Saving money and the environment: Where green and frugal meet
The good news: At its most fundamental, being “green” is nothing new. It’s actually built around a very old philosophy of consuming less, buying only what you need, using things until they’re worn out, and wasting not. Unsurprisingly, frugality and green-living are closely tied. You don’t have to buy expensive “green” products in order to be environmentally friendly. The real goal is to mind your consumption, and that’s good for your wallet and the planet.
Where to start?
Reduce Consumption
Think of all the things you consume in a given day — or a given week. What can you use less of? I’m not talking about self-denial. As J.D. mentioned in a prior post, it may not really be necessary to use two tablespoons of cocoa instead of three. But on a larger scale, can you use less or use things in a different way to avoid waste? Some areas to consider:
- Fewer Disposables. Try using fewer paper towels and paper napkins. I picked up a package of 50 terry cloth shop towels at Costco for the same price as a mega-pack of Bounty paper towels. The shop towels are the perfect size for a paper towel replacement (and more absorbent), and that one-time purchase will last indefinitely. I can’t say that I never use a paper towel for anything, but I use far fewer now than before. We’ve also started using basic cotton cloth napkins almost exclusively. They’re just as easy as paper napkins and far less expensive in the long run.
- No more bottled water. Consider buying a reusable, BPA-Free bottle and fill it with tap water. Most bottled water is tap water anyway. If you don’t like the taste of the water that comes out of your tap, consider an inexpensive filter. Depending on how much bottled water you and your family drink, you could see tremendous savings here — not to mention the positive impact on the environment when you reduce the number of plastic bottles coming out of your home.
Conserve
When you conserve resources, you’re not only helping to ensure there will be resources left for future generations, you’re saving money, too.
- Water. Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth. If you have children, teach them to do this as well. Install low-flow shower heads. The newer models don’t sacrifice water pressure like the older ones used to. Wash full loads of clothes and dishes. Consider a rain barrel if you have a garden. The benefit: lower water bills and a happier planet.
- Energy. Turn down the thermostat a couple of degrees. Set your hot water heater temperature to no more than 120 degrees. Arrange errands so that you drive less.
- Food. Plan meals so you waste less food and make fewer trips back and forth to the store. Grow your own. J.D. and Kris have written a lot about their garden project. Having your own garden not only saves you money on food, but conserves resources — your food doesn’t haven’t to travel long distances to make it to your table.
Remember that most of the time, being frugal is being green. Reuse what you can, and try to wear things out. When you do buy new products, try to purchase items that are more efficient and have the least packaging. And of course, recycle. Happy Earth Day!
J.D.’s note: For more on this subject, check out this article from the archives: Want to save the environment? Buy less stuff.
This is an article for Earth Day from Beth H., who writes about saving time, money, and the environment at Smart Family Tips.
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There are 62 comments to "Saving money and the environment: Where green and frugal meet".
We’ve implemented almost all of these steps at our house. I’m still trying to sell the rest of the family on the No Paper Towels thing.
Our family has been composting vegetative waste for about a year now, we’re growing some of our own food, and sewing/repairing clothes that normally we’d have tossed out for the sake of a button or a seam coming out.
Last Earth Day we decided that we could make better decisions with our resources for 365 days a year and not just focus on it for one day. It’s been good for our whole family.
Excellent tips, Beth.
Here’s a question for you (or anybody else): Do you have any suggestions for something that’s reusable that can be used to wash dishes (that is, something other than a disposable sponge)?
We’ve tried using dish rags, but they just don’t seem to get the job done if you’ve got something really stuck on a pan.
hi! try looking at ‘pampered chef’. a few years ago i bought a set of 3 plastic pan scrapers that pair nicely with a dish rag. The are firm and scrape off any tough/hard items on pans, plates etc.
If they don’t sill sell them, or you don’t want to spend the $…try and old debit/credit card.
Thanks for this post! Yep, frugality and (real) green living go hand in hand. I’ve been on this journey for some time now and it’s exciting. There are many ways to be green. For example one can:
– learn to use less chemical products to clean house, they are bad for our health and bad smelling. Try the old-fashioned ways, like cleaning vinegar, baking soda etc (just be sure you get the right info on how to use them! – I’m sorry, the sites I know about this are in Italian)
– if you do have to buy eco-products, make sure the company is not “greenwashing”. There are a lot of companies who have always been solely devoted to (real) green products, in fields like haircare, eco-clothing and so on. I’ve been using eco-products for my hair and skin and I can’t tell you how much their health has improved (I used to suffer from dermatitis in reaction to the traditional stuff). Besides, the good products are way more efficient than the usual ones and it takes small quantities, so they last longer
Reducing heat in our homes is good for the health too – 20°C is the ideal temperature for our body.
