Although I've never been one much for "New Year's Resolutions," this year, I've been doing a lot of thinking about my way of "green living" and am dedicated to step it up a notch in 2012. Since leaving the ranch and the idyllic Montana country girl life I grew up with and transitioning over the last 7 or 8 years to apartment life and city dwelling, there have been many aspects of what I deemed green living that I simply gave up on or didn't think to see if they were feasible. The biggest is gardening. Without endless acres at my fingertips, and in fact, not a blade of grass that I can put my name to, I sadly simply stopped thinking of growing green things, of watering tender plants and plucking stubborn weeds. Composting followed shortly behind it. I grew up with a large "compost pile" just over the fence and down the hill and that seemed natural and easy enough, but how could I compost in an apartment, and even more, why would I compost in an apartment? Turns out, I don't need to give up either one of those, and in 2012, I don't plan to any longer!. Here's what I plan to do in "Phase 1" of my Green Up.... read more