Going Green, Saving Money: Eco-Friendly & Frugal Ideas

Eco-friendly products, recycled materials and energy-efficient appliances are savvy investments in the future. And since Earth Day is Wednesday, I've been brainstorming for frugal and eco-friendly tips. It's possible to go green without overspending. Here are a few ideas:

• Instant returns. After purchasing an organic skincare product, I returned a paper shopping bag and a small box to the sales clerk. Without the bag or the excess packaging, the small bottle of skin tonic fit neatly into my purse. I asked the sales clerk to reuse or return the packaging to the manufacturer. This technique is called pre-cycling. It involves selecting food, personal care and household products with recyclable containers or less packaging, according to Trey Granger, a staff member at Earth911.com.

• Cut the water bill. In addition to taking shorter showers and turning off the water while we brush our teeth, there are other creative ways to save water. Consider tossing used cooking water into the garden or plant containers. This multitasking water may also have nutrients that will help your plants, according to Earth911.com.

• Apply vinegar. From skin-care treatments to kitchen countertops, I've found frugal, effective and safe uses for vinegar. For instance, diluted with water, organic apple cider vinegar makes a great hair conditioner. I've used a mix of 30 percent vinegar and 70 percent water with great results. Likewise, white vinegar doubles as an inexpensive, nontoxic cleaner that works well on windows, tiles and kitchen surfaces.

• Shopping detour: As a recreational sport, mindless shopping can fill our carts with future landfill cast-offs. To save money and resources, I've been getting shoes repaired and shopping for new ideas in my existing wardrobe. And when I do shop, I'm making smarter decisions. ''If you don't buy waste, you can't make waste,'' says Raquel Fagan, executive editor of Earth911.com.

Back to School with 'Zero-Waste Lunches'

With "zero-waste lunches" you could save lots of money and avoid dumping 67 pounds of waste into landfills this year. That frugal tip comes from the Center for a New American Dream. The money-saving and green-living tips from this organization include helpful links:

Budget-Saving & Eco-Friendly Lunch Ideas

• "Check out WasteFreeLunches.org for more facts and tips on greener lunches.
• No matter what’s on the menu, a zero-waste lunch starts with two ingredients: a reusable lunch container and a refillable water bottle.
• Instead of plastic wrap or aluminum foil, switch to a washable sandwich wrapper—either buy one or make your own.
• Try buying in bulk to stock a lunchbox with healthy alternatives to commercialized single-serving foods. Find a food co-op selling bulk foods near you.
• Learn more about smarter lunches for you, your family, and your school on this Back to School Lunch page."

Source: Center for a New American Dream
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Here's how to buy my new book:

@ Amazon.com
@ Barnes & Noble
@ Borders
@ Target.com

They Retired My Brown Bag & Still Gave Me the Rebate

Is there an expiration date on a brown paper bag? I'm not sure, but a cashier at a local market decided that my brown paper bag needed to be permanently checked out. To save money, I often bring my own paper bags to the store. The payoff: I receive a 10-cent, per-bag rebate. On a typical shopping trip, I've saved 10 to 30 cents by providing my own bags. I wrote about bag rebates in this post: Saving 10 Cents at the Grocery Store.

One bag had been through the checkout line several times. Signs of wear-and-tear were obvious. One of the paper handles was ripped and the bag was so worn that the paper felt like soft cotton. On the bag's final trip, the cashier shook her head and the lady behind me studied my bag with admiration.


"Now that's recycling," she announced, while laughing.


The cashier retired the bag, threw it into the trash and bagged my items in a new, crisp brown bag. The best part: I still received the dime rebate. But the whole episode made me think about the process of recycling. These are my questions:



1) How long can you recycle an item before the process becomes a) gross, b) unsafe or c)pointless?



2) Do aesthetics matter? Should the physical appearance of a shopping bag, bottle or container be a factor in our efforts to repeatedly use an item?



