How Cool are You?

Honestly, I want to do the right thing when it comes to protecting the planet. And not just on Earth Day, either. I take public transportation, recycle everything I can, and vote for people who know better than to think that global warming means more nice days at the beach.

But when I took the Cool Home Tour with Sierra magazine's Mr. Green, whoa--I realized there's so much more I could do, and it wouldn't even be difficult or expensive. The tour goes through a real American house, so you can see what they're doing right (low-flow shower head, Energy Star water heater) and where they need to do better job (energy-saving lightbulbs, weather stripping on the doors).

It'll get you thinking. And while you're mulling it over, you can enter the Housecooling Sweepstakes to win a $400 basket of eco-groovy goodies. You can also find out whether your mayor is taking steps to make your city more energy efficient. Finally, you look into what it would take to make your city a "Cool City," and sign a petition to the chairs of the House and Senate energy committees, asking them to take the lead on getting Congress and, ahem, the president, on board.

From your own house to the White House, you can start making a difference. You may not think it counts for much, but multiply the changes you make by the changes thousands upon thousands of like-minded folks are making and, well, it adds up to a good day for the Earth.