I've been trying to change my life for the better for awhile now, including simplifying, getting fitter and healthier, and trying to get greener - and in the last few months I've been doing a lot of researching into reducing my carbon footprint as well.

    And while there are hundreds or even thousands of things we can do to reduce the resources we consume and the emissions we produce, I've been focusing on three areas that have （among） the biggest impacts.

    One of the greatest things I've noticed is that these three changes not only help you to become greener, but can go a long way toward improving your health （and helping you to be more frugal）. Going green and being healthier and fitter often go hand in hand.

    And while I'm far from perfect, even in these three areas, I'd like to share some of my thoughts and findings with you, in hopes that you'll look into and perhaps consider these changes yourself.

    1. Human-powered Transportation.Namely, cycling and walking. While cars are seen as convenient, even the greenest cars use up tons of resources （literally） and contribute greatly to greenhouse emissions. Autos are one of the biggest emissions contributors in most people's daily lives. While not everyone is going to go car-free all the time, we can reduce the amount we use cars.

    I've been walking more, as have Eva and the kids, to parks, playgrounds, the library, meetings, restaurants, movies, things like that. Walking is an amazing form of transportation - you barely use any resources or have any emissions （other than your breath）, and you get really fit walking around （see my Japan trip report for more on how I lost weight walking）.

    Cycling is something I also love, although I'm in between bikes right now and looking out for a good used bike （I prefer used as it means I'm reducing the amount of resources I consume）. Cycling for transportation takes some getting used to, I'll admit, but it's another incredible way to get around by consuming very few resources and emitting just about zero pollution, while getting in great shape. Seriously, I highly recommend this - try it for a couple weeks and you'll see that it's a very satisfying way to live.

    Mass transit, of course, is another great form of transportation, although in places like Guam it's a bit more difficult as we don't have a very good transit system. I've tried using it and it's extremely inconvenient if you have to be anywhere within a couple of hours. I loved the transit system in Tokyo, however, and would use that all the time if I were living there.

    Try to use human-powered transportation more often - you'll love it. It really helps put you in touch with the outdoors, and takes you out of the confinement of cars, out of the frustration of traffic, and reduces the amount you spend on gas and maintenance. Someday, I'm going to go car-free, and I hope I'll take all of you with me. :）liuxuepaper.com