Mark Twain famously said, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." Mr. Twain was a smart (not to mention funny) man. Indeed, in the time he lived, people just dealt with what the environment threw at them. There was nothing one could do about the weather except hope for rain for the crops, and a relatively mild winter in the hope not to freeze to death.

These days, though... well, we're in a bit of a different situation. We have found out that it's likely that we can do something about the weather; and the environment in general. The consensus is that all the pollution being spewed by our factories, cars and jets is doing something to the weather, and it's not a positive.

What we do know, without a doubt, is that there are big environmental changes afoot. Droughts in the Southeast and Southwest, changes in weather patterns, more violent storms at times of year that were formerly calm. The environment is a very complex system, and no one really knows what the outcome may be from even seemingly small events. But there are plenty of things that we each can do to help minimize our own effects on the system.

As the saying goes, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Planning and consolidating your trips to the store will not only save on gas-- thereby adding less pollutants to the environment-- but will cut down on wear and tear on your vehicle. Purchasing a reduced flow shower head can save hundreds of gallons of water a year. Turning off lights when you're out of the room, or installing compact fluorescent bulbs in your lamps, will save you a lot of money over the long run and decrease the need to generate more electricity, further easing the strain on the environment.

Instead of buying a fresh bottle of water every time you stop at the convenience store, buy a reusable jug and fill it at home. Take your plastic grocery bags back to the market, so they can be recycled. Both of these things mean less production of plastic, which saves oil and helps the environment.

Another big thing you can do to help the environment is to make sure your home is well insulated. The better the insulation, the less flow of energy through the walls and ceiling. This helps keep you warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer, and will save you money over the long run.