See the U.S. News & World Report article, “10 Ways To Save By Going Green” in which I provide many of my favorite budget green living tips, a number of which are taken directly from my book, The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget.

I also believe that we are truly facing an environmental crisis, but until we learn to communicate about it in ways that convince people that it’s in their personal self-interest to support the solutions, we will continue to come up short in our quest to solve the dramatic challenges we face.

The posts have generated some interesting commentary. Not everyone agrees with me. In fact, some are ardently opposed to my point of view. That’s okay. The point is to raise greater awareness about our movement’s communication shortcomings so we can think about how to become more effective.

For me, it’s never about winning a debate or proving an environmental skeptic wrong. Instead, I’m much more interested in getting that skeptic excited about choices that are going to reduce his environmental impact. And I’ve learned over the past seven years through a whirlwind of experiences that one has very little to do with the other.

Here are links to the posts:

Let’s Stop Debating Global Warming and Instead Convince People To Solve It

Want To Save The Planet? Change Your Green Communication Strategy

At The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. I care about bears. I just don’t think we should make them the cornerstone of our green communication strategy.

TripAdvisor named the Hutton one of the ten trendiest hotels in America for 2010. Contemporary design touches are evident throughout. So too are the green design features. Below are pics of three of my favorites.

1) A digital shower heating system. It’s fun to play with and enhances the shower experience by enabling you to instantly control the exact temperature of the water. It also saves energy by not having to heat water higher than necessary.

2) A slot for the room key card which activates the lighting system. When you take your key with you upon exiting the room the lights automatically shut off. Why every hotel in America doesn’t have this system in place is a mystery to me since it not only saves energy but also saves money just like a good green solution should.

3) Bamboo furniture. This is the first hotel I’ve seen that utilizes bamboo as the principal furniture material for many pieces throughout the hotel room. Bamboo offers a terrific aesthetic and is considered one of the best materials for furniture because it grows and replenishes so quickly without the need for pesticides and insecticides. It’s often a great alternative to wood or synthetic materials.

It’s called ClickPayRent.com and as long as your landlord is signed up for the service, you can pay your rent online, which while still painful is at least much more convenient. The service was co-founded by Steven Van Praagh, an environmental entrepreneur who also helped found eco-printer Print Responsibly.

ClickPayRent.com is such an obviously better way to conduct transactions. It simplifies our lives and helps the planet in the process.