Author James Howard Kunstler has written that the nation's suburbs are "entering a state of practical failure," but as the Times Union reports, the Clifton Park G.R.E.E.N. Committee hopes to prove him wrong through small but targeted efforts to green their community.

Clifton Park councilmen Tom Paolucci and Scott Hughesat a ball field in Clifton Commons park in Clifton Park (Photo: Lori Van Buren / Times Union)The committee, where G.R.E.E.N. stands for "Government Re-Thinking Energy and Environmental Needs," is a diverse team of citizen experts who work in high schools, architecture firms as well as state government. Their goal is to make Clifton Park environmentally sustainable and cost-efficient, while inspiring and educating its residents to do the same.

Currently they have expanded the recycling program at Clifton Commons and added an interactive feature on the town's Web site where residents can calculate the impact of switching from incandescent light bulbs to more efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. G.R.E.E.N. believes that the message that small steps matter and add up will continue to inspire suburban residents to adjust their lifestyles to be more environmentally conscious.