We waited until February to publish our first 2008 edition of the “Going Simply Green” newsletter because, well if you are like me, the New Year’s Resolution has already been broken a few times by now.  I haven’t lost any weight, the gym membership lasted three solid weeks, my house still isn’t painted, and the junk from the last house is still in the garage.  So my student writers and I decided to publish now with some new goals because, let’s face it, it’s hard to change into so many different lifestyles. So, if you are still interested in starting a new lifestyle that is green, this is what this edition is all about.  First off, let’s talk about our ecological footprint, which represents how much acreage on Planet Earth we will degrade during our lifetime based upon our lifestyle.   With everything I know about Environmental Science and keeping conservation in mind, I still live in a four-bedroom house, I have an SUV (although it has become the weekend car), and I love a good steak.  Based upon this information, I will use up 20 acres of this planet.  This is roughly the size of a new subdivision consisting of 30 homes that was just built near my home.  Wow!  This doesn’t even include my husband or my child.  If I added in their numbers, we could ruin a portion of the Planet big enough to build a Super Wal-Mart and its parking lot!   Just think how much land that would be if we all used up Super Wal-Mart sizes of the Planet.  There would be nothing left after a few generations. What can we do?  Well, in the newsletter, you will find a link to the website, where you can take the ecological footprint quiz to find out if you will degrade a small or large portion of the Planet during your lifetime.  Also, try to think about the waste that comes from your house.  My son and I both pack lunches, so instead of buying the plastic sandwich bags that do not breakdown in a landfill, I use a piece of Tupperware or the Wonder Bread sandwich container that I found at a local grocery store.  I also very much enjoy bottled water, a huge problem now in the landfills.  I recently found at my local grocery store, new Eco-Shape water bottles by Deer Park that use 30% less plastic than other water bottles.  They were also the same price as other competitors.  Something to remember about plastic; it’s made from oil.  I can also take my water bottles to a nearby recycle center, where they can be made into a new water bottle.Throughout the newsletter, you will find many ways to be a bit more “green”.   Some of you might be interested in solar energy, or if you are building a new house or remodeling, check out our article on active solar designs.   Please take the information to heart.  Your fragile planet will thank you by providing for future generations.Sincerely, The Environmental Club, NRHS