@ Oblivious Investor — Check out the review post I just did on Scotch-Brite’s Greener Clean line. The soap loaded scrubbers (not really a sponge) are the best things I’ve found for cleaning dishes. They are disposable, but are biodegradable and they are made from recycled soda bottles. I have also used a plastic dish scraper (available at Bed, Bath & Beyond & through Pampered Chef) that works well at scraping off gunk. Hope that helps.
I’m saving so much money by no longer buying commercial cleaning products and toiletries – as Lily suggests above, vinegar and baking soda work just fine. Also – borax, cornstarch, herbal infusions and decoctions, some favorite essential oils.
Get Annie B. Bond’s book “Better Basics for the Home” from the library – recipes galore for everything you need to keep a clean/green home, garden, and body. I make my own toothpaste, facial cleansers, moisturizers and deodorant. Takes minutes. Guess what? They work better than store-bought. Cheap and green. Ingredient lists overlap, so you’re storing less crap too.
Great post Beth!
ObliviousInvester, we use two things that you might find useful. One is 7th Generation’s all-natural sponges — they use, sponges. And then Whole Foods has another sponge for scouring that often replaces the brillo pads; it’s expensive and doesn’t last long so I went back to brillos, but would love to actually know of one that works. Sorry to hear the dish rag doesn’t work — I remember them from when I was at my grandmother’s house and never remembered them being useful. (I was always so relived to be home & have a sponge!)
Beth, lots of people have been talking about using cloth instead of paper towels, but what holds me back is keeping them till I do laundry. Is this impossible unless you do laundry more than once a week? (I live in an apartment so that’s impossible) Basically, I’m thinking of cleaning a spill and then having a wet, soppy rag sitting in a dark bag. Ick! (Also have no space to dry them if I first washed the cloth out in the sink…) Also, how many cloth napkins do you have — it’s another thing I’ve been thinking about, but seems like you must need at least 14 for a couple…
All these suggestions are great. The one I like the least is the “turn down the thermostat a couple of degrees”. I see it everywhere but … no source ever gives a reference point. A few degrees from what?
The cloth towels instead of paper towel suggestion left me thinking a little more. I have kids so spills are a regular occurance. More things going in the laundry means the washing machine will be going more ofen, using more water and energy. That increases costs and has an environmental impact as well. We use recycled paper towels.
Also at what point is it more cost effective to replace a thing instead of fixing it? Should I spend more on higher quality products that last longer?
These are some great basic tips. Living in Australia I have always been very mindful about saving water. I was amazed the first time I saw my (Canadian) husband leave the tap on whilst brushing his teeth- it had been drilled into me since birth almost not to waste water- we simply don’t have enough to waste it. Some of the things that I’ve noticed are more common in Aus than in the US:
– planting native gardens. We aren’t allowed to water our gardens, wash our cars or hose pavement so planting gardens that ate adapted to a dry environment is very important. It is also good for attracting native wildlife.
– hanging your washing in the sun. Of course Australian weather makes this more feasible but foregoing the dryer is a huge plus for the environment.
-most people have solar panels on their roofs too. I turn my water heating on for about 2 weeks in august and that’s it. Our government heavily subsidises enviro things like panels. Mine create so much energy the energy company actually buys it off me to put back on the grid- so I get a cheque not a bill! I don’t have a big house either, just a tiny city terrace.
For some of us– every day is Earth Day . . . we cut back and conserve each and every day.
Let’s not just “do it” for the day . . .
Scrubbing pots and pans is not enjoyable. I soak mine most of the time but I also have a OXO Nylon Palm Soap Brush.
Another way is to deglaze the pan. Simply pour water or other liquid to make as sauce, in the hot pan this lifts most of the solids. Top your dish and enjoy your meal. The pan is not as dirty to begin with.
I have used the dish towels from Costco for over a year, yes they do pile up but I rinse them well and dry them if I have wiped up anything smelly. I use the one from the previous day for floor spills as I change them daily, I do laundry every two weeks. The only time I use paper towels is for draining bacon.
