03 Jul

Written by Kathryn Vercillo on July 3, 2008

 Green Money Saving

Most people want to be green. However, a large percentage of people don’t bother because they figure it’s going to cost too much. We want to be eco-friendly but only when it’s financially in our favor. Luckily, there are lots of green habits that are inexpensive to implement. In fact, there are some things that you can do which are not only green but are also money-saving. That’s the best of both worlds!

Here are 10 green habits that you can develop today in order to save yourself some money while you’re saving the earth:

1. Walk instead of driving

Cost of running a car

Source: US Department of Labor

Car are not only gas guzzlers they are also money guzzlers. The Dept. of Labor’s Statistics, show that car ownership costs are the 2nd largest household expense in the U.S. The average household spends almost as much on their cars as they do on food and health care combined for their entire. Plus the figures above are from 2004, long before the massive increase in Gas prices. Gas has now become one of the most expensive things in many people’s lives so stop using it. Walk or bicycle to the places that are close enough to do so. The cleaner air around you will be an added benefit but where you’ll really reap the rewards is in your bank account. Better yet, get rid of the car all together; donate it and get a tax break!

2. Don’t recycle old magazines

Newspaper house

It’s always better for the earth if you re-use instead of recycling. This is because there can be a lot of energy use in recycling and very little energy used when you reuse something. To recycle a magazine it first need to transported to a recycling plan, the recycling plant needs to build, and staffed, their staff need cars to get to work, etc, you see my point. Magazine pages can be used to line cupboards, wrap presents and can even be framed for cheap art. Be creative with them instead of just tossing them in the recycle bin. You could donate them to a homeless shelter or senior center. Or shred them and use them as cheap filler when mailing packages. Or why not do what the guy did in the pictures above and build a house out of old newpapaers, it is an excellent insulator!

3. Drink tap water.

Bottled water

It’s expensive to always buy bottles of water, especially when you consider that it is nearly as expensive at petrol, in certain parts of London anyway. Plus it’s really bad for the Earth for all of those plastic water bottles to be produced and transported. Last year 1,500,000 million tons of plastic were used to make 89 billion bottles of water. Drink from the tap instead. A good filter isn’t too expensive for people who don’t want to drink the water straight from the pipes.

4. Give stuff away to good causes

Give to good causes

You get rid of your junk, stuff gets re-used and you can claim a tax donation. Pay particular attention to donating your e-waste because this is really bad for the landfill and the donation gets you a decent tax break.

5. Stop eating meat

desforestation of the amazon rain forest

The most expensive food you purchase is probably meat and dairy. This is also the stuff that’s worst for the earth in terms of production. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 30% of the earth’s ice-free land is directly or indirectly involved in livestock production. They also estimate that livestock production generates nearly a 1/5 of the world’s greenhouse gases, than is more than all transportation population. The main cause of de-forestation in the Amazon is livestock production. In the last few months alone, the Brazilian government says, 1,250 square miles, or 320,000 hectares of the Amazon rain forest were lost.

6. Shower with someone

Shower for two

 Spouses can shower together. Young kids can shower together. It saves water which saves on the water bill. It also saves time and is usually a lot more fun.

7. Compost

Composting

If you have any plants then you know how expensive it is to buy fertilizer. Re-use your food scraps for this better purpose and save yourself some money while you beautify your home. It also means there will be less rubbish to be collected and transported to the dump.

8. Wear layers and open your windows

wearing lots of clothes

In other words, learn to control the climate in your home without spending money on heating and cooling. The world benefits from the use of less energy and you benefit when the bill comes in.

9. Use natural cleaning solutions

Green cleaning

The chemicals in those expensive house cleaning products that you buy are bad for the earth. Skip the even more expensive products marketed as organic and go back to the basics with things like vinegar, baking soda and olive oil. Vinegar is perfect for cleaning windows, in fact it is the main ingredients in most of the commercially available window cleaners. Baking soda is ideal for baths and sink, ovens, drains, and the toilet.

10. Vacation close to home

No flying

Airline tickets and road trips are expensive and all of that national and international travel is hard on the environment. Air travel is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gases. So find getaways in your own area instead. It should be better for your pocket, better for the environment, and better for the local economy!

2 Comments

  1. 2

    Kimberley Nanson
    January 25th, 2010

    I use a Current Cost energy monitor to cut electricity use – I have cut my bills and by cutting electricity use I am greener!

  2. 1

    certified organic beauty care
    May 13th, 2009

    excellent article.

    Dr Shalona Anuj
    1earth1u.com
    Love yourself…love your planet

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