Saturday, May 1, 2010

Being Green Saves You Money

Day after day we hear about switching to a greener lifestyle but many don't follow this path because they believe that doing this will affect the family budget.

You don’t have to go to extremes to help our planet, but small decisions can make a huge difference to your health and the environment. Greener and healthier products can be a little more expensive than the bargains we can find at the local dollar store, but at the end they can cause health problems that will cost more money.

Here are some tips that can help you save money at the same time that you can do your part to help our planet:

  • Choose reusable dust cloths over paper towels and use biodegradable products to wash it.
  • Cut two minutes off your shower to save a minimum five gallons of water per day.
  • Save on gas: walk, use your bike, shop online, maintain your tires in a good condition, take your time to drive where you need to go avoiding stepping on the gas pedal.
  • Try to repair things before you consider replacing them.
  • Get a water filter and reusable portable water bottles (aluminum rather than plastic) Regular water bottles are more expensive and they 90% are not even recycled and end up in our landfills.
  • Many electronics and toys consume a lot of batteries; save money and help our planet by getting rechargeable batteries.
  • Grow native plants in your garden it will not only save you time while gardening, but also water and the use of fertilizers and other supplements.
  • Eating less meat is a way to save money and help the planet since there is less energy involved in the production of vegetables than processing meats.
  • Go to your local Farmer's market and get seasonal products, they are cheaper and tastier. Avoid buying fruits and vegetables that come from far away lands they cost more and bringing them to you involves more energy and pollution.
  • Think before you buy. We tend to impulse-buy many things at the store; items that frequently end up in storage or we only use a few times before going to the trash can. Shopping online reduces impulse shopping but if you need to go to the store, do it when kids are at school.
  • Recycle your old cellular phones, computers, ink cartridges, electronics and batteries. there are many websites that will give you cash for these items!
So the next time you plan to go shopping, take some time to sit down and make a list of what you need, do some research online about the product and if possible, have it delivered to your house. You can find better bargains online at the same time you reduce traffic and gas emissions.

Live Green - Save Green

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