I agree with you Beth that frugality and green-living are closely tied as buying less is not only good for the environment but it is also great for your wallet.
One area of waste I don’t think gets nearly enough attention is the trend of unnecessarily upgrading electronics to newer models when the originals still fit our needs. Not only is this a huge waste of money and a waste of our natural resources to build these new electronics, but electronics can be very harmful to our environment when improperly disposed of.
Take a look at my post on wasteful spending on IPODS at Twenty Something Sense.
http://www.twentysomethingsense.com/2009/04/never-buy-an-ipod-again.html
Some good tips and a reminder to make every day an Earth Day.
@ Oblivious Investor – I use a combination of these two for washing up (although I get supermarket brand, not brandname)
For most items I just use a plain plastic scouring pad like this:
http://www.3mselect.co.uk/showproduct.aspx?ProductID=1168&SEName=scotch-brite-heavy-duty-flat-scourer
The advantage of this is that it doesn’t have the “spongy” bit, which goes manky and gets easily worn, and so it lasts for ages (at least 6 months). When it gets too manky for washing up, I usually retire it to bathroom duty.
For the odd items that need a less vicious approach (mainly non-stick items), I have one of the sponge-backed scourers, like this:
http://www.3mselect.co.uk/showproduct.aspx?ProductID=1169&SEName=scotch-brite-heavy-duty-washing-up-pad
Because I don’t use it so much, again, it lasts a long time.
In the UK both of these types are widely available, and pretty cheap. I assume there would equivalents in the US
We recently bought a Brita water pitcher and a Pur filter for our kitchen faucet (even the cats drink filtered water now). Both of these purchases have eliminated the tons of bottled water we bought. Our recycling bin and bags are now much emptier. Plumbing repairs in our upstairs bath not only fixed a leak but the new pipe, showerhead, and faucet also increased the water pressure and we finally have HOT water in our 1920s house. I no longer have to run the shower 5 or more minutes to get hot water from the basement. Can’t wait to see how much our water bill will decrease
For natural cleaning products, check out the show “How Clean is Your House” on the BBC America channel. The two women who star on the show have a book by the same name that has all their natural and fairly easy cleaning tips. A few of them are included on the show’s Web site: http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/100/index.jsp but the book has lots more.
On the “no more bottled water” front, I suggest if you’re really paranoid about tap water (and I’m not, but I live with people who are), supplementing your non-disposable water bottle with one of the handy-dandy Brita tap filters that fit over your faucet. They let you switch from filtered to unfiltered, which means both I and my roommates are happy, and there’s no more reason for bottles.
For cleaning dishes, pot and pans we use plain nylon netting which is available, by the yard, whereever fabric is sold. Many colors, inexpensive, washable, drys quickly and has a “bite” that removes moderatly dried-on food. Not biodegradable, but very re-usable and doesn’t harbor bacteria, etc. like a sponge or dishcloth.
Terry towels as a replacement to paper towels sounds viable. Get over the habit of one swipe and toss, like done with paper towels. Rinse the thing well and re-use, dry or not. It will be 2-4 days before you really need to launder it.
I’ll have to look up the BBC America channel, but here is a great link on less toxic alternatives to use in the home:
http://www.co.clark.wa.us/recycle/documents/Publications/InHomeGarageWeb.pdf
I have found my local gov’t to have some fantastic resources in this realm.
Don’t forget that being frugal and green can also be healthy for you. Drive less, walk more and you save money, pollution and your body. Drink tap water rather than sodas and you save money, reduce your waste and reduce your waist. Every time you consume less, you help yourself, your wallet and your body.
Being green and healthy isn’t just a hobby for the rich!
Gal
Liked the article – gave very good incentives to do more — very true about not having to buy the most expensive ‘green’ cleaners, etc on the market – watch what they actually do and why you would use them. My husband and I are just ‘two’ now and try to do a lot of the things mentioned – I sew and so our clothes do get repaired (something, believe it or not I am not crazy about), but do. Hope Beth keeps up with her articles to help us all.
Lots of great ideas here in the comments.
@Chelsea (#7) — I have two young children, so I do a lot of laundry. Any towels I use don’t hang around long before they are washed. If one gets really wet, I wring it out and hang it over the handle on my stove until it dries. We are a family of four and have about 12 cloth napkins. I don’t have to wash them after each use, though, because some dinners are less messy than others.
