If you think you have to spend a year in a tree or a lifetime on Capitol Hill to help the environment, think again. Thanks to a new online program called "Turn the Tide," everyday folks can learn how to protect the environment and — here’s the twist — keep track of how well they do so. The program, a project of the Center for a New American Dream, offers participants nine simple, ecologically smart ways to change their lives, from cutting car trips to canceling junk mail. The center’s Eric Brown describes the program as a "powerful tool" for demonstrating the impact of small behavioral changes. Each member has a personal log, and the site calculates how many resources the member saves.
