When push comes to shove

We have all been hearing the warnings about the way we have treated the environment so far. It has gotten so that you can't watch tv without hearing the dire predictions of catastrophe from global warming. Let's be honest, we've screwed up.
Last night I saw an interview on the Discovery Channel with a guy who said that global warming is the moral issue of this century. By that, he means that it isn't just about the science anymore. It's about what kind of person you are. Do we care enough about what we are doing to make sacrifices?
The guy went on to say that, in order to stop global warming from destroying us, we in the developed world have to cut our energy usage NOW by ninety percent.
Let's think about that for a second. That means that we have to use our cars only once every ten days. We have to keep our homes cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer. By all rights I should not be posting this blog. I'm using electricity just sitting here in front of the computer enjoying the breeze from the fan on the desk. By all the moral indicators of our times, I am an evil person, who cares only about his own needs and desires.
I do however think that, when push comes to shove, we can actually make a big enough difference as individuals to improve the environment. Each of us doing the simplest things at the same time can make the changes palatable.
Sandra and I have stopped getting plastic bags at the grocery store. For just a dollar each, we bought reusable bags that are stronger and hold more. They will last for at least a year, are made from recycled plastic bottles, and when no longer useful, will be recycled themselves. Just eight dollars prevents roughly six thousand bags from winding up in the landfill each year. We just carry them in the trunk of the car.
I've taken up driving techniques used by "hyper milers". These are people who competitively wring every last mile from a drop of gasoline. It's as simple as not letting your car idle for more than ten seconds. By driving no faster than the posted speed limit, I save about twenty percent in fuel costs. Inflating tires to the maximum pressure can save another five percent. You get the idea. One man drove his Toyota hybrid in this manner. The best mileage he ever achieved, 200 miles per gallon!
Okay, so we can all save a little bit of energy here and there. That won't bring us down to the ninety percent savings that we need to meet the goal the gentleman in the interview mentioned. However, if we replace our current energy production technology with clean energy from wind, hydro, solar and nuclear (we'll forget about the environmental cost there for the time being) power, and use the most efficient appliances, we can make the goal.
According to one government study, if we all just replaced our old light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs, we could afford to shut down one coal fired plant. Sandra and I have replaced two of our lamp bulbs so far, and seldom use the overhead lights in the living room.
So, we can have an impact without too much inconvenience to ourselves. It just takes a little forethought and planning. When push comes to shove, just how much are you willing to change to reduce your negative impact on the environment?