@Khürt – I have a high-efficiency, front loading washing machine (we bought it when the old one died). I never wash less than a full load and the terry cloth towels don’t add that much more to a load I was already washing anyway. A good point to consider, though. For some, recycled paper towels may be a better option.
I agree that every day should be Earth Day. I think it’s important to create habits that work for you, and some that you can stick with throughout the year. Any step towards a more eco-friendly life is better than no step at all. And, as others have mentioned, it’s often not only more cost effective, but healthier, too.
Agree with #8 on the necessity of specifying what to turn the thermostat down from. It’s like giving the suggestion to “lose weight”. Without context, it’s worse than useless.
Hooray, I love learning about more green, frugal bloggers! I write about the “green” (money/eco) pairing at my blog, too, and so I have a few suggestions in response to readers’ questions.
@ObliviousInvestor, have you tried a scrub brush? I let dishes soak then scrub them off with a scrub brush. Brushes are available that are wood with bristles, or that have replaceable heads. The brush lasts much longer than a scrubbing sponge. For stainless steel or glass, you can use steel wool, too. If you purchase wine, you can scrub with the stretchy wrap they put around bottles. Or re-use the netting from bags of onions, garlic, etc. — tie a knot in one end, wrap it around your dishrag and use that to scrub. At least you are not purchasing another piece of plastic to scrub with.
@Chelsea, unless you really spill on the napkins, you can reuse the same napkin for several meals. Leave them (neatly folded) at your own places, or some people use distinctive napkin rings for each person to keep them straight.
And as for laundering … can you install a discreet rack somewhere to let a damp rag dry until you’re ready to wash a load? I used to have a magnetic one stuck to the side of my refrigerator. You could also hang a stick-on hook in the shower and let it dry there, or drape it over the side of the hamper until laundry day.
@Khurt, most U.S. hot water heaters are set at 140F, so 120F will show savings on your energy bill while still being warm enough for most purposes.
One tip–stuff sticks less in heavier pots, and if you don’t use extreme heat in cooking. And both dishes and pots clean up better if your cooking isn’t too greasy, also a plus on the health front. I find I can generally get by with a dishcloth, though some things need to soak a bit. I don’t wash the cast-iron skillet at all. I also use a dishpan and throw the dishwater out the back door like my grandmother used to–very simple greywater system and keeps the sink drain less gross. I do occasionally find a spoon on the lawn, but it does them no harm.
Have to add that I love micro/miracle towels (not sure if that’s the right name). They do everything – great for dusting, washing, and drying. You can dry glasses without any lint. I used them to clean the bathroom and had to use much fewer chemicals (just water cleaned the faucets and the inside of the medicine cabinet which had gotten kind of disgusting). In the kitchen, I just wet them to clean counters, stove, etc. They also pick up water like nothing I’ve ever seen (great for wiping and drying the tub and sink after cleaning). Then just pop them in the washer and dryer, but don’t use fabric softener.
As we’ve needed to replace appliances, we’ve done so with high efficiency ones. Love, love, love our front loading washing machine (the high, high spin means drying time is cut, too). And I’m seriously in love with our HE dishwasher — we have a Kenmore with stainless interior and turbo jets. I put it on the Pots and Pans cycle and it cleans almost everything on the first try. I only have to clean the filter every two months. Because it’s a high efficiency machine, the dishwasher uses less water so the cycle time is over two hours, but I usually run it at bedtime so it doesn’t matter.
@Beth (#21) – We are a family of four as well. Our top loading washer has been acting up and I am debating whether to have it repaired or replaced with a high efficiency front-loader.
@Cheap Like Me (#27) – I was referring the to heating to the home not the hot water heater (our hot water heater is set to a comfortable level). Turn down the thermostat a few degrees makes no sense without knowing a reference point.
With regards to the tap water filters: I have had an Amway under the sink water treatment system in my home since 1994. The system cost me just under $400 back then (current prices is about $380) and attaches to any existing faucet. The filter cartridge last about a year (or 1320 gallons) with regular daily use (we are a family of four) and cost about $80 to replace.
The system is now sold under the eSpring brand. Check it out here:http://www.espring.com/
@ Khurt and Joey – I recently read an article which specified a temperature for the thermostat: 68 degrees F in the winter and 78 degrees F in the summer.
Of course, this can vary widely depending on your climate and personal preferences (which is probably why most articles hesitate to suggest specific numbers). Basically, adjusting by two degrees makes a significant difference in usage whether you usually set the heat at 74 F or 70 F.
