Go Green While Saving Some Green

One of my core values is to live my life in a way in which I am minimizing my impact on the environment in as many ways as possible.  “Going Green” has become a slogan of many companies and we have been bombarded with “Natural” alternatives.  Organic food has become the latest trend.  For the average person, Going Green can be expensive and sometimes impractical.  Here are some tips about how you can save the environment while saving money.

I’ll start with the basics:

Reduce- The easiest way of saving the environment and your money is by reducing the amount of things you consume.  The less you buy, the less you spend.  It also means that whatever it is that you didn’t buy isn’t going to end up in a landfill (at least not through your consumerism).

Reuse- Use what you already have, then use it again.  At work I reuse a plastic bottle for water.  Instead of buying a new bottle I fill mine at the water fountain.  At first the taste was about enough to make me sick, but I’ve grown accustomed to it and I feel good that I am reducing my plastic consumption.  We have a dependency on plastic which is making our world sick.  We are creating a toxic soup of discarded plastic in the Pacific Ocean that has grown to the size of Texas.  Each time you fill that water bottle, you’re saving yourself $1.00 and I fill my repeatedly throughout the day.

Recycle- Our natural resources are limited and by doing our part in recycling we can help to make these resources last as long as possible.  I never thought that my efforts would make much of a difference so it wasn’t until recently that I really became passionate about recycling.  I am only one person, but so are we all.  As individuals we can accomplish great things.  Be sure you are doing the right thing.  By recycling you are not only saving the environment but you can also put some cash in your pockets. 

Recycling aluminum cans is a great way to make money.  Aluminum comes from Bauxite which is stip mined from regions around the world, including the rainforests in South America.  While many sources claim that the impact of mining Bauxite is minimal, it is still important that we play our part to do what we can to save our resources.

Here are some other things which you can do in your life to have an impact on the earth and your bank account.

Turn off the Lights- My mother would preach to me when I was young about turning off the lights when I wasn’t using them.  I never understood what difference it made, probably because I wasn’t the one who had to pay the electricity bill every month.  Now that I am a little bit older I understand not only the monetary implications of wasting energy, but also the impact that it has on our environment.  Along with turning off the lights you can also…

Install Compact Flourescent Lights (CFLs)-Trent at The Simple Dollar is probably the leading expert about CFLs, so instead of trying to explain the benefits of installing these lights, I’ll let the expert do the talking: Five Reasons To Try Out a CFL Today.  I encourage you to check out his other articles on this subject as he really knows what he is talking about.  While the upfront cost of these lights is more than a standard bulb, they last longer and use less energy.  As a result, they save you money in the long run.

Unplug Electrical Equipment- When you have electronic devices which are in standby mode, they are using electricity.  The easiest way of eliminating this power consumption is to put the devices on a power switch which can be turned off easily.  This will eliminate the phantom power drain.  That cell phone charger you have plugged into the wall waiting to be used…yes, that is using power too, even though it is doing nothing.  Unplug it.

Use Rechargeable Batteries- I’ve discussed the benefits of using rechargeable batteries previously and I stand by what I said.  The cost of purchasing rechargeables is significantly higher than disposable batteries, but they can be recharged hundreds of times.  That makes the cost per battery much cheaper than regular batteries.  You are also keeping waste from entering the landfill by reusing these batteries repeatedly.

Take a Bike- If you are able to walk or bike someplace instead of driving a car, do it.  Not only is it good for the Earth to reduce our emissions, but it is good for you and your wallet.  By walking or biking you are improving your overall health, which can lead to fewer medical issues.  That is money in the bank.  You don’t have to purchase gasoline to power your feet.  Money in the bank.  You don’t