For nearly four decades, California-based Ed Begley, Jr. has made guinea pigs of himself and his family for the green cause, trying all manner of ecofriendly actions to conserve resources and reduce their footprint. Not only has he timed how long his he timed how long his wife took a shower, he's also drunk his own nontoxic cleaning products, Begley's Best, to show how safe they are (not that he recommends trying this at home). The actor and activist has distilled his knowledge in his recently released book "Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life." The goal? To help people adjust their lifestyles to save energy and cash, one step at a time.

What's the biggest mistake people make when they're trying to go green?
Trying to do too much. You can't run up Mount Everest. Instead, you have to put one foot in front of the other, and focus on getting to base camp. Even then, you only climb as high as you can. Not everyone will be able to afford a wind turbine or solar panels, but each one of us can do something and make a difference. Start small by turning down the thermostat, then tackle bigger projects like finding out where your energy comes from.

What's the secret to spreading the word without sounding preachy?
Easy. Don't preach. I've never taken an evangelical approach to this lifestyle. I don't call press conferences or tell people what to do. I model the behavior. And I'm happy to explain why I do what I do to anyone who asks -- and lately, I've been getting lots of questions. I'm definitely not about saving sinners here. I just like to share what I've learned from trying things myself.

What would you say has been your best green investment?
The biggest bang for my buck is my bicycle. I've always biked but really took it to another level in 1990, when I started biking everywhere instead of driving. When I need to, I drive my electric car.

Doesn't it take so much longer to get from one place to another? How do you have time?
That's the beauty of it! Once I started biking everywhere, I asked myself how I was so busy before that I didn't have time to bike from my home to my office. On the whole, I think we rush too much. When you rely on your bike and public transportation, you have to slow down and be a little bit more patient. I didn't start biking for this reason, but it's wonderful side effect.