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Nikki Tundel
St. Paul, Minn.

Going green -- with or without the government

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Gene Marault
Gene Marault tries to consider the environmental impact of every decision she makes. The way she sees it, "green living benefits not only the Earth, it also improves the lives of human beings."
MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel

Gene Marault was devoted to environmentally-friendly living long before the term "carbon footprint" hit the scene. She worries that too many people are waiting for government legislation to address climate change. She says there are plenty of things individuals can do on their own to take responsibility for their planet.

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It's easy being green
To hear Marault tell it, being environmentally responsible doesn't have to be expensive. To help limit the number of things going into the local landfill, she furnishes her home with items from estate and yard sales. She buys her clothes at thrift stores. And she's a big fan of food cooperatives and the ReUse Center and Web sites like TwinCitiesFreeMarket.org.
MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel
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Gene Marault
Gene Marault tries to consider the environmental impact of every decision she makes. The way she sees it, "green living benefits not only the Earth, it also improves the lives of human beings."
MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel
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Water, water everywhere
Marault conserves water in a variety of ways. She found this 275-gallon rain barrel on the Web site Craigslist and acquired it "for a song." She uses the rain water it collects to nourish the fruits and vegetables she grows. When she showers, she captures that water in a bucket and later uses it to flush her toilet. She estimates this saves 5 gallons of water a week -- and 36,000 gallons over 20 years.
MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel