Do you consider yourself an environmentally friendly person? I’ve spent months now getting more and more of a conscience about my place in this world. Every day there’s new stories about the effects of climate change, pollution, ever increasing landfills and disappearing environments but up until now they didn’t really seem to sink in.

I’ve decided enough is enough. I need to play my part, no matter how small, in making the world a greener and ultimately better place for my children and theirs. How can I expect anyone else to do it if I don’t do it myself? You can’t keep complaining about the state of the world and not at least try. As the saying goes, let it begin with me.

Decision made and armed with my new green mission statement, I boldly go online to find out how and encounter my first obstacle. Cash. Or more accurately, a lack of spare cash that I can justifiably spend on major improvements.

Suffice to say that remodeling my entire home with solar panels is not on the to-do list anytime soon. I might try standing my kid on the roof wrapped in aluminum foil in the hopes the rays will seep through him and into the wiring, but that’s about it.

The plan obviously needed a rethink. The more I read, the more I could see why many people aren’t in much of a hurry to take action. I’d bet my carbon footprint for at least some their hearts are in it but hugely expensive tasks are simply not practical, especially with a recession looming.

However I refused to be disheartened and tried looking at it from another angle. How do you get to be green when you’re an ordinary mom juggling a budget like me? Aha! A new quest has begun. Finding out how to do it in a lean green way will salvage both my conscience and my wallet.

The way the economy’s shaping up, I don’t think I’ll be the only one looking for ways to save a buck or two. If I can combine both, then why not? Come along for the ride my friends and we’ll discover together how you go about merging frugality with environmental friendliness. Bearing in mind every little change makes a difference, even if they’re cheap and cheerful ones, I’m willing to give it a go.

Lean and green, that’s the goal! Do you have any tips, ideas or comments? Please chime in and share them.