(sort of) mid-year check-in

yup... like many folks, i made some new year's resolutions a few months ago... and, in an attempt to be accountable for my actions (and lack thereof), i thought it appropriate to -- as my friend joe says -- to "sit down with my bad self" and see where i'm at, as well as where i'm going...

resolution 1: purchase produce that is grown locally (start working my way toward the 100-mile diet).

--i'm actually doing pretty well on this one... my sunday-morning trips to the local farmer's market have actually become a bit of an addiction! (BTW, if you're not checking out your farmer's market, you're missing out on some SUPERB fruits and veggies... yum!). in addition, my little organic garden is bearing fruit, and i'm up to my eyeballs in tomatoes... yay! my only major failure has been regarding one thing -- bananas. not a whole lot of banana farmers here in so cal, so i'm rationalizing this by buying organic. all in all, i give myself a solid 9 on this one.

resolution 2: replace one major appliance with a more energy-efficient model by the end of 07.

--sadly, i'm getting a 1 in this area. sure, i've window shopped, but plunking down a few grand for the washer and dryer of my dreams is a bit more difficult than i'd planned. thankfully, i have a few months left before '08 comes knockin' on my door.

resolution 3: get power strips for the kitchen appliances and tv, etc. and remember to shut em off when not in use!

--check! it's amazing how much electricity we've saved by doing this... and i'm actually doing *darn* well at remembering to shut em off. i'll go with an 8 for this sucker.

resolution 4: replace outdoor garden lighting with solar-powered lighting.

--ding! man, i'm feeling much better now (the whole appliance thing was making me feel bad!). the solar lights work great, although i admit the lighting is a bit different. but we've gotten used to it.

last, but not least.. my sorta resolution 5: clean up and get rid of all my crap.
--ehhhhh... can we go back and reflect on my successes? :)

anyhoo, i'd love to hear how ya'll are doing on your green resolutions... hit me up!

cheers!