When I was a single woman 10+ years ago, I wasn't as Earth conscious as I am today. Sure, I recycled and did my best to reduce my personal consumption. I did my fair share of worrying about the impact all the "stuff" we used left on our planet, but I wouldn't call myself an activist.

Once I became a mother, I quickly discovered that life was no longer about just me. I had a tiny person to care for. I was responsible for everything this child would need to grow and thrive. I realized this responsibility was more than midnight feedings and diaper changes. It was my obligation to provide a safe environment for my son to grow up in. In what shape would my children and grandchildren inherit Mother Earth?

Growing up in Wisconsin, I've always been cautious about the environment. I live in a college town with one of the best Natural Resources programs in the state. We have numerous green spaces, from wild life reserves to school forests and preserved parks. We have a 26-mile recreational path that winds through marshes and county parks. I can ride my bike through the wooded path while cute little squirrels scurry to and fro. I feel lucky to have beautiful nature in my back yard.

But I worry about global warming, littering, and the amount of garbage that fills our landfills. I worry about all the paper and plastic bags that we consume daily. I get angry that our country is so dependent on oil, and the pollution that is ruining the quality of our air and water supplies.

It's so easy to look the other way when our politicians discuss the state of the planet and global warming. I admit, at first I thought it was a hoax; a made-up theory to be used for political gain. Then I read about polar bears and walruses dying in Antarctica. I cringe at the amount of trees that are forested to make all the paper we use. The amount of waste we create in the United States is astronomical.

How do we save our planet from our own destruction?

Several months ago I made a vow to eliminate some of the waste in my life. We no longer use plastic and paper bags, instead we bring our own eco-friendly sacks to the grocery store. I try to plan my trips to the store, bank, and post office for one day a week to eliminate the amount of pollution emitted from my car (and save money on gasoline). I started compost for my garden. I try to save electricity by only having lights on in one room in the house. I've joined the National Resources Defense Council as well as the Arbor Day Foundation.

Even though I'm making a conscious effort, I can't help but wonder if I could do more. I'm only one person, however. Imagine the impact if we all worked together to save our precious resources!

Earth Day is April 22nd this year and I've been glued to the Earth Day website for over a week. This year, the 3rd Annual Green Apple Festival will be hosted in 8 cities: New York, San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Washington D.C., Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles. The festival is creating a call to action in the name of climate change, which demands immediate, effective and equitable action against global warming. The aim is to generate one million calls to congress by the end of this year's Earth Day celebration.

The best part is that the Green Apple Festival is produced with as small a carbon footprint as possible. The organization implements a zero waste goal and has mandated the event to be paperless. They even use organic cotton t-shirts for the staff, bio-diesel generators for power when possible and serves organic food and beverages. They encourage patrons to take public transportation or walk or bike when they are able.

The idea of a celebration of this scale got me thinking about becoming more Green as well as encouraging others to do so. Here are some tips from the Green Apple Festival website:

From the website:

Musicians often write set lists on the back of flyers or advertisements. Follow this lead and reuse paper as
much as possible.

Whether on tour or on vacation, unplug as much as you can to save energy when items are not in use.

Carry a travel mug and reusable utensils (like a bamboo spork) instead of accepting plastic ware every time
you get coffee or food to go.

It can save as much as 90% on energy if you wash your clothes in warm-cold, not hot. Your skinny legged
jeans will thank you.

Be mindful of e-waste, which can leak toxic chemicals. Dump batteries, old computers and cell phones at specially designated sites that know how to deal with such refuse. Check out earthday.net for where to go.

Use organic cotton for your band t-shirts, your soccer team or your business—the process of cultivating regular cotton involves a lot of pesticides harmful to the Earth.

Going on tour, a family vacation or a business trip? Consider carbon offsetting your CO2 emissions through Native Energy, which purchases renewable energy credits equaling what you used.

Don’t bring that extra suitcase on the road. Pack down. An extra 100lbs reduces miles per gallon by up to 2 percent, compromising a non-renewable energy resource.

Consider carrying a tote, stuffing items into your purse, backpack or briefcase or just carry your purchased
goods instead of accepting a plastic bag.

Open windows when you can instead of using the AC. Rock your favorite sweater
rather than turning up the heat.

What are your tips for going Green?