Those "Live Earth" concerts have you singing a new tune. You can’t get those melting icebergs from "An Inconvenient Truth" out of your head. "Fast Food Nation" and "The Omnivore’s Dilemma" have you rethinking your diet.

But where to start? Must one banish toilet paper and all carbon-fueled transportation? Hug trees and eat only what one can hunt and gather? Evangelize the green gospel to all friends and family? Or is there a practical and happy medium along the way to a healthier earth?

Ken Leinbach, executive director of the Urban Ecology Center, says trying to change every part of one’s life at the same time may be a recipe for failure. A better way is to choose one simple resolution and focus on doing it well over time, gradually adding other changes.

Fortunately, the Milwaukee area is brimming with environmental experts and entrepreneurs, and the season of changing one’s life is upon us. Here are 11 green New Year’s resolutions for treading lightly, Milwaukee style.

1. Consign

Recycle the money that you already spent by consigning clothing and other items. Fashionable downtown retailers with consignment departments include Lela, 321 N. Broadway, and Freckle Face, 407 E. Buffalo St., in the Third Ward. Beyond conserving resources, consignment stores offer a chance for consignors to earn cash and shopping credits while passing savings on to shoppers. "Taking advantage of consignment programs is one of the best kept secrets of savvy moms," says Deanna Inniss, owner of Freckle Face. "Kids grow so fast and receive so many wonderful gifts that we see a lot of consignment items that have never been worn."

2. Bike to work

Jessica Wineberg, education manager for the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, can’t think of a smarter resolution than biking to work. After all, weight loss and financial savings are additional bonuses beyond saving the environment. "The majority of the world’s pollution comes from transportation choices, so this one lifestyle change is so much more beneficial than just recycling," she says. She recommends www.bikewinter.org as a resource for the brave souls who plan to start Jan. 1.

3. Set an example

The next generation is watching, so keep consumption down and set a good example. Make your own baby food by mashing organic fruits and vegetables. Cut back on throw-away conveniences like wipes and disposable diapers. Shop local boutiques for environmentally friendly parenting products. Freckle Face carries "Safe Sippy" stainless steel drinking cups for $14.95. They’re shiny, sleekly designed and most importantly created free of harmful chemicals found in plastic cups.

4. Bag wasteful shopping habits

According to the Sierra Club Web site, a shopping bag only has to be used 11 times to have a lower environmental impact than using the same number of disposable plastic bags. Retailers like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Metro Market offer simple canvas bags. Gina Johnson, who spent the summer hawking a line of spacious, colorful tote bags made from recycled furniture fabric at the Milwaukee Public Market, says, "Why not tie going green to fun and fashion?" Until the Milwaukee Public Market’s seasonal outdoor weekend market returns in the spring, Johnson’s bags are available at www.makeitbreathe.com/bags.

5. Practice enlightened energy use

Juli Kaufmann, co-owner of Pragmatic Construction, says, "One of the easiest ways to go green is to switch from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents." The bulbs cost more at the store, but use a fraction of the electricity, leading to lower electricity bills, a cooler household, conservation of fossil fuels and less global warming pollution.

6. Buy earth -sustaining products

Lisa Sim, owner of Future Green, an eco-store located at 2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., hopes more Milwaukeeans will pledge to buy sustainable and fair trade products in 2008. "Cleaning products are among the most toxic items in our homes and we use them every day," she says. Sim says her store offers a range of good options, from steel cleaner to bleach alternatives. She says some of the best cleaning products are homemade, such as bathroom cleaner made from vinegar, baking soda, liquid soap and water.

7. Eat locally

When feeding your family, buy as many local and organic products as possible. You’ll be helping farmers, keeping transportation costs down and limiting pollution. "Just keep everything as close to home as possible," says John Raymond, owner and chef at Roots Restaurant, 1818 N. Hubbard St. Raymond says he works hard to practice what he preaches; the restaurant buys local, recycles cooking oil and composts leftovers.

8. Buy clothing made from organic cotton

"This one thing makes a surprising impact, and the good news is that organic fabrics are getting easier and easier to find," Kaufmann says. "You can now buy Levi’s jeans made with organic cotton." According to the Organic Trade Association, regular cotton uses approximately 25 percent of the world’s insecticides and more than 10 percent of the pesticides. And it takes roughly one-third of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers to grow enough cotton for just one T-shirt.

9. Reduce meat consumption

Leinbach wishes more people would lay off the burgers and steaks. He calls vegetarianism, "The most impactful thing one person can do for the earth." But he recognizes there are degrees of compliance. "For me, meat is a treat, not an expectation," he says.

10. Get crafty

Plan ahead and embrace the D.I.Y. trend by knitting, beading and weaving this year’s presents for family and friends. Milwaukee was cited in the New York Times as a center of the alternative consumption craze, thanks to women like Faythe Levine, who runs Paper Boat Boutique and Gallery in Bay View. She has cited the growing popularity of crafting as a powerful art movement dominated by female artist-entrepreneurs.

11. Spread the green around