The way I see it, this green movement is only going to work if it becomes a world-wide effort. It's not enough for the government to back environmental efforts; Americans have a social responsibility to adapt their living styles and make them more eco-friendly. I think the biggest things that keep people from going green are lack of knowledge on all of the ways they can make their everyday actions greener, and just pure laziness. Americans don't like change, and adapting a home and/or one's lifestyle to fit eco-friendly standards takes constant effort - but it can be done.

It's not just laziness or lack of knowledge, it's expensive too! I care about the environment, but (especially these days) I can't always afford to buy natural food products or clothing made with organic cotton. I mean, $123 for a pair of these pants?! Same idea with home appliances - replacing an electric or gas heater with a solar water heater could cost up to $3,500. And I'd love to buy fruits and vegetables and know that I wasn't consuming all sorts of pesticides and what not, but it's common knowledge that you have to be ready to spend a pretty penny when grocery shopping at organic supermarkets like Whole Foods or Fresh Market. So it's not just laziness that is keeping the average American from living a green lifestyle; they simply can't afford to make some of the larger, costly changes.

@QueenoftheScene- Yes, some changes will be expensive, but they will cost you less money in the long run, and there are many, many other alternatives that are cheaper from the start. How about buying your vegetables at a farmer's market instead of a pricey store? They're definitely cheaper and usually fresher, too. Or you could buy used clothes that are still good quality at thrift stores, and just raise your AC, lower your heat and take shorter showers to save money. At home, you can also use fluorescent light bulbs, wash your clothes in cold water and hang them on a clothesline to dry, refill a water mug instead of drinking from several plastic bottles, unplug appliances when you're not using them.... these lifestyle changes are simple and FREE, and the money that you save will be noticeable in your monthly bills and everyday spending.

Being "green" is only expensive in the short term.

While business likes to say that it is good business to be green, the hidden costs of everything we buy and use are seldom disclosed. That makes the early investments in green living look far more expensive than the returns might justify. Consider that when Seattle seeks to put a $0.20 per plastic bag fee on the use of plastic bags at retail, the plastic bag industry can affort to sink $600,000 into a campaign to stop the new law. If the industry can spend that much to preserve its profitability based on a polluting technology, there must be ways to save tens of millions of dollars in shopping bags while reducing pollution nationally.

Counting all the costs doesn't end at the plastic bag -- what about the people who opt for their own bags, carrying two mesh bags to the store and going to the store more frequently because they buy less each time (since only so much fits in the two bags)? They may use twice as much gas to shop, but think they are saving the planet.

We need ways to do full-cost accounting at the individual consumer level.

I tried buying all organic and mostly local produce for a while. I only lasted two weeks. Why? Because I'm sorry, but I can't justify paying $14 for a single watermelon!!! Granted, this was at an upscale co-op, but if I can find one that's just as tasty at a mainstream grocer for half the price, I'm all about it. It's hard to see how little ol' me "greening my groceries" will make a dent in the problem.

Whenever I need guidance on any subject under the sun, I turn to King Bob Vila. :) Seriously, though, he recently wrote a helpful post about how to beat the summer heat in your home SANS an energy-hogging A/C unit. Several small actions DO make a difference.

Let's face it, to be green and frugal is glorious. That's the ultimate win-win when we institute cap-and-trade and see the true cost of energy policies that impact more then just our wallets. Did you know that the long-term investments we place in weatherizing our homes and workplaces can pay off in as short of almost 10 years? It certainly doesn't hurt when the government is giving tax credits and utility companies are willing to come to your home to do an estimate.

The United States could save about $600 billion in energy costs by 2020 if it hiked annual efficiency spending about five-fold, business consultants McKinsey and Co said in a report. "It would cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by about 1.1 gigatons annually -- or the equivalent of taking the entire fleet of U.S. vehicles off the road"

Living in Florida, my family and I are always interested to see what can bring down our A/C, electric bill. We're used to shelling out as much as $200 per month and it's not because we live in a mansion -- it's because we have an older A/C and our house probably needs better insulation.

Being green can save you some green. You may not shell out for solar but you can certainly conserve energy to reduce usage. Look at these Top 10 Tips to Save on Energy by Mother Earth News. Here's what I could easily do: programmable thermomstat, seal air leaks around windows/doors. All that I can do from Home Depot or Lowes.

And for those dubious that homeowners aren't rushing to look at green solutions? From another hot-state, California: Weak economy makes solar panels more affordable to homeowners via LA Times.

"Manufacturers are cutting prices to move inventory. Uncle Sam is helping too. As part of the economic stimulus package, the federal government this year boosted tax credits to homeowners who switch to solar power. Together with state incentives, those subsidies could slash the cost of some systems in California by 50% or more. Some homeowners are banding together into buying groups for even bigger savings."