I personally keep my heat at 64-66 F in the winter and my air at 76-78 F in the summer, because these are the temperatures that seem to strike a balance between comfort and efficiency for my family.
Of course, *some* members of the household think it should be warm enough in the house to be able to walk around in underpants even during the winter–but a $300 power bill in December is a harsh price to pay for that comfort. 😛
We don’t have a Brita faucet filter, ours is by Pur. You turn a lever for unfiletered or filtered water (don’t need to rinse dishes in filtered water). But I do love having a Brita pitcher in the fridge for cold water whenever I want it. No water gets wasted in the sink.
Here is some suggested reading from own website:
“Go Green While Saving Some Green”
http://hundredgoals.com/2009/03/28/save-environment-while-saving-money/
Happy Earth Day!!!
I can’t be the only one who thinks the tips constantly coming from the “green movement” are ineffectual almost to the point of irrelevancy, can I?
Here’s some *real* environmental problems the planet (more specifically, its plants and animals) seems to be facing:
* Climate change do to greenhouse gases. We could fix this by going to all nuclear/solar/wind for electricity generation, and then banning the sale of new cars that emit greenhouse gases. No one’s doing it because it’s monstrously expensive and inconvenient. It is the *exact opposite* of frugal, and it would have a million times greater impact than anything mentioned in the post.
* Loss of species due to habitat destruction. People aren’t burning down rainforests or destroying American grasslands for no reason. They’re doing it to put in farms and cities. This is the natural environment being changes so that we, as a species, can have food and shelter. There aren’t a lot of easy answers for this one.
* Water pollution from factory, farm, and city street runoff.
But the tips you get are to stop using paper towels, which probably come from farmed trees in Oregon. Farmed in the same places as the same species of trees used to grow, which probably makes these farms a lot lower impact than the ones used to grow corn or soybeans for our food.
Or a tip to conserve water, which for most of the US at least, comes from managed reservoirs. The over-use of our water supply affects people, sure, but I’ve yet to hear of an endangered species threatened by the loss of a man-made reservoir.
It’s the environmental equivalent of trying to save money by skipping Starbucks in the morning, when your mortgage payment is $3500, and your car payment is $900, and you just put a $5000 home theatre system on your credit card.
Sorry to be such a downer, but I just get tired of seeing so many people spend so much time and and effort on symbolic gestures with almost no impact when there are real problems with real solutions, but no one wants to do them because they’re hard.
All of these can also apply to business. With your permission, I would like to quote you in my up-coming ebook “Bottom Line Green.” This ebook is for businesses that want to do their part but don’t want to spend a fortune doing it. Please let me know if I can use your words. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks! Keep up the great work.
Tyler, I agree with you. But the problems and solutions you listed aren’t things most of us can do anything to change in our day-to-day lives. They’re more long-term and involve changes in government and business policies. At least we have an administration in power that actually recognizes there is such a thing as climate change. There is hope for the future.
Being frugal and recycling / reusing were a part of my upbringing due to necessity. I am very glad to see so many people returning to these practices and making them a part of their everyday lives.
My one caveat is that you don’t have to go out and buy “reusable” bags from every store (and *every* store seems to be offering them these days). Look around and use old backpacks or other bags. They work just as well.
It seems marketers are jumping all over the green thing and some people aren’t using their heads to realize that they can use what they have instead of buying new and improved “green” items.
Just something to keep in mind 🙂
Paper or cloth.
I’ve grappled with this decision. Sure, cloth is reusable, but now you’ve got the water, detergent, and electricity needed to clean dirty cloth.
Likewise in public restrooms. Should I use and discard the paper towels, or should I use the electric hand dryer which is likely drying my hands by burning coal to produce the electricity. Perhaps its best that I just dry my hands on my pants.
great post! Every day is Earth day!!
Try using a loofah as a pot scrubber. I’m sure they can be picked up relatively cheap anywhere, and since they’re basically the structural innards of a gourd, they biodegrade completely. You can toss them in your composter. Even better- you can buy loofah seeds and grow your own. There are instructions on the web for how to dry and prepare them for cosmetic or potscrubbing use, and I’ve seen places that sell the seeds with instructions as well. You can easily get a dozen or more from one or 2 plants. They are a spreading sun loving gourd though (like squash) so make sure you have space!
Non-disposable grocery bags are my new favorite green/frugal solution.
