My wife and I previously lived in Atlanta, which has some of the worst traffic problems in the nation. We were driving a combined 300 miles a week to work and struggling to pay for heating/AC bills in a 30 year old two story house. It also cost a lot to water the grass and landscaping on a half an acre yard.
So what did we do? We sold the house, moved to Orlando, and rented a eco-friendly townhouse. Barrels capture rain water for the xeriscaped yard, and 100 year old oak trees provide great shading. We sold one car since I walk to work, and my wife works from home so we rarely use our single car (soon to be a hybrid). We walk to the grocery store (and use cotton bags) and daycare. And with Orlando's recycling program and our composting of organic matter, we fill up a 30 gallon container of trash MAYBE once a month. And did I mention that we purchase our organic fruits and veggies from a local co-op?
Every day we look for new ways to "give back" to the earth. And you know what? Our standard of living hasn't changed a bit. We love having a low carbon footprint, and wish more people felt the same. It's easy being green!