3) Should we care about public opinion? My beat-up paper bag could be viewed by others as either ridiculous or as a badge of honor. But why did I care about the cashier's opinion? Did it really matter that other people in line laughed at me?


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Money-Saving Hair Wash & Other Earth Day Tips From Disney Survey

Shorter showers was one tip from a recent energy audit of my home. Honestly, I still take long showers. But I have dramatically changed the way I wash my hair in the shower.

I have long thick, afro hair that takes me at least 30 minutes to wash, a task that is completed one section at a time. (Anyone with thick curly or happy-nappy hair knows what I'm talking about!) Confession: I used to let the hot water run for 30 minutes or longer. But in the spirit of saving money and resources, I now use less water and less electricity. What's more, I no longer run out of hot water while washing my hair.

I call it my stop-and-go shower. While rinsing my waist-length hair, I let the shower run. But I cut off the water while applying shampoo and massaging conditioner into my hair. I've also reduced my shower time by de-tangling my hair before I start the process, which saves time, money and power.

It's a small step, but it's progress and if I accumulate enough small savings, I will have scored a major change in my approach to money, energy and time.

Here's a list of what other people are doing to save money, according to a survey conducted by Disney.

"The survey findings include:

· Nearly three of every four Americans recycles cans, paper and plastics at home
· Nearly two in three Americans turn out lights when leaving a room and say they are using high efficiency bulbs
· Nearly one in three Americans who drive a conventional car today plan to make their next vehicle a hybrid
· The top two reasons parents are concerned about the environment are looking out for the future of their children and because the health of their family is important to them, according to a recent online survey of attitudes about the environment on Disney Family.com (http://www.family.com/).

Of the more than 8,000 parents that participated in the Disney Family.com online survey, 90 percent indicated that the environment is an important issue to them and their families. The top two reasons that the environment is an important issue for parents: “they are looking out for the future of their children” and “the health of their family.”

Disney Family.com recently launched a new “green living” page to provide parents with access to information on their environmental impact, resources for reducing their environmental impact, and a forum to share “green” tips with other families (www.family.com/greenliving).


In addition to survey findings, the ”green living” page features tips and ideas aimed at helping families go green, including:

· A “How Green Am I?” quiz and carbon footprint calculator based on calculations from Environmental Defense Fund
· Hundreds of easy, “going green” tips and ideas
· Tips on the best green products
· 50 actions families can take to be eco-friendly
· Earth-friendly craft ideas"

related posts:
Shocking Results from My Free Energy Audit
Electric Bill Update: Energy Vampires & Power Hijacks?
High electric bill

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Live Green - Save Green: "50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth" (and Money Too!!)

Twenty-years ago, 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth became a New York Times bestseller. This month -- just in time for Earth Day April 22 -- an updated version of that classic text on green living is being released (Hyperion, $12.95).

Written by John Javna with his teenage children Sophie and Jessie, the revised version suggests ways to preserve the environment, including many money-saving tips.


Here are tips for conserving water and gas:


• Create a rain barrel. Water from your roof can be collected and then used to water the lawn or garden. Javna suggests that renters ask their landlords first. Building instructions and details can be found at http://www.waterkeeper.org/.


• Garden with a green thumb. Select drought-tolerant plants for your garden. When you do water, use soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems. Spread mulch to help roots retain moisture.


• Stop leaks. A single leaky faucet -- with one drop of water per seconds -- translates into 192 wasted gallons per month. Whenever we run the faucet while shaving or brushing our teeth, we waste about five gallons of water.


• Safeguard water pipes. Popular drain cleaners can damage household pipes, leading to expensive plumbing bills. Here's a recipe for a gentle alternative: Mix one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar into a pot of boiling water. Pour this mixture down the drain to dissolve most clots. Replace chlorine cleansers, which are not bio-degradable, with eco-friendly alternatives such as oxygen or hydrogen peroxide-based bleaches.


