Today is Earth Day — a good time to celebrate the beauty of nature.  Spending a bit of time outside would not go amiss.

It's also a good time to reflect on our patterns of consumption.  We are using the earth's resources at a startling pace with grave impact on the natural world.  But there are lots of things we can do to make a difference:

• Use less.  If you don't buy it, no one had to make it or ship it or dispose of it.  Make it a habit before every purchase to ask yourself: Do I really need this?
• If you do need something, consider getting it in a less consumptive way:  borrow a book or DVD from the library; buy something used; share a purchase with a friend or neighbor.
• Recycle whatever you can:  paper, plastic, glass, aluminum.  You can even compost food scraps and yard trimming.
• Whatever you do buy, use it up.  Try to buy only as much as you need of things and use it completely. Limit waste.
• Think about how you use energy.  Do you leave lights on all over the house? Instead of turning up the heat, do you put on a sweater?  Instead of cranking up the AC, do you open a window?  Do you plan your errands so you don't miss anything (necessitating extra trips) and so that you can gang errands together?
• Have you considered alternate transportation: biking, walking, public transit, carpooling?

Little steps can make a big difference.