But that's why taking little steps makes so much more sense. You don't need to be thoroughly environmentally sensitive in a day. If you take it a step at a time you can get to where you want to be with less of a struggle.

Pick something simple to start with, perhaps as simple as turning on fewer lights in the house or replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.

Another easy place to start can be recycling. This is easier in some areas than in others. Depending on where you live you may be able to recycle paper, metals and most plastics, or you may be more limited. Many areas only take plastics numbered 1 or 2, for example. You may be able to throw it all into a single bin or you may have to separate your recyclables.

The thing to remember is that recycling does not take you significantly longer than just throwing things into the trash. Just a moment's thought as to whether or not the item needs a very fast rinse and where should you put it?

As you get comfortable with the little things you can do to be more green you can work on the more challenging items. Little things like remembering to watch for recycle bins when you are out and about, or taking recyclables home are not always easy or convenient.

Taking on the Challenges

More challenging can be making the bigger lifestyle changes, such as simply consuming less. Despite the temptation, it makes more sense to buy less than it does to upgrade to environmentally friendly items. That old cutting board still works? You don't need the bamboo one. Wait to replace the things you already own until they actually need replacing.

Electronics can be very hard to cut back on. Most families have more than one television, and things like MP3 players, cell phones, computers and so forth. The trouble comes in how often these get replaced, and how that is done.

Electronics should always be recycled. This isn't always easy, but you can search out places where you can do this in your area. But more important is to decide how often you really need to be buying new electronics. You just have to watch all the people crowding to buy the latest gaming system or cell phone to know that a lot of electronics that still work just fine are about to be disposed of. Do you really need to take part?

There are many more things you can do to be more environmentally friendly in your lifestyle. Making changes can take time and aren't always going to be easy, but you can start with the changes that are easier for you and work up to the difficult ones. Individuals can make a difference when they choose to work at it.