Going Green. What does that all entail?

We listen to the reports, half heartedly, as we're preparing dinner, yada, yada, yada...
Here's the thing, if we could wrap our arms around just two attempts at helping the environment, we would be saving ourselves money at the GAS pump!
According to http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2006/Update51.htm

<<Fossil fuels are also used in the packaging of water. The most commonly used plastic for making water bottles is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is derived from crude oil. Making bottles to meet Americans' demand for bottled water requires more than 17 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel more than 1 million U.S. cars for a year. * Worldwide, some 2.7 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water each year. >>
The above story, certainly encompasses more than just Colorado, USA, but, darn it, if we don't start somewhere, where will we end up?

Ok. So I'm told, not everyone benefits from great tap water. I'd suggest looking into the filters that are available to remedy that. Nalgene bottles are all the rage on the hiking, biking trails, and the grand idea on that, is, they're reusable!
Plastic bags at retail stores.

It would be interesting to have the stores actually force the issue, with notice of course, that they will no longer be using plastic bags. Paper or personal tote. BUT, since large chain stores don't usually have their own agenda for their stores, even though the employee's say "YES" to going green, we, the consumer have to make it happen, and insist.

I was recently sent an email fwd, that depicts the horrors resulting from plastic bags, once they become "garbage". Its a Powerpoint, and should someone be interested in seeing it, I'm sure someone can help me figure out how to attach it.

So, plastic water bottles, and shopping bags. If we can start there, maybe our next project would be the proper recycling of our soda can's/bottles.

What does VT, ME, CT, NY, etc., have in regards to a nickel, sometimes even a dime, back, in order to catch our attention? I've never paid attention to the states that offer refunds, while living in them, as I just happily collected my cans and subsequently, my "rebate". Really, they give you cash back for proper disposal!
I don't even know where, in this area, I can bring separated tin and plastic. Anyone? Help? Can we do this??