Sometimes it’s the smallest, most insignificant things that get in the way of our good intentions. Most of us want to lead healthier lives and do our part in preventing global warming. So why, when we learn that making small changes could help us accomplish those goals, don’t we? If you’re honest with yourself – it’s probably because in this busy, harried world we all live in, if it isn’t easy, and I mean really easy, we don’t have the time or the energy to change our routine or go that extra mile. In my case I realized I was having trouble going an extra few feet…

I learned that appliances and cell phone chargers if left plugged into the wall when not in use, are still using energy - truly a waste of energy. I started thinking about all the things in my home that were using energy even when I wasn’t at home: the TV, stereo, DVD player, printer, hair dryer, camera battery charger, cell phone charger, toaster, blender, the list went on and on… I quickly vowed to start unplugging whenever possible – I figured it was the least I could do.

Things went well at first, but slowly as time went on, I stopped unplugging. I still managed to unplug the kitchen appliances and hair dryer after each use, but for some reason I just never seemed to remember to unplug my cell phone charger whenever I removed my phone and I couldn’t seem be bothered to turn off the TV, Stereo, DVD player and my office equipment before I went to bed at night. When I stopped to think why, I realized  I was just being lazy.

The kitchen appliances and hair dryer were plugged into sockets above counters within easy reach. While the cell phone charger, TV and office equipment were plugged into sockets near the floor so I had to lean down to unplug. Furthermore, to reach those sockets near the floor I had to maneuver my arm behind furniture. So I was willing to be green, when it was convenient.

I shared my realization with friends and was somewhat relieved to know I wasn’t alone. One friend wouldn’t switch to compact fluorescent light bulb’s because the light they shed wasn’t quite “yellow enough.” Another friend had bought reusable, cloth grocery bags, but kept forgetting to bring them to the store. We all had good intentions, we just needed to make it a little easier on ourselves to follow through.

For me that meant moving my cell phone charger to a socket above a counter in my kitchen and grouping all office equipment and entertainment center plugs into power cords that I could easily reach. The power cords had the added bonus that I now only had to flick one switch to cut power to everything I didn’t need plugged in all the time. For my friends it meant alternating CFLs with regular incandescent bulbs throughout her home or placing a basket with grocery bags near the front door.

Next time you realize you’re not following through with a plan, see if there is anything you can do in your home to help. A little extra time spent organizing in the beginning will make it easier and save you time in long run. Here are a few ideas:

• Use power strips to plug in all entertainment center equipment and all office equipment that can be turned off when not in use – this way you only have to hit one switch to turn off power to all those appliances. Use a separate outlet or power strip for things that need power consistently, such as a cable box, which may tape shows while you’re out or asleep or a laptop that needs to charge.

• To break old habits sometimes it’s helpful to leave yourself a reminder. Place a post-it on your dishwasher reminding you to only run when full, or on your washer and dryer to use an energy efficient setting. Once you’re in the habit, you can throw away the note.

• Create a system that makes recycling more graceful. Depending on your town’s recycling policy this may be easy or take a little more work, but at least begin with creating an area in your kitchen or elsewhere in your home with suitable containers.

• When you next find yourself at the hardware store or pharmacy buy yourself a few extra CFLs and place them in a closet. Then next time that hard to reach bulb burns out, you’re already prepared. If you’re not a fan of CFLs try using them in areas where you don’t spend a lot of time, like the garage or laundry room. In other rooms try halogen lights, which although not as energy efficient as CFLs are better than regular incandescent.