True, the bags cost money, and the small discount that some stored give you won’t make up for the cost of the bag any time soon. BUT, you can use bags that you already have at home. Free!
I buy a brush that has a sharp edge on the back of it (made for the kitchen). It will scrape off a lot of the stuff that is stuck on (after soaking). Then, I use the rough side of a sponge I buy and replace when they get old and gross–one side is spongy and one side is more rough.
We don’t have brillo pads here (Poland), so I don’t have the option of them.
Thanks to everybody for all the dish-cleaning suggestions! Apparently I just haven’t been creative enough. 🙂
Also, as the the question asked above regarding paper towels vs cloth napkins and rags: My wife and I don’t even own paper towels anymore.
We have 12 total cloth napkins and find that that’s plenty. (As was mentioned above, it’s really not that bad using them for a couple meals as long as you’re not super messy.)
Then we just use old rags for cleaning up spills, cleaning mirrors, etc.
I couldn’t help but notice that even though the idea is good the examples are kinda out of place.
Consider this: One may think that buying a cart load size of paper towels from Costco is better than buying a bunch of Bounty from nearby store. In my opinion, its not.
First of all, I can just walk to the local store and get those towels in a small bag. Would I be saving just a few dollars driving my big truck to Costco? Besides, that indefinite supply of towels really uses up the storage space in my small garage all year long(something I could really have used otherwise) and I definitely use up more (if I see more is still left) rather than being cautious about wasting any towels coz I have so little of it.
Going to Costco itself is not an indication of being frugal but rather buying more (much more than one needs) and its difficult escaping the “knee-jerk shopping” just coz the coupon minimum is so and so or … after that 1 hour of walking through the huge store, I’d be so hungry, I’d be tempted to buy that huge box of chocolate, sugar coated vanilla ice cream too. Contrast that to the local store, it has just what I need, there’s no spending binge.
Regarding the bottled water? Well, drinking tap water is okay but buying filters? Thats a bad decision right there. Not only does a decent water filter cost more than few hundred bucks, its infamous printer like (cartridges cost more than the printer) subscription model means I’d be shelling out money every month!
Not to say I’d agree with drinking tap water right out either.I’d rather get it tested first than fall sick and spend much more at the doctor’s office. Why? I noticed that my neighbors did not use a one way check valve when they connected the new sprinklers in their dirty lawn.
The last thing I want is me or my kids to be drinking off their dirt. Yeah, true that the tap water from utility companies is clean as ever but is it clean in my tap? Not always (a small kit from home depot can confirm that).
As I said before the goals are well meaning, however I disagree with the examples. 😀
We’ve also gone completely to cloth napkins and to not having paper towels. I would never have guessed without seeing it for myself that they really can come clean and last forever (this having 3 sons who love BBQ sauce!).
To clean dishes, I knit cloth squares and find them abrasive enough…when they get too grungy, I use them for car washing and floor mopping and when they go beyond that, they get used for the little pets to make beds from.
One thing that is my pet peeve is seeing all the new ‘green’ products that cost an arm and a leg, such as organic rugs and plates and dishes. They don’t mention the fuel or packaging involved in shipping.
Also, instead of using tupperware or other plastic storage bins for leftovers, I use pyrex refrigerator dishes. I get them, brightly colored and in perfect shape, from yard sales for a couple of bucks to even a few pennies.
I personally think one of the best things we can do for the environment is not to buy new goods if we can help it. Reuse and recycle.
I don’t know if I’m ever going give up things like paper towels but I do only purchase things that I really need (and some misc wants here and there)
Also, I don’t own a car and take the subway to work every morning. I’m planning on investing in a bicycle in a few days so I can kiss the MTA goodbye and try biking to work!
-Gen Y Investor
great tips! it kills me when i see so many “frugal” bloggers thinking they got an awesome deal buying some cheap bottled water
Seriously, I have never EVER understood why people leave the tap running while they brush their teeth.
