Mom's 80/20 Solution

If you read my last post you might get the idea I was giving up. Since one of my most popular Green Short Cuts web pages is "If You Can't Go Green...", I tried to take my own advice. I was actually relieved that I was still on the right track. It reminded me of the 80/20 formula that I use in our other businesses. Generally it means it takes 80% of your efforts to achieve 20% of your success, or that 20% of your customers will generate 80% of your income. It means you shouldn't expect 100%, or even 90% success on most projects.

I've seen diminishing returns after getting about 3/4's of the way to the end of a project, or at least diminishing interest. You do need to keep your goal in mind so you'll know when you're 80% there. Going Green is an evolution. You don't replace that refrigerator today, but when you do, you can make that a Green decision. A Green setback, like the ones I suffered, don't need to take you back to zero. Most likely you'll only slip back from 80% to 70%, still a good rate.

Check the Green List and incorporate a new idea into your lifestyle for Earth Day next week. If you do, I get to move ahead on my own scale.