Top 10+ ways to save money and help the environment
Its back! Due to overwhelming demand as well as a list “competition” over at Problogger.com , I wanted to repost this list and see if anyone had anything more to add to it. Here we go!
We all read about ways that an individual can help the environment such as buying carbon offsets, driving less, recycling cans and bottles, etc. But there are many more ways that little changes in your every day life can affect the big picture if more people started doing them. I am going to attempt to list as many as I can think of here, with links that might be helpful, and I hope you will leave comments with your tips, and I will add them to the list. Here are the ways I think that small changes can make a big difference:
1. Replace the lightbulbs in your house with COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHTBULBS . Yes, they cost more than regular bulbs, but they use less electricty (saving you money on your utility bill) and they last around 10 years. Good for the environment and good on the wallet in the long term.
2. Bring reusable bags to the grocery store when you go shopping. This should be a no-brainer, but I still see people walking out of the store with 3, 4, 5 or more plastic and paper bags full of groceries. Do you really need that many extra bags at home? I know growing up my mom seemed to think that some day there would be a run on paper bags, so we had about 11,000 of them in the closet. You dont need that many of them! We use 4 canvas bags every time we go to the grocery store, and very rarely do we need an extra paper one. But if we do, it gets filled with paper recycling when we get home and goes out the door. Do you know how many plastic bags the world goes through? A good place to learn more and pick up some bags (and other cool stuff) is RESUABLE BAGS.COM . Check them out!
3. Get the stuff you want used from other people that want to get rid of their stuff! CRAIGSLIST and FREECYCLE are great places to start looking for stuff you want..for FREE!
4. Use your local library. Seriously, use it. Your local library has music, movies, magazines, books and more that normally you would A. have to pay for and B. eventually throw into a landfill. Plus, you are already paying for it with your tax dollars, so you might as well actually get something for all the money you get taken out every week!
5. Buy it used! Both AMAZON and HALF have used CD’s, books, clothing, video games and much more that people are selling. Saving money while reducing packaging trash…a great idea.
6. I know you have heard it before…in the summer set the temperature in the your house a few degrees higher and in the winter set it a few degrees cooler. You wont notice the difference, but your wallet AND the environment will!
7. Get your car in for a checkup. An oil change and an air filter change will run you about $30. Well worth it if you consider that running your car with dirty oil and a dirty air filter is the equivalent of spending an extra $0.15 per mile. Over time, that can add up. Plus, your car runs cleaner, emitting less pollution. Go ahead, make an appointment!
8. Turn that faucet off! Yes, that one! The one you leave running while you brush your teeth, shave, talk on the phone, knit a sweater. So much water is wasted in this country you would think there was an endless supply. Well guess what, there isnt, and its going away faster than the acid rain can replace it. Just be aware of the amount of water you use, and please…there is no need to water your driveway, the neighbors car, your kids dog or the side of the house. Make sure your sprinklers are watering the actual plants and grass. Seriously, nothing will grow in the middle of the street, you don’t need to water it.
9. Participate in a town “clean-up” event. Near my house they have several “Clean the Beach” days where people can help to get rid of all the trash that the tourists leave on our beaches. Every little bit helps!
10. You know that $4.00 you spend every morning on a cup of black water at Starbucks? How about putting that water in a re-usable thermos or mug? So many paper and plastic cups get thrown away every day in the country it makes me ill. You already spend a fortune on coffee, pick up a mug for $5.00 and use it everyday. Just think how superior you will feel when you pass a trash can full of cups!
11. If you can…and I know it costs money…try to get a smaller car next time you go car shopping. Just a little smaller, please?
12. This is related to my earlier post about the UK OUTLAWING STANDBY BUTTONS . Seems everything in our houses is on standby about 75% of the time, just waiting for you to walk in from work and turn them all back on again. If you can put your electronics on power strips that you can turn off, you will save money on your utility bill AND require less electricity for your footprint..which helps the environment!
13. Finally, as my fingers are tired, THINK about your purchases before you splurge. Think about where your groceries come from…are they local foods are were they imported from New Zealand? The closer your food source is to home, the less gasoline and preservatives it needs to get to your store.
Anyone with more ideas, please leave them in the comments, and I will post them here along with a link to your blog or website (if you have one). I look forward to hearing your ideas!
technorati tags:sustainability environment green saving money
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Flourescent bulbs are great. I haven’t changed a light bulb in years since I switched over, and I work at least one pretty heavily.
On the shopping bags issue, the bags from the store can be reused as garbage bags instead of buying ones for that purpose. Paper is better since it is biodegradable, but it is not a bad use for the plastic ones either.
My list is here.
You know, until I read your post I never thought about turning off the powerstrip too, and since mine is full of every device you could think of, it makes sense. I do that now. Thanks for the bit of common sense.
As for water… rain buckets are a great way to save water and use it later for watering flowers, though you do have to be careful about standing water and pesky mosquitos, so just make sure you use the water as soon as possible.
Glad I could be of assistance, Melissa!
As for rain buckets…oh how I wish we could use them here. But, it only rains a few times a year, and we live in an apartment, so they wouldnt let us put them out anyway!
Think when you buy clothes – go for quality so that they last longer, not just cheap and cheerful. Yes, it costs more in the short term, but just think about that decent shirt you bought 5 years ago – worn it loads of times and it’s still got life in it, but the cheap one you bought 6 months ago – ready for the bin.
Not only will you get more use, but you can pass them onto other people, including the local charity shop.
Another great thing to do is to not buy products from endangered animals; ten years ago there were 1.5m elephants left. Now there are 750,000. 80% of ivory is taken from elephants, and Americans buy 30% of it. Over 6.5m dolphins have been killed by tuna fishermen etc etc etc. Just small things like buying dolphin-safe tuna, or faux fur, will help the environmen.
And I was surprised to see that the most important thing was left out. Spreading the news to other people is the best way to save the environment. Find out some shocking statistics and flaunt them at every oppotunity, or tell people some simple ways to help save the environment. Persistence is the key; it worked on my dad. Every person you tell who finds themselves being more environmentally friendly is one more victory for the planet – and you were the one that brought it about.
Wow, Americans buy 30% of ivory? Where is that figure from? Just curious as because its illegal, I would not think that we buy 30% of the worldwide total.
And yes, talking to people should be #1 on the list!
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