We all need to do our part to save the environment, but did you know that it can also make your wallet a little greener at times? Read on!
SPOILER ALERT: Stop reading now if you are a hard core Queen of Green, because you won’t be impressed!
Trash panache. Eco-friendly fashion is not an oxymoron. Look for stylish products such as the hand-crocheted hand bags made from recycled aluminum pull tabs, made by a women’s co-op in Brazil. (www.Escamastudio.com) Better yet, check out www.thehandmademarket.com for a unique shopping experience UNLIKE anything you’d find at the mall. Everything is unique and handcrafted by real, live, designers.
Idling in the carpool lane is the devil’s playground. Turn off your engine while you’re waiting in line to help the air quality and save money on gas.
That’s the way I roll. Stop mindlessly using massive amounts of paper towels and paper napkins. This one was hard for me, but I have to say, my whole family is getting used to using dishcloths, dish towels, and cloth napkins, and it gets easier after the first few days. Think twice before grabbing zillions of napkins at your favorite fast food restaurant, too.
Lighten up. Buy energy efficient light bulbs but take care and dispose of them properly because they contain mercury.
Junk the junk. Get off junk mailing lists. Switch to online billing. You can help save tons of paper annually. www.greendimes.com can help too.
Be so cool and so hot! Change your thermostat: Only 2 degrees up in the summer and 2 degrees down in the winter is all it takes to reduce CO2.
Freshen up. Change your air filters often.
Your family – Unplugged! Plug appliances and electronic devices and equipment into power strips and turn them off at night. The treadmill, the coffee maker, the toaster oven, the printer and computer, the stereo, phone chargers, etc. It’s a HUGE savings!
Bag it. Use reusable lunch bags made from recycled materials (be sure they don’t contain lead). Or, use a lunch box and stock it with plastic containers that can be reused. Be hip with your favorite cartoon character lunch box! (Is your husband a Superman? Are you a Barbie doll? Are your kids “curious” or do they say “hello” to little kitties?)
Paper or plastic? I use paper bags simply because my grocery store is using 100% recycled bags. Plus, the bags hold more stuff. (See, I told you I’m not there 100%. Did I mention I like to shop?) On the other hand, when I go to the bookstore and buy one book or magazine I say, “No thanks” to the bag. Better yet, take your own reusable cloth bags or totes to the store, and proudly display the last conference you attended, airlines you flew, school your kids attend, or pharmaceutical products you have bought in the past ten years.
Bottle it up. Use a refillable water bottle instead of buying bottled water; just fill it at home (it’s cheap and efficient to install a water filter on your kitchen faucet) and refill it at water fountains (yes, that’s perfectly clean water). Also, don’t buy drinks in Styrofoam cups. Ask for coffee to be put into your own travel mug or cup.
Hand it over. Recycle your batteries and ink-toner cartridges at office supply stores.
