Sustainable Alternatives- Anybody really doing this?

I was going through my notebook of ideas I had printed out over the last few months and feeling bummed out because I didn't make a dent in the list. The heat and drought just drained my energy this year.

So many really good ideas (solar window heaters, rain barrels, greywater use, outdoor showers, composting toilets, etc) I have visited the sites Path To Freedom and Solvia many times online and can only wish we were that advanced. I had a big garden this year, but it didn't do very well. My fault for not keeping up with the watering regularly and planting half of it in non-properly prepared space.

I started questioning my sensibility, because these things all sounded a little "hippy-ish" to me. I had originally thought of doing most of these things as ways to save money on utilities (although probably only totaling a $1,000 or so a year). I like having my AC, kitchen stove, running water, TV, etc, but wanted to find a happy medium. But as I learn more, I now realize how even a small saving can make an impact toward conservation.

My question is, is anyone trying to do the same thing to the same extent as I am? All of these things have been brought up in various threads, but they seem to fizzle out, so don't know if the projects have been completed.

Robin