It’s spring, when many of us re-state that we’ll be eating healthier, working out more, and losing a ton of weight; 2010 will be our fittest year ever.

Even though weight loss is potentially the most coveted resolution, many folks are thinking they may want to resolve to contribute to a healthier, cleaner planet. Now, we’re talking.

Where to start?

The start line will be different for each person. It completely depends on where you currently stand, what you are willing to do, and what makes sense.

First things first, if you are a water drinker and consistently drink out of a single-use plastic bottle, switch immediately to a reusable bottle; stainless steel is the safest option. If you need a little encouragement to pry the wasteful PET bottle from your hands, know that every square mile of ocean if filled with about 46,000 pieces of plastic littler.

There’s a lot of information out there and it can definitely be confusing if you are a novice or aspiring greenie. Some of my top enviro-actions are:

1. Swapping to non-toxic and biodegradable cleaners. It’s important to note that most eco-cleaners are highly concentrated so the sticker shock of $7 for a bottle of multi-purpose cleaner will usually get you at least a dozen gallons of solution. Not so bad after all. Right now, I am loving the Aubrey Organics Earth Aware all-purpose cleaner. It’s $7.29 for 32 oz and you use 2 oz per gallon of cleaner or $0.46 per gallon  Can’t beat it, and it smells amazing!
2. Green the body by switching to non-toxic (i.e. safe) versions for personal care. The ladies should take this recommendation seriously because there are a ton of products filled with parabens which are linked to breast cancer. Read the labels before you buy. I’m always a fan of going au natural and organic for lip balms because you’re sure to ingest some of the balmy goodness especially if it tastes yummy. Most balms are made with petroleum and I’m pretty sure you don’t want to be eating oil.
3. 

   Locavores' delight: The Boot.

   Eating local can be tough, but is so very important. It’s important to support your local farmers, important to gain health benefits from local food, important to reduce carbon and gas emissions. We have some phenomenal restaurants that serve local food and both Norfolk and Virginia Beach have year round farmer’s markets. 1.1 million barrels of oil could be saved per week if each US citizen ate just one meal locally every week. Restaurants like The Boot, Pasha, Vintage Kitchen, and Get Fresh Café use local and organic food have a flair for turning out unique dishes.

It’s all about the education. Sign up for some newsletters from green sites, ask friends for recommendations, call me–I try to help as much as possible. The point is…you have a local network of planet warriors that have been there, done that, and can offer quality advice.