also own our own home in a very urban environment in a city which supports a lot of green programs and I've done quite a bit of research and planning on all of this to approach greening wholistically.

What we've done so far:

Switched light bulbs to compact fluorescents and LEDs as they burn out.
Had extra insulation blown into some of the walls.
Replaced the interior windows throughout the house.
Committed to buying the bulk of our groceries at the local coops and farmer's markets.
As each appliance died in our 100 year old house, we upgraded to a more energy efficient version. In the course of 20 years, that's the washer and dryer, the stove, the AC, the fridge and the water heater. We're eyeing the ancient octopus furnace for the future.
Installed a solar-powered fan in the attic which keeps the house at a more even temperature so we use less AC in the summer.
Replaced old electric and plumbing setups with more efficient ones. Last year's much needed new bathroom sink and shower cut our water and gas bills, for example.
Organized our reusable bags, put a set in each car and committed to using them for nearly all shopping.
Recycling and composting. Minneapolis has really ramped up their recycling program and added a new citywide composting program. We already did some at home composting and are continuing to do that while participating in the city-wide programs. In addition, we look for reuse and donation opportunities for everything we want to get rid of that's usable: clothes go to clothing swaps as well as donation bins, books go to libraries and benefit auctions, jewelry to benefit auctions, reusable computing equipment to organizations that refurb and donate it, etc. At this point, we compost and recycle much more than we throw out.
Replaced our collapsing front retaining wall with medium-sized rocks and bee-friendly organic plants (see below). We hired a local woman-owned green landscaping firm for this and they did a terrific job.
Committed to not using pesticides or herbicides on our yard.
Switched to green de-icer and grit in the winter to melt ice.
Committed to not driving anywhere a few days out of the month, carpooling more and taking public transportation when we can. We also have meat-free days once a week or so. Biking is not a option for us physically and scheduling-wise, we still need two cars for the moment, but I hope to go down to one car and car sharing in the future and we walk a fair amount.
Carbon offsetting, particularly for plane flights and longer road trips. We started including this in our trip budgets - when we went to New Zealand last year, for example, New Zealand Air and one of the B&Bs we stayed at offered some options for local organizations doing tree planting and environmental restoration so we kicked in some money toward those. When we take road trips, I donate a few bucks to the Nature Conservancy or Minnesota Tree Trust to offset the gas that our relatively-efficient roadtrip car burns off.
Installed a rain barrel for the nonwinter months (yes, we have one). Also multiple bird feeders and a bird bath.

What we've done new for this year, so far:

Switched our electric bill to 100% wind power (check out utility programs and solar garden shares in your area if you're not in MN or Colorado).
Had our yard dedicated as a "Pollinator Friendly Patch" by the City of Minneapolis - we'll be planting more bee and butterfly-friendly plants this year.

Next up:

Replacing our ancient toilet with a water-efficient one and replacing it.
Starting work on refurbishing our attic to make it into an office space and make it more energy efficient.
Replacing our driveway to improve rain run off and drainage.

And that's it for now. Feel free to share the things that you're trying!

This is an annual post that I try to remember to do in honor of Earth Day. It's an update on whatever changes we've tried to implement in the last year to reduce our ecological footprint. The ones that saved money in the long run are noted as such.

Things done prior to April, 2015 (house is gas for heat and dryer, electrical for everything else):

Converted most of the light bulbs to compact flourescents or LEDS as they burned out - some upfront cost but definite electrical savings
Had additional insulation blown in the walls in some rooms - reduced heat bills
Had external windows replaced - cost a mint but better in the long run for comfort and heating. Definitely reduced our heating bill.
Replaced several appliances with Energy Star versions - washer and dryer most successful for reducing electricity and heat bills - upfront costs, long term gains on water, heat and electric
Signed up for Xcel's Windsource program - small upfront cost
Started composting yard waste - small up front cost
Installed a water barrel in the warmer months - some water savings on bill, small upfront cost
Started working from home a few days out of the month to reduce commuting - small savings on gas
Recycle items for citywide recycling as well as donating usable items
A minimum of one day a month where we don't drive anywhere. More challenging, given the need to run errands, go to the nursing home, etc., but last year I spent an entire week in Denver without a car, and we both spent 5 days in Chicago on separate occasions carless/using public transportation, plus a few extra days here and there so it balanced out. Last year, I think we managed more than 1 day a month of no driving.
One day per week meat free. Gets shaky when we're pressed for time but usually manage a couple of days a week with only one serving of meat. Lots of local fruits and veggies and related products, particularly in the summer - we buy organic from the farmer's markets and co-ops, etc.
Ongoing support for green businesses, everything from solar-powered and organic to reused and recycled stuff to green cleaning to bike-delivered tacos.
Put Esse Reusable Bags CarryAll Totes in each car. Small upfront cost and vastly reduced plastic bag usage.

