Reduce, re-use, recycle. Those are the watch-words environmentalists who would like us to reduce our carbon footprint often enlist. What’s a carbon footprint? It’s a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide. Sometimes it’s difficult to cut back or eliminate certain portions of our footprint; perhaps you must drive to work and back in Sorrento Mesa or fly regularly on business. But you can “give back” in ways to gain footprint credits. Or maybe they just make good common sense.

Here’s a dozen ideas to start that list off… we’ll continue the list in our next issue and we welcome additions from our readers. We’d like to hear from school kids, teachers, merchants, seniors, moms and dads, restaurant owners, environmentalists, gardeners — in other words, we want to hear from YOU! We’ll be happy to give you credit for your suggestions — just email them to kgrant@lifestylemags.com.

1. Take note of new hotel etiquette. Do you really need your bed linens and towels laundered every night? At Loews Coronado Bay Resort and the Hotel del Coronado (and most of our boutique island inns as well) guests can now politely notify the maids via note cards of their preferences. Regardless of laundering, beds will be made up daily. Guests also are reminded to turn down air conditioners and turn off TVs when out of their rooms.

2. Be thrifty — shop and donate to Coronado’s thrift shops. As they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. You’ll find bargains and give others a chance to find your bargains by shopping and donating to Second Hand Prose (the bookstore at the Coronado Public Library; The Christ Church Thrift Shop; The Thrift Cottage (Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church) and The Second- Best Shop (Coronado Hospital Foundation). Your donations are tax-deductible and allow these non-profit institutions, all staffed by volunteers, to use the funds they collect in furthering their good works.

3. Cut way back on junkmail. While most Coronadans have put themselves on the “Do Not Call” registry maintained by the Federal Trade Commission, they may be scratching their heads about how to blast through all the junk mail they receive. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to optout of catalogues and bulk-mail pieces that clog your mailbox. To get off of mail lists for prescreened credit and insurance offers call toll free to (888)5OPTOUT. To opt out (or in) of catalogues, the University of California Berkeley offers a free online service: catalogchoice.org. The Direct Marketing Association runs the “Mail Preference Service” and its website, dmachoice.org, allows consumers to opt out (or in) out of a particular company’s mailing list.

4. Clean up. It’s as easy as picking up a stray piece of paper in your path or joining a beach clean-up. Rotary Club of Coronado sponsors them monthly, beginning at 8 a.m. the second Saturday of each month, with the group of all ages meeting on the street opposite the Central Beach lifeguard tower.

5. Take an overnight Volunteer Vacation. Loews Coronado Bay Resort is just steps away from the Silver Strand State Beach, a rare and magnificent coastal sage scrub environment. To support preservation efforts, the resort has partnered with the California State Parks Foundation to launch a Volunteer Vacation package. The one-night stay, which launches over Spring Break, includes a guided tour of the Silver Strand’s fragile plants, animals and birds, including the Great Blue Heron, as well as its mudflats and sand dunes. Afterwards, guests will participate in beach clean-up or restoration projects (depending on the nesting season). A gourmet boxed lunch is provided during the 90-minute tour. The overall goal is for guests to learn more about preserving and protecting our natural resources. (And the rest of the day, you can hang out at Loews’ pool, your deluxe accommodation room and Sea Spa!) Call 424-4000 to book your stay.

6. How do you buzz around town? Bob Plumb, a Coronado-based attorney resolved some time back never to drive his business car in town. Instead you’ll usually see him going to Rotary Club meetings or the golf course on his bike. That is, until he and wife Ann, were the winners at last year’s Coronado Schools Foundation’s Dinner/Auction of an all-electric Mini-Hummer. “It’s a gas,” says Plumb, which, of course, it may be but certainly doesn’t consume any.

7. Buy local, buy fresh. If it’s Tuesday afternoon, head to Coronado’s Farmer Market at the Ferry Landing for great prices on produce and flowers from local farmers. And at the grocery store, ask your produce manager which fruits and vegetables are from the county…as opposed to Australia or New Zealand.

8. Get educated about gardening. On Fridays, treat yourself to the afternoon herb garden tour at Loews Coronado Bay Resort. The garden features 65 different herbs as well as vegetables including artichokes, corn stalks, avocadoes, strawberries and peppers. For reservations, call 424-4000, ext. 6300 ($15 includes a savory cocktail and a taste sample from the cooking demonstration at the end of the tour). And join a local garden club (they’re by invitation only, but do let them know you’re interested) — Crown Garden Club (435-5474) and Bridge and Bay Garden Club (435-8227) — host monthly seminars on ways to garden smart and pretty in our environment.

9. Buy recycled products. At Island Birkenstock, you can find trendy shoes that are made from 100% recycled materials. At Holland’s Bikes, you can often purchase a used bike that looks as good as new. At Central Drug, the complete line of reasonably priced Marion Heath greeting cards are printed on recycled paper. Speak up — ask merchants what earth-friendly products they stock.

10. Shop locally. You think you are saving by shopping at big-box retailers in San Diego? Not always…have you checked the price of gas lately? Not to mention what your time is worth and the wear-and-tear on your car. And we’re willing to bet that if you get to know your local merchants, they’ll often throw some extra discounts your way, do some special orders or give you some friendly tips that you won’t find in those warehouses.

11. Repair, don’t toss. At the new Gino’s Shoe Repair and Wide Shoes, you’ll get extra mileage out of shoes you thought had stepped out for the last time. At Yoon’s Tailoring Shop (El Cordova Shops) and Amier’s Tailor Shop, (Tenth Street), rips can be stitched, hems can come up and waistlines can be let out.

12. Say goodbye to paper and plastic. Get your own tote bag instead. Boney’s Bayside Market canvas bags with reinforced bottoms, pictured on our cover, are just 99 cents. At Coronado’s Luxury Cleaners, you can stow your items to be drycleaned in one of their recyclable bags, which are then laundered and returned to you as a protective garment bag.