How to really be green. No purchase necessary.

So it's that day when everyone is talking about being "green" and it's becoming a more popular topic every year with the growing concern for the state of our environment. This is a topic that has been close to my heart. I don't claim to be an expert but there are some obvious misconceptions that I would like to point out.

1. Green clothing - most of this is not actually more "green" than normal clothes. It often takes more resources to make and "green" materials like bamboo have to be shipping around so much more, wasting fuel.
SOLUTION
It is much better to wear the clothes that you have and avoid throwing them away by donating them or turning them into rags or fabric scraps. I try to buy mostly vintage and pre-worn (thrift) clothes to create less demand for the production of new clothes.

2. Paper bags (instead of plastic) - they use pretty much the same amount of energy to recycle. One is not really better than the other.
SOLUTION
Take canvas bags with you shopping (keep some in your purse or car). However if you do forget them then consider which one you would actually re-use.

3. How to be green books - this is my biggest pet peave. Why are there so many books on how to be green? Why are we wasting all that paper? I don't care that it is recycled (recycled paper uses SO much energy to make). The only "green" book that doesn't use paper is Cradle to Cradle which I highly recommend. If someone can't afford internet access to read online how to be green then they are not going to buy an overpriced book on the topic.
SOLUTION
Don't buy them

4. Ethanol - Corn is NOT the answer. It takes about the same amount of fuel to make ethanol as it takes to just use gasoline.
SOLUTION
Don't drive. Ok so that sounds pretty extreme but most of us drive WAY more than we need to. My fellow Los Angeleans are shocked that I can get around this city without a car. But I do and it's not that hard, just a little inconvenient. Alternative transportation and vehicle will not be produced unless we DEMAND it.

O.k. thats enough for now. I'm sure I'll come up with more to rant about on this topic later.