After April, 2015 -

All of the above still in effect
Had a solar fan installed in the attic to even out the house temperature and humidity - upfront cost, too new to know how effective it will be but is supposed to reduce electric and heat bills
Signed up for Minneapolis' new compost program - between the no sort recycling and the compost program, we've reduced our trash by at least a third
Tried to get in the drawing for MN Solar but didn't get the tax rebate. Planning on insulating and redoing the attic instead. Our gas bills are much higher than our electric (though still below average) so this seems like a better move. Upfront costs but should pay off in the long run.
Redid back stairwell in marmoleum for less off gassing - prettier stairwell and sealed off ancient, scary linoleum, so a good thing, but with upfront costs and no direct payoff other than adding to house value
Put out a bird bath and new bird feeders in the back yard. Makes us very popular - some upfront cost
Had the front yard landscaped - less watering and more bee-friendly plants, cost was substantial but adds to house value, plus other benefits
Started doing carbon offsets for trips by donating to MN Tree Trust and The Nature Conservancy. I can't do huge amounts at a time, so this tends to be a series of small donations. I'm building it into our trip budgets to make sure we can keep doing it.
Switched most of our grocery shopping to the new co-op near us - less driving, supports fair wages in an area that was a food desert. And, despite our initial concerns, proving less expensive than the main co-op in a more affluent neighborhood.
Replaced the coffee maker with a more efficient one that uses less power, water and coffee. Upfront cost: about $100, but will pay for itself.
Hired Two Bettys Green Cleaning for once a month house cleaning. Local women-owned company that hires artists, writers and musicians for a fair wage and benefits, uses all organic cleaning options. Upfront cost is pretty reasonable, especially given the payoff for my sanity.
Also looking into for this year: Roman shades for insulation, water efficient sink and toilet.

Onward and upward! And open to suggestions, apart from going car-free which is not a possibility at this time.

Crossposts: http://catherineldf.livejournal.com/394582.html

Last night, Jana and I were talking about a mutual acquaintance who, along with her husband, is working toward zero waste. They're growing their own food, recycling, buying bulk, etc. and have managed to reach the point where they only have a bag or two of disposable trash every couple of months. Frankly, I'm in awe. Our household of 2 humans/2 cats generates one bag of used cat litter (corn or wheat-based) and 1 bag of regular trash every week, plus several bags of recycling.

Our output is better than a lot of households but I'd love to do better.
Here's what we're doing by way of keeping it green(er) and roughly what it costs/saves us:
Participate in our utility's Windsource program ($2-5 extra per month).
Switched all our bulbs to compact fluorescent or LED - measurable decrease in electrical bills by several dollars a month.
Replaced appliances w/Energy Star ones as they wore out - decreases in electrical and natural gas bills
Use recycled products - saved on things like refilled print cartridges, plus buying bulk on paper products, cost for products in first place. Hard to say. Close to even?
Switch out cloth bags for plastic. Cost of bags: pretty minimal.
Bought into CSA from farm w/ sustainable practices. Costs about $300 for 6 months. We eat out less, we eat better and we're a lot more creative about canning/freezing and drying to preserve food. Some food savings, lots of not eating out savings.
Try not to drive one or both vehicles at least 1 day a week/car pool or pub transit when possible. Could do better on this. I'd love to shed one vehicle but it's not happening with our schedules. And biking is not a realistic option due to various physical ailments.
Recycle or compost maybe 50% or a bit more of our waste. Some savings, mostly just a generally fine idea.
Better insulation and new windows on the house - expensive, but reduced the heating bills and increased creature comfort.

How about you? Got anything that works well and inexpensively for green living?