Increasingly, I think people are recognizing how "going green" provides increasing personal and societal benefit -- whether its saving money with energy efficient products, improving one's health with organic foods and non-toxic products, or having more convenience with solar-power gadgets. Green simply addresses a lot of problems facing society -- fuel efficiency reducing oil dollars going into the hand of terrorists and dictators who hate America. Energy efficient appliances reduces demand on escalating fuel prices and helps clean our air and water (reducing cancer, respiratory problems, etc.). Some friends of mine just turned in their 2004 Prius for $16,000 toward the purchase of a new one -- they paid only $21,000 for it, and the dealer plans to sell it for that amount. I don't know how many cars retain their value like that after four years! Yes, hybrids cost more, but I'd rather give my money to a Japanese car company than a mid-east oil barron! Newsweek reported recently that 40 percent of our military spending is used to keep the global oil trade secure. Imagine how much we could save (in terms of dollars and lives) if we reduced our oil dependency.

A lot of great tips, and in this age of the Internet, there is no shortage of information about ways to go green. It's especially important for parents, who not only improve their own health and the health of their children, but also have the ability to make green living second-nature to their kids, who are learning lifelong habits right now. We have the ability to raise a whole generation of "sustainability natives," to whom green habits are as natural as washing their hands after going to the bathroom or locking the door when they leave the house.

I'm all in favor of going green but...

The term "chemical-free" is kind of misleading. Borax is a chemical. "Washing Soap" (whatever it is refering to) is a chemical. What virtue are we really trying to describe with the inaccurate term "chemical-free"?

I am an avid outdoorsman so I strongly believe in being a good steward of the earth. But, did you know that a Hummer is more environmentally friendly than a Prius!? Check out the article earlier this month on KSL. The batteries for the Prius have to be manufactured at many different sites around the world. The energy consumed to transport the Prius battery around the world is more than the energy consumed during the "life span" of a Hummer. So, the Prius is a good concept but, currently it is just a way to "feel good" it doesn't actually help the environment. In USA today, yesterday, there was an article about how Eco-friendly events are not so eco-friendly because of the mass amounts of garbage that is left over after the event. So, I am left feeling that the current "go green" movement likes irony or hypocrisy.

"Going Green" is & should be a personal choice. I do what I can to conserve & save where I can, but, the "Green Movement" is turning into a "Religious" tone, where if you don't accept ALL principles of "Global Warming" you are a "Flat Earther".
I watched the "Bee Movie" the other night with my children, great principle behind the knee-jerk reaction of "The honey is ours" concept, we don't see what it will affect till later.
Example: Changing incandescent lights for floresent lights will not "Save" energy, it will only consume less energy, but, floresent lights burn-out quicker, contain murcurey & cause migraines is some people.
Slow & studied approach is way better than a knee-jerk, force everyone reaction.

AIMHO

I think we are all for clean air and water. It makes sense to use our resouces wisely. We must also remember that there is no way we can get off of fossil fuels in the near future. Buying organic is fine but the world would starve if not for pesticides and bio-engineering.And I would like someone to explain if the world is warming why in the last ten years there has been no significant increase in global temperature? Also, who is going to put controls on China which pollutes way more than us with their unclean coal plants?

My favorite line in this whole article is, "While scientists and environmentalists admit the benefits of these eco-friendly choices can't always be measured . . ." That sounds like euphemistic language for "scientists and environmentalists admit there are no proven benefits of these eco-friendly choices . . ." Take Borax as an example. The following is from About.com: "Borax is natural, but that does not mean it is automatically safer for you or for 'the environment' than man-made chemicals... Signs of chronic toxic exposure include red and peeling skin, seizures, and kidney failure. The estimated lethal dose (ingested) for adults is 15-20 grams; less than 5 grams can kill a child or pet. For this reason, borax should not be used around food. More commonly, borax is associated with skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. It is also important to point out that exposure to borax may impair fertility or cause damage to an unborn child." Doesn't sound a whole lot better than Tide. Consider also that millions of people die annually of malaria because of the eco-hysteria associated with DDT use. Those who pay the greatest cost for the blind faith of the green movement are the poor.

I'm concerned about the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs because of the Mercury they contain. For those who live in the SL valley, you can take your old compact bulbs to your local public library for proper disposal.

I understand why some of you are reluctant to "go green". But consider this: Going green is no longer strictly an environmental issue - it's a financial one. More and more people are going green because they simply can't afford to live any other way. I bet most of us wish we had a car that gets 100 mpg right now.

The saying used to be "can you afford to go green?" Now it's "can you afford not to?"

FYI: The story about the Hummer being more environmentally friendly than a Prius is actually an urban legend (look it up). KSL didn't do their homework when they did that story. I know, I'm shocked too.

Let's hear it for food storage and cooking with real ingredients! Convenience foods need a lot of packaging, and fast food makes even more! Also, why not make your car last? If you're only going around town, save the landfill and your pocketbook! these newer cars seem great- IF you are in the market for a new car...don't trade in old faithful if she's still running!

