A low-cost way to keep your carbon footprint low (and save on your electric bill) is to switch from an electric dryer to a simple clothesline.

To find out more about this go the New Hampshire's own Project Laundry List and learn how you can save a ton of carbon dioxide from clogging up the atmosphere.

The book Golden Wings and Hairy Toes by Todd McLeish is about 14 of New England's most rare and endangered flora and fauna. Todd followed biologists who are monitoring, researching and protecting these species and gives first-hand accounts on the North Atlantic Right Whale, Ringed Boghaunter, Bicknell's Thrush, Northern Red-Bellied Cooter, Sandplain Gerardia, Indiana Bat, Atlantic Salmon, American Burying Beetle, Golden-Winged Warbler, Karner Blue, Canada Lynx, Shortnose Sturgeon, Jesup's Milk-Vetch, and Roseate Tern.

Each chapter tells the story of one of the 14 flora and fauna, allowing the reader to really connect with the –"critters"- while understanding the complexity of the whole ecosystem's role in their survival or peril. Some of the "why" these critters are rare is due to:

1. Human's destructive impact on the critters' land. Such as the wetlands and vernal pools in Massachusetts that are disrupted, destroyed or developed with limiting small buffers negatively effecting the Northern Red Bellied Cooter's homesteads and breeding sands.

2. Global warming. The few remaining Jesup's Milk-Vetch along the Connecticut River in New Hampshire is effected by the spreading of Poison Ivy as the planet warms. The aggressive growth of the ivy is swiping soil, water and nutrients from the sensitive perennial.

3. The elimination of their prey or breeding beds. The building of dams in the Sheepscot River in Maine prevents the Atlantic Salmon from moving up river to their breeding grounds. Some of the dams have been removed, but it may be too late.

4. While at other times human impact has helped as with the Canada Lynx return to the clear-cut Northern Maine woods. Leaving some of the land to rejuvenate on its own has lead to an increase population of snowshoe hare, which the Lynx prey on for food.

While reading the book my emotions fluctuated between wanting to volunteer to help with protecting efforts and other times I felt depressed at how we keep destroying our precious natural world. Why tell you all about this book?

First, it an easy and interesting read that will give you a little knowledge about New England's endangered critters. Mainly, though, because it is important that we all increase our awareness of nature so we can stop destroying it so our future can enjoy it and it can be our legacy. Lastly, the planet is one of my values and it influences my business decision and actions. It is important we run our business with values and ethics.

I would enjoy having you share some of the values that help you run your business and if you have read the book or do read it let us know what you think.

The town I live in, Nottingham started a recycling center in 1973 and is the oldest consecutively operating center in the nation. Who would have known that a small New Hampshire town would hold such a title. I bring my paper, cardboard, metal, aluminum, glass, plastic and other items there on a regular basis.

If you need to "pledge" to get yourself in gear and start recycling then take action today. November 15th is America Recycles Day and the national Recycling Coalition has a "Take-the-Pledge" campaign asking Americans to sign up to commit to recycling.

As the June 7, 2007 Economist article "The truth about Recycling" explains in 1980 Americans only recycled 9.6% of municipal rubbish and today it is 32%. Now, with the increase in recycling there has been increases in municipal waste also so don't jump for joy quite yet. Can Americans do better? We sure can, take a look at Jeremy Williams site with information on efforts in the EU. I say lets set a goal of 60% recycling like the Netherlands.

Recycling is better for the environment than burning or burying municipal waste. This was the conclusion of a life-cycle analyses conducted by the Technical University of Denmark and the Danish Topic Centre on Waste. The study conducted 200 scenarios on 55 life-cycle analyses comparing the impact of recycling versus burning or burying.

So, lets all kick-it up a notch and not only recycle, but lets reduce our overall waste. The best way to do this is to weigh your trash for a week or a month. You'll be amazed at how much waste an individual or business or family can generate.

Our household weighed our waste for a month and with some minor changes in purchases we cut our waste by more than 12%. We continue to look at ways to reduce it even further, small steps count so take a step now.

I wish I could say I missed Blog Action Day because I was preoccupied with the Boston Red Sox,but I can't. Heck, I had to turn on the television at noontime today to find out whether the Red Sox won the baseball World Series against the Colorado Rockies last night.

So what is Blog Action Day and when was it? Well, I just learned about it myself so I'll explain what I know. My understanding is once a year one issue is chosen for bloggers to spread the word about that particular issue. On October 15th the issue was the environment. Now, for all that read my blog you know I care about the earth and the environment so I was a little disappointed when I found out I missed the day. But, then I thought...yea, I'm a little late in recognizing the day and spreading the word about the environment THAT day, but I'm way ahead in some cases because I do talk about the earth and I can offer you The Sunrise Shift-a guide for a sustainable planet. I wrote this guide to help business owners and others begin to make a shift to reduce their ecological footprint. I have wanted to write this guide for quite some time to share my learning and resources with you.

My foremost purpose for writing The Sunrise Shift is because I have a deep spiritual connection to the earth, one I cannot easily explain. It has been there like a seed in rich soil growing through the seasons of my life.

One of my life goals is to live and work more sustainably and to share my learning and work on this subject with others in hope of getting more people and businesses involved so that we can all understand our impact on the earth and our society. Please download The Sunrise Shift and begin to utilize the information and lef me know how helpful you found the guide and anything you would like to share on your journey to reducing your ecological footprint.

And for you fellow bloggers it is never too late to take the issue of the environment and blog about it on your blog.

The greatest strength is gentleness." -IROQUOIS Proverb

In Joel Makower's blog he announces the launch of Climate Counts, a new non profit effort to rate consumer brands' commitment and performance to reduce their carbon footprint.

I went to the site and checked out some of the corporations whose brands I purchase. Most were in the category of "Striding", but one shocker I found was Amazon's ranking at a flat ZERO. Needless to say, I will be making immediate changes to the way I buy books (which is the only thing I buy on Amazon). Check out how the brands you use rate and let me know if you find any shockers.

And if you are wondering what you can do to decrease your carbon footprint, I'll be releasing a free booklet in the next few weeks on ways to reduce your ecological footprint.

Image by Janic Waltzer via Flickr, by Creative Commons license.