I refuse to quote Kermit the Frog.

I didn't make any real resolutions for 2008, but this month has brought about some new habits in our home. We're making a real effort to clean up and green up and simplify our household. While we've sporadically recycled and donated used goods, I'm ashamed to say that we've contributed a great deal to our landfills in the last couple of years. But I (and by default, my family) have made the commitment to do the 3 Rs and to live more simply and cleanly. That means squandering less and saving more. It means reusing glass jars, separating waste into specified bins in the garage, and really thinking about every piece of trash we throw away. It means avoiding That One Really Big Box store that is oh, so convenient to my house, buying local, and buying less. It means using what we already have and distinguishing between wants and true needs.

It's not easy, but in a way, it's fun. It has almost become a game to see how little I can spend and how much I can reuse or repurpose or recycle.

At the beginning of this endeavor, I worried that we would be spending more money by being more responsible. One of my first steps was to quit going to Squall*Mart. I've shopped there for a while because of their lower prices. Lower prices come at a pretty high cost in some instances, though. I'm not going to get all preachy on you, but I've learned enough and the whole experience is unpleasant enough (hence the name Squall*Mart) that I was more than ready to quit. So, this weekend marked the first time that I changed my grocery shopping strategy and completely bypassed the big ol' honking superstore. I drove a little further to the other big--although not AS big--box store, you know the one that's known for philanthropy and community involvement and its cute little reusable shopping bags (Yes, I realize I'm just choosing the lesser of two evils, but it's a start, right?). There, I bought several groceries and a couple of other toiletry items that we needed. Then, I headed to the locally-owned grocery store for produce and a couple of specialty items. When it was all said and done, I had spent less than I usually do, AND it was loads more fun.

Here are some other things that we're doing:

• Buying Al's lunch at school. It may seem to cost more at first glance, but after all the individually packaged fruit cups and pasta cups and plastic baggies have been bought and tossed, the school lunch is a better choice. Because the food is bought in bulk and there's no repacking for transport, there's much less waste. Also, Al is eating nutritious foods that he may not have tried here at home, all because of positive peer pressure. And I'm loving not packing his lunch.
• Planning and cooking meals in advance. This weekend, I boiled some chicken breasts and used the stock to make a huge pot of minestrone. I froze half and the other half I'll eat for lunch all week. I cut up some of the chicken tonight and threw it into a pot of seasoned rice (plain old white rice seasoned with onion and garlic and salt and pepper) and let that simmer while I steamed some asparagus. There are enough leftovers of that for the Mr. to eat tomorrow evening. I'll use the rest of the chicken in tacos and pasta alfredo to finish the week off. My challenge for next week is to use as many of the ingredients that have been sitting on my pantry and freezer shelves so that I buy even less. That should be an interesting menu.
• Getting organized. It's hard for me to use what I didn't even know I had.
  
• Reading about other people's experiences in their quests for a greener and cleaner and simpler lifestyle. They challenge and inspire me.
  

We've got a long way to go, I realize, but it's a start.

Please feel free to share your own tips and tricks.