You forgot to point out that in the "Go Broke" part that it will be caused by Government fines, price inflation due to food being turned into fuel, people being forced/madated to buy newer/enviro-friendly items because old items are outlawed.
Be ready for increases in vehicle/ATV/RV registration fees, gas taxes, road-use taxes, hidden taxes (0.05% non-food consumption tax for road use passed our legislature this year). This is just to make up for loss of tax revenue from gasoline usage in higher mpg cars.
Governments never produce, they only consume.
Liberals are only liberal with other peoples money.

AIMHO

Could you please give an example of how a person cannot afford to "go green"? There are only few, if any, "green" products that are cheaper for the average person than "non-green" products, especially in the short-term. Hybrid vehicles, like the Prius, are only affordable for those individuals who have an extra five to ten thousand dollars at the time of purchase to spend on a car, compared to a non-hybrid equivalent. (The Hummer/Prius cost comparison is not urban legend, although the comparison has been criticized. The comparison was done by CNW Marketing Research of Bandon, Ore. I looked it up.) Organic food is more expensive and causes the same if not more environmental harm than non-organic food with no proven health benefit. Fluorescent light bulbs are five to ten times more expensive that incandescent. (I bought three fluorescent bulbs for seven dollars a few years back. My children broke two within one month. Needless to say, my investment did not pay off.) Based on what I have seen, green living could only possibly be less expensive in the long-term, and probably not even then.

"Washing soap" almost certainly means "washing soda," a common ingredient in homemade and nontoxic cleansers. Do a search for author "Annie B. Bond" for great tips on healthy living (homemade cleansers, facials, and more) -- love her.

What on *Earth are you talking about, organics causing more harm than non-organics? Among other things, organics are produced without the petroleum-based chemical fertilizers used on conventional produce, so they are better for the land, our bodies, and ultimately, our energy independence. They have also now been shown to be more *nutritious than conventional produce (search for something like "European Union study organics: A four-year European Union-funded investigation found that organic foods have far more nutritional value than conventional foods. The biggest contrast was found for milk. The study found that levels of antioxidants in milk from organic cattle were between 50% and 80% higher than conventional milk (60-80% more nutrients in the summer than conventional milk, and 50-60% more in the winter). Organic milk also has higher levels of vitamin E, and 60 percent more antioxidants and desirable fatty acids. Antioxidants help with a healthy circulatory system and help fight cancer and heart disease. Fruit and vegetables were also found to contain 20-40% more nutrients when grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Going green means we will go broke. Try to fit in a Prius when you over 6'2" or you have the average family of 5 in Utah. You can do the wind power but it costs more. now they want to force it. We can't drill in ANWR or along our coasts so we are forced to buy from middle east. Can't build a new refinery because the greens will sue. Can't cut down a tree because it is a renewable resource? Al Gore flies all over burning fuel and wants to have a $2.50 gas tax. Cant have a suv burning fuel but forest fires polluting is ok. What made us come out of the last ice age did cavemen have cars. How did the ice melt. Warming cycle yes. Every time an environmentalist opens there month we all have to open our wallets.

Going green is a great option for cheapskates... don't worry about getting a Prius. Keep your same old car, just drive it less... walk, take the bus, carpool. How about taking a shower every other day instead of every day? That will conserve water and energy and save you money. Grow food in your garden - that is cheap and healthy. Buy fewer clothes, or buy your clothes at thrift shops, mend them rather than throwing them away.There is a lot of hype about being green but frugality and common sense are probably your best guides.

As fuel prices increase agricultural land is being converted from producing food to producing bio-fuel. Much of this change is taking place in 3rd world countries where food is already in short supply.

Go Green and Kill your neighbors if you like. I plan to run my chainsaw, weed whacker and leaf blower in honor of earth day. I might even do some unnecessary driving just for the fun of it.

Here is England's Food Standards Agency's response to this question: "Isn’t there evidence that organic food is safer and more nutritious?" "It is true that some scientific papers reach this conclusion. However, others find no difference. As in any field of science, to reach a robust conclusion it is necessary to evaluate the weight of evidence across a range of published papers. Care should be taken over reliance on single papers." There are still questions about the study anyway. First, it has not been published yet in a peer-reviewed journal, so its findings have not been properly tested. Second, even the authors of the study admit there were variations in the study, but failed to describe what they were. Single studies that reaffirm our beliefs are great boosts to our confidence but are not necessarily the end-all-be-all of a debate. For the environmental and human cost of organic farming search for "Norman Borlaug," considered the father of the green movement. Most notably, organic farming requires more land leading to more habitat destruction and prevents the use of genetically modified foods which could end the starvation of many.

Just ask those who unfortunately lost loved ones to E. coli infections over the past few years. Many of those cases were the direct result of organic farming practices using cattle manure which spread the bacteria. Organic farming is a good alternative choice if that is what one wants to spend their money on, but it is a choice. As for organic meaning more nutritious, there are probably more studies stating that there are no differences.

ATLANTA — Many residents of the Southeast who sacrificed greener lawns and longer showers to reduce water usage during the region's historic drought are now seeing the other shoe drop: They're being hit with sharp rate increases as water utilities scramble to make up revenue lost because of conservation measures.

Go Green or Don't Go Green, we will get your money one way or another! -- It's not about the planet, it's all about money!