Here’s how to thrive in the abundance of renewable energy, organic food and a more healthy and sustainable lifestyle. While not all frugality rules, this approach to living more sustainably does require some degree of curtailment, scaling down and living within our means.  It means using credit cards less and relying on community members or family more.  However, the result can be a rich life filled with health and well-being, friends and family, more time to do the things you love to do (imagine that!), a greater sense of purpose, and, my favorite, happiness.

Below are a few suggestions to get you started or continue your journey.  Please add some of your own in the comments.  Maybe some of the BIG banks or BIG government folks might take notice that a few ideas do not involve printing and spending trillions of dollars to “spur consumption.”

•  Powering the renewable energy revolution

Times couldn’t be better for installing your own renewable energy system or improving your energy efficiency of your home or business (or both!), depending on the state you live in.  The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 extended the Energy Policy Act of 2005. These new acts extend and expand the federal tax credits available for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements made in 2009 and beyond.  There are numerous renewable energy cash-back incentives, tax credits and low interest loans that can help ease the transition from a fossil-fuel based economy to one that thrives on solar income.  Check out the Database for State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (www.dsireusa.org) to see what’s available in your state.

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From reducing the deficit by 1/3 to allocating $634 billion for health care reform over the next decade, “President Obama’s new budget represents a huge break, not just with the policies of the past eight years, but with policy trends over the past 30 years,” according to Paul Krugman of the New York Times.

In addition, Obama’s budget promises to address climate change.

Obama’s budget projects revenue from cap-and-trade sales will result in $150 billion over 10 years (starting in 2012) that will be used to fund renewable energy projects.  The sale of emission permits will also create $65 billion a year to pay for middle-class tax credits.  Any additional revenue would be returned to families, communities and businesses to offset higher energy prices.  Again, this program reflects a departure from the previous administration in addressing climate change.  Krugman describes, “After years of denial and delay by its predecessor, the Obama administration is signaling that it’s ready to take on climate change,” however,  James Hansen has warned cap-and-trade is not the solution.

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President Obama estimates a deficit of $1.75 trillion, equal to 12.3 percent of U.S. gross domestic product. He also delivered a $3.6 Trillion Budget Blueprint.

After the President’s “We Will Recover” speech to the nation earlier this week, Americans came away asking the question where he would get the funds to spend on all of the programs that he had promised such as health care and education. It is now apparent that many of those funds will come from the American public.

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Thanks to the Bush administration, the current US deficit is over $1 trillion (not including the economic stimulus package). Obama plans to cut this deficit in half by 2013. Is this even possible?

President Obama has stated in discussing the economy:

No single piece of this broad economic recovery can, by itself, meet the demands that have been placed on us. We can’t help people find work or pay their bills unless we unlock credit for families and businesses. We can’t solve our housing crisis unless we help people find work so that they can make payments on their homes. We can’t produce shared prosperity without firm rules of the road. And we can’t generate sustained growth without getting our deficits under control. In short, we cannot successfully address any of our problems without addressing them all. And that is exactly what the strategy we are pursuing is designed to do.

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Now there’s a new eco-friendly place where you might be able to afford them.  Newly launched, Ecosteal.com sells modern, eco-friendly products featured one-at-a-time at 40-80% off retail price, until they sell out or 9am the next day.

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Tierra Sana, which is located at the corner of 67th Ave. and Queens Blvd, will be offering “Pay What You Want” pricing every Tuesday during lunchtime hours, starting on Feb. 3. After eating, you get decide how much the meal was worth, according to an article by the NY Daily News.

The special includes an array of appetizers, entrees, salads and desserts that are all health-conscious but still savory.

“Health food doesn’t have to be expensive or tasteless,” said owner Vic Fiallo, who began the “Pay What You Want” special to introduce Queens diners to cheap, healthy cuisine.

Alcohol is not included as part of the free pricing, but they do have a selection of organic wins available. Many of their meals are vegetarian and vegan options. Fiallo says that he’s confident that the food is so good that he’ll still make a profit during these lunchtimes specials.

Picture via sxc.hu.

Food prices are predicted to rise again next year, the economy is tanking, and businesses are looking at layoffs of some employees. With a recession looming, many families are struggling financially, tightening up their budgets and cutting back on unnecessary expenses. That doesn’t have to mean eating low-quality food.

Families can still eat well and buy organic and natural foods, even in a recession, but it takes some new skills. Some of these skills aren’t so obvious, so I put together my top ten tips to help your budget, with a focus on grocery shopping. Even if you only use some of them, I think you’ll see a significant change in your finances.

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The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is $60 million in the hole - double their expected revenue shortfall for 2008. Administrators are talking about raising fares and reducing consumer services to help the transit system cope with the losses.

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The Telecommunications Research & Action Center (TRAC) has just published their guide to slimming down your phone bills, which can save you up to half on your phone service.

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Things will change here in the USA. These changes will sometimes more difficult for some than others. More of us are already using public transportation, riding bikes — even moving closer to where we work or pressuring employers to offer flextime (to avoid rush hours) or telecommuting from home. In part thanks to the mushrooming energy costs, how much of business was done in the period of relatively inexpensive oil and other fossil fuels will morph into a new model of business model where energy costs are front and center.

Another trend: the explosion of people starting their own green business as an ecopreneur, operating their business without destroying the planet or exploiting people. Energy conservation and efficiency are often the very DNA of these enterprises. Eventually, the politicians in Washington DC might realize that opening up ANWR merely delays the reality that we need to cut our addiction to oil, for climate’s sake. We need to get back to 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide to maintain some degree of climate stability. Burning more oil, coal or natural gas is not the way.

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