• Demand gas-efficient rental cars. Save money and the environment while you're on vacation by asking the rental car company to provide a fuel-efficient vehicle. Your selection will have a long-term impact on the auto industry, which studies rental trends when developing new cars.




This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.


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Skip the Eco-Fakers: Purge Green Imposters from Our Homes

Earth Day is this month and many consumers hope to do their spring cleaning with ''green'' or nontoxic products. Sometimes, it's hard to tell the environmentally friendly goods from the eco-pretenders.

Terms such as ''all natural'' and ''organic'' are often misused on labels for household cleansers, shampoos, conditioners and other personal care products.

Consumer watchdogs actively scrutinize labels and test products for accuracy and safety.


In mid-March the Organic Consumers Association and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps jointly issued cease-and-desist letters to a number of companies using ''organic'' labels on merchandise made with nonorganic or petrochemical ingredients linked to cancer.

'We've grown increasingly frustrated with the companies in our industry who seem to feed off each others' misleading practices and show no inclination to clean up their formulations and live up to their organic branding claims,'' wrote David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner's.
Dr. Bronner's, a personal care company, is certified through the USDA's National Organic Program. To be certified, the product cannot contain petro-chemicals and at least 95 percent of the ingredients must be organic.

If a personal care or household product company is not certified under that optional program, a consumer should be wary of organic claims, says Adam Eidinger of the Organic Consumers Association.

Here are some tips:

• Avoid products with chemicals that end with the suffix: ''eth,'' such as laureth or myreth sulfate. Also avoid labels that mention PEG, a harmful chemical compound, said David Steinman, author of The Safe Shopper's Bible.


• Phrases like ''made from organic products'' and ''all-natural'' should be backed up by independent tests.


• The Organic Consumers Association posts information about products with harmful ingredients at http://www.organic/consumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.

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Turn Garbage Into Liquid Cash: Save 1000s of Gallons of Water

Save water (and liquid cash) by shutting down your garbage disposal. That's just one several water-saving, money-conserving, green-living tips in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Living by Trish Riley.

Here are conservation tips from that book:

• Bowl Rinse & Recycle Water: Instead of cleaning fruits & veggies under a steady stream of water, rinse the produce in a bowl. Every now and then, I've used this strategy and I'm going to make more of a commitment to use this method of cleaning fruits & veggies. The water in the bowl can be recycled to water your plants and garden. Or perhaps the veggie/fruit rinse water can be used for other "secondary" purposes. Here are my suggestions: Mopping, cleaning non-food surfaces and washing windows.


• Dish Washing Tricks: Don't rinse your dishes before loading up the dishwasher. "Just scrape off food and load them," according to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Living. The book also recommends waiting to run the dishwasher until the machine is full.


• Shower Tricks: Shut down the shower while you lather up the hair and suds up the body. Turn the water back on to rinse. Watch the clock: Limit your shower to only 5 minutes. These steps alone can save 1,000 gallons each month.


• More Shower Tricks: Swap your old showerhead for one of those low-cost, "low-flow" showerheads, which could conserve your water usage by at least 20 percent.


• Toothbrush Tricks: If you turn off the water while brushing your teeth, you'll save "4 gallons per minute, which equals 200 gallons per week for a family of 4," according to Trish Riley.


• Garbage Disposal: Don't send food scraps down the garbage disposal, which requires a stream of water. Try this: Use table scraps and food waste as composting material for the family garden. "This will save water and prevent the need for filtering and treatment down the line."

Keep in mind that the average consumer in the U.S. uses about 1,600 gallons of water daily.

