In 1977, President Jimmy Carter declared that we were in the midst of an "energy crisis" that threatened to overwhelm us if we failed to act decisively. He installed solar panels on the White House, created a Cabinet-level Department of Energy, and funded alternative energy programs.

Just a few years later, incoming president Ronald Reagan made a point of undoing many of the initiatives championed by Carter. He gutted federal energy programs, caved in to oil and automobile industry requests, and in a dramatic (and wrongheaded) move worthy of the B-movies that he starred in, Reagan removed the solar panels on the White House. The Reagan/Bush administrations pursued an aggressively anti-environmental, pro-industry agenda, leading us to where we are today: smack dab in the middle of yet another environmental and energy crisis.

Though Carter left office as one of the most unpopular presidents on record, history may yet judge him differently. I do.

Have you made -- and broken -- all your New Year's resolutions yet? If not, what's the delay?

If you're still casting about for one or two easy, cheap resolutions that are good for you and for the environment, just pick one of these eight suggestions. Best of all, many of them will save you money while saving the planet.

What sacrifices are you willing to make to live a green life? Washing your clothes in cold water? Carrying a bag into the grocery store?

How about carrying water uphill in winter to cook dinner? Or walking outside in 2 feet of snow in the dark to use the outhouse? For this nature-loving family in Seldovia, Alaska, living in a round, Mongolian-style yurt does have its shortcomings -- no indoor toilet, no running water, and no heat save for a wood stove.

But try guessing what one modern convenience the couple was unwilling to sacrifice for their hard green lifestyle. Yup, that's right: a high-speed Internet connection.

Ever wonder what America will be like in 10 years? Will we still be able to boast that we're the "biggest" or the "greatest" country on Earth?

I'm among those who fear that we are slipping into second-class status. The evidence is everywhere. Our infant mortality rate is in 45th place, below Taiwan and Cuba. Remember the Big 3 auto giants from Detroit? (No, neither do I.) And other countries like Japan, France and the U.K. have vastly better high-speed train systems, health care, public schools, telecommunications technology, etc.

And now China is kicking our ass, too. The Asian giant is taking a leadership position in developing green energy technologies like wind turbines, solar panels, even electric bicycles.

Meanwhile, oil and coal still have the U.S. by the cojones. How long, I wonder, before the U.S. has another Sputnik revelation, and starts performing like a world leader instead of a follower?