Thank you all for such great suggestions. I use the natural products for cleaning too, for scrubbing dishes add coarse salt when you scrub. I have cast iron and seal with rendered lard to keep from rusting (we slaughter hogs in Jan and render the fat)I have a couple dozen cloth napkins I picked up for pennies at the thrift store. Chickens, rabbits, cows provide fertilizer for the small garden. I too have a PUR water filter, I save water bottles, rinse with a solution of chlorine bleach & water & reuse. 1 tablespoon of household chlorine to a gallon of water provides disinfection. I have a problem with using cloth napkins without cleaning between uses. Green is good but sickness is more costly. I only use my clothes dryer when rain extends for days. I buy inexpensive baggies, I wash and reuse them for non-contaminating food product, eg sandwich, veggies. I have to drive to work. No public transportation within 50 miles. This is tough. But I endure. Xeriscape for my yard, I do not like mowing grass, in Florida St. Augustine grass is a must in suburbia, it is so energy dependent. Hopefully with our energy crisis the HOA will reconsider, Thanks for allowing me my time on the soap box. Thanks to all for the great ideas!
I HATE the taste of tap water- but I am anti-bottled water. My solution? Fresh lemon wedge in my water or a squirt of lemon juice! It is so much more refreshing- hides the tap water taste- and a little bit a lemon is good for you!
…and I don’t have to waste money on replacing filters all the time! Ugh!!
For washing dishes, I find a bit of baking soda works well as a scouring powder to remove stuck-on crud.
AA, I’m with you! I have seen TV programs where people go to great lengths to retro-fit their homes with eco-friendly flooring, countertops, tile, etc. The most environmentally friendly thing one can do is to keep using what you have, not tearing out the old stuff, sending it to a landfill, and replacing it with recycled materials!
I am slowly winning this argument with my dear husband, who wants to get rid of our unnatural formica countertops and replace them with granite. Why spend thousands of dollars to just rape the earth and take her granite, just to have a prettier kitchen countertop?!
On the discussion about sticky burnt-on messes, I boil baking soda and salt for about ten minutes. If the pan is stainless steel, it may take two or three boilings, but that and some steel wool and elbow grease takes care of it.
I also resisted dear husband’s request this morning to go and buy Drano to fix a slow shower drain. Instead, a kettle of boiling water and a squirt of grease-cutting dishwashing liquid took care of it immediately!
Hey, I just want to object (slightly) to Will Crowthers post. I agree with him that you should not buy a new iPod merely for upgrade when the one you have works perfectly well, BUT it should be said that iPods and download-able music means countless CD jewel case that avoid the landfill AND if you are itching to get a new iPod you can send your old one to http://www.buymybrokentronics.com (of which I have no affiliation with). Not shilling for them, but there are responsible, eco-friendly ways to get rid of your old electronics.
Reuse and recyle like Sharon said. I am for that. I do a lot of things that people might find silly or time consuming, but I do them like breathing. I open up and rinse the wax paper from inside my husband’s cereal box, using it to seal tins or cutting into pieces and using to cover microwave dishes. I reuse glass jars for our honey (we keep bees) and to share homemade salad dressing and barbecue sauce with others. I recycle plastic bags for bathoom trash cans. Although, I just ordered grocery bags from flylady.net. They get rave reviews and the set includes insulated bags–love that! She also has a great product called the Rubba Scrubba brush that can clean dishes, pick up pet hair, etc. I have several around the house and they are indispensible. For a mop, use a Sh-mop from The Clean Team vs a Swiffer. The cover for cleaning is terry cloth and can be thrown in the washing machine vs the having to be thrown away like for the Swiffer. I do use some bottled water and feel bad about it. Our water tastes like chlorine and also has copper in it. The Brita filters take out the first, but not the latter. I do drink our water, either running it through a filter or lettng a jug sit on the counter overnight so the chlorine evaporates some. But when the chlorine is really bad, I won’t drink it. No clotheslines are allowed in our subdivision so I dry on drying racks and the dryer with several tennis bowls in the load to speed up drying. I do reuse Ziploc bags for most things after washing. If you reuse plastic containers, why not plastic bags? I do like glass for baking, microwave, etc. Plastic is horrid.
We have plenty to improve on still and this post is a great reminder. 🙂 One thing that really bothers me though is the earth day/energy saver experts telling me to upgrade to a newer appliance. I see no point in getting a new washing machine and having mine get junked potentially if it’s still working fine. Likewise, hybrid cars make sense, but is it right to junk a fine car and replace it with a hybrid–I don’t think so.
Shirley
I use virtually all of these ideas in my own home. There is a great book titled, “The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget” written by Josh Dorfman that introduced me to lots of green companies who sell inexpensive products that I never knew existed.
