Fuel.  Fuel for my 15 year old car with 175,000 miles on it.  When gas prices in California reached over $4.00 a gallon this past spring, I almost became physically ill.  I asked my husband to fill up my gas tank (but only up to $30, in case the next day the price went down a few pennies).   In June, when prices climbed even higher to $4.50 a gallon, our family seriously considered buying a scooter.  The notion of spending $45.00 on gas every six weeks vs. every Friday was incredibly enticing.  My daughter eagerly volunteered to ride to middle school with her dad, even if it meant suffering for the cause and having helmet head in the morning before the first bell rang. So it came as a pleasant surprise when the Friday before Labor Day, I filled up my car and I found myself giddy, practically gleeful, that the price of gas was only $3.85 a gallon.  I texted my family and friends to quickly buy gas today before the prices skyrocketed. Have I changed my oil consumption?  Begrudgingly, yes – I combine errands by going to the grocery store and getting cash there, so I don’t have to drive an extra few miles to the ATM.  Instead of driving at lunch to buy milk and bread, I walk and work in a bit of exercise. I’ve also become a water conserver, thanks in large part to my 8-year-old son who is quite the water cop. He constantly reminds me to not let the water run while I brush my teeth and he declines to take a shower because we’re in a drought. When we received our water bill in July, I couldn’t wait to find out if we had been fined for being water hogs.  Thanks to my son’s valiant efforts, we actually used less than our goal amount.  We got an excellent water usage report card and I felt like the proud parent of a straight “A” student.   This isn’t the first time I’ve faced conservation head on. As someone who has lived through previous droughts, I remember when my dad installed low-flow shower heads, didn’t water his much-beloved lawn and didn’t wash his car in our front yard. And as someone who lived through the oil crises of the 1970s, I remember when you could only buy gasoline every other day, depending on what number your license plate started with. So, yes, I’ve made some changes. Even still, being environmentally conscious doesn’t come naturally to me.  I must admit, it’s my husband and my children that remind me of the environmental decisions I must make.