Previous Posts Today:

My Jane Austen Biz Plan: 10 Smart Career Moves: An English Major's Aria

Brewing Ideas in the Hot Tub & Other Tips from Carnival of Smarter Investing

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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store

Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues
Frugal Comic Book Connection
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Kiplinger's: 25 Green Investments: Good for Earth & Good For Your Wallet

Can green investments keep your investment accounts green with dollars? That's possible, according to this guest post from Kiplinger's

"25 Ways to Invest in a Cleaner World

——How Thinking Green Can Benefit Your Financial Well-Being——

Cleaning up the planet isn’t just a feel-good phenomenon. It’s big business—with plenty of opportunities for making money while promoting environmentally-conscious technologies. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine identifies 25 solid companies that should profit big from international efforts to find alternative energy sources and clean up the atmosphere.

Some of the names on the Kiplinger Green 25 list may come as a surprise—the nation’s largest industrial conglomerate and a railroad, for example. Selected companies include:
Honda Motor
American Standard
General Electric
Burlington Northern Santa Fe
McDermott International

Additionally, Kiplinger’s profiles five up-and-comers—small, more-speculative companies that someday could grow into giants:
Nova Biosource Fuels
Fuel Tech
FuelCell Energy
Echelon
Orbcomm

Link for complete listing of the Kiplinger 25."
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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store

Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues
Frugal Comic Book Connection
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Going Green Without Going Broke

From composting to recycling, a green lifestyle can seem complicated and costly. But you can still live green while saving time and money, according to Trish Riley, the Florida-based author of Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Living ( $16.95).

Riley recommends a ''one-step-at-a-time'' approach to adopting environmentally friendly choices into your lifestyle. Pick an area and gradually make greener choices in that part of your life.

Riley made reducing her family's exposure to harsh synthetic chemicals -- linked to many health problems -- a top priority. She began by taking her arsenal of harsh cleaning supplies to a hazardous waste disposal site. Now she cleans her house with safer solutions, including essential oils (drops of lavender, cedar wood, grapefruit oil) mixed with warm or hot water. Those oils -- very affordable at health food stores -- are effective cleaners with proven antimicrobial properties that kill bacteria. And they smell yummy.

Essential oils also substitute for commercial air freshener sprays and sticks. In my home, a decorative container filled with a mixture of essential oils and water provides a light scent.
''Apply the principles of aromatherapy when choosing the oil,'' Riley says.
In aromatherapy, peppermint oil is valued for stimulation; lavender oil is associated with relaxation; citrus oils (especially grapefruit and lime) are considered refreshing.
Other eco-friendly cleaning options include vinegar and water and baking soda powder. Arm & Hammer, the baking soda manufacturer, offers a room-by-room guide for cleaning with baking soda at its website: http://www.armhammer.com/.

Riley's book also features low-effort, low-cost green tips for lawn care. For example, lawn clippings provide the grass with valuable nitration and moisture. Also, clovers in your yard can be left rather than pulled as weeds because they provide the soil with nitrates.

You can save money and time by finding long-term alternatives to toss-away products. Organic cotton sacks are a safer option to the plastic bags provided by many stores.
Replace plastic water bottles with tap-filtered water and reusable stainless steel or glass bottles. You can even tote around the old-school collapsible cups that fit neatly into a purse or brief case.
These solutions eliminate the volume of plastic products that release harmful chemicals into the environment and our food.
''Everything doesn't have to be disposable,'' Riley says.

Dawn, a popular blogger at Frugal For Life (http://www.frugalforlife.blogspot.com/), recently posted a list of money-saving green solutions to everyday situations.
Her list of ''paper alternatives'' includes:
• Reusable coffee filters: Rather than use 365 paper filters a year, consider purchasing reusable coffee filters that work for three years. Reusable filters are sold by online coffee supply vendors.
• Cloth diapers: Make, buy or rent your own from a diaper service.
• Rags, dusters and sponges: There are many long-term solutions to rip-and-toss paper towels. Turn old T-shirts, linens and towels into cleaning cloths and dusting rags.
• Feminine products: Various reusable alternatives to feminine hygiene products are sold at drugstores and medical supply outlets

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.

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The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store

Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues
Frugal Comic Book Connection
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