Reuse and recyle like Sharon said. I am for that. I do a lot of things that people might find silly or time consuming, but I do them like breathing. I open up and rinse the wax paper from inside my husband’s cereal box, using it to seal tins or cutting into pieces and using to cover microwave dishes. I reuse glass jars for our honey (we keep bees) and to share homemade salad dressing and barbecue sauce with others. I recycle plastic bags for bathoom trash cans. Although, I just ordered grocery bags from flylady.net. They get rave reviews and the set includes insulated bags–love that! She also has a great product called the Rubba Scrubba brush that can clean dishes, pick up pet hair, etc. I have several around the house and they are indispensible. For a mop, use a Sh-mop from The Clean Team vs a Swiffer. The cover for cleaning is terry cloth and can be thrown in the washing machine vs the having to be thrown away like for the Swiffer. I do use some bottled water and feel bad about it. Our water tastes like chlorine and also has copper in it. The Brita filters take out the first, but not the latter. I do drink our water, either running it through a filter or lettng a jug sit on the counter overnight so the chlorine evaporates some. But when the chlorine is really bad, I won’t drink it. No clotheslines are allowed in our subdivision so I dry on drying racks and the dryer with several tennis bowls in the load to speed up drying. I do reuse Ziploc bags for most things after washing. If you reuse plastic containers, why not plastic bags? I do like glass for baking, microwave, etc. Plastic is horrid.
We have plenty to improve on still and this post is a great reminder. 🙂 One thing that really bothers me though is the earth day/energy saver experts telling me to upgrade to a newer appliance. I see no point in getting a new washing machine and having mine get junked potentially if it’s still working fine. Likewise, hybrid cars make sense, but is it right to junk a fine car and replace it with a hybrid–I don’t think so.
Shirley
Sorry, forgot to add great post! Can’t wait to see your next post!
This are very good tips! It is funny how this “new” idea is a very old one. If you speak with people from earlier generations this is how they lived everyday. Eating their own food, not wasting what was on their plate, and not throwing anything away, especially those who lived through the depression. The world has become very cluttered and comlicated. It is time to get back to basics!
Thanks for the wake up call!
“rape the earth and take her granite”?
Good grief.
FYI: Rain Barrels are illegal in some places (stupid i know, but still good to know)
All excellent ideas. Cut out processed foods. Many of them are not green-friendly.
I love the being cheap = being green in general. Doing your part to avoid wasteful consuming means you won’t be using extra physical goods, and it also means you won’t be wasting the labor and energy involved in making, transporting, and selling those good too.
@Obliviousinvestor
I’m not the first person to answer your question, but… For cleaning dishes, I’ve found out that homemade knitted dishrags work very well. The stitches are loose enough that they grab what’s stuck on the plates, if I’m making sense. Works pretty well for me, better than sponges.
Being frugal and being green are indeed often the same. Sure, organic food costs a bit more, but that’s an exception.
Recently, I found websites (in French, though) about using green cleaning products. For laundry detergent, washing dishes, or washing the house, natural products that cost less and are less harmful to the environment that the brand ones.
And they work, too! White vinegar and baking soda take care of most things (separately, for the most part, although mixing them is, well, funny at the very least), and making our own laundry detergent sure saved us a lot (I’m not sure you guys in North America would have the Marseilles soap that’s needed though. And if you imported it, well, that’s polluting).
The question is how far to go. I’ve been considering using cloth tissues for instance, but a lot of people seem to find the idea dirty. On the other hand, I know someone who uses reusable toilet “paper” (it’s really cloth), and I don’t think I could ever do that.
(Now, using soap and water instead of paper, I could go for. Definitely seems cleaner to me. But, well, you can’t do that elsewhere than home).
Sorry for the “dirty” subject, but these things are part of everyday life, too, even if most of the time we just don’t talk about them.
I bought this book called “The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget”, by Josh Dorfman and when I opened and read the first few pages, I know this author meant business. There are pages full of awesome websites that Go Green and can help the environment. He really did his research I tell ya!
I try and save as much money as I can, however, if it’s ‘greener’ and a few extra bucks I’ll fork it out. I really am trying to help save this environment, stay green and still have a few bucks in my pocket.
Even if you already know a lot about green living, The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget will surprise you with all of its new ideas and affordable suggestions. Did you know Levis and Billabong have shirts made of organic cotton? I didn’t know this until I read this book, along with a lot more other things! Check it out, it’s really informative and fun to read.
This is awesome…how great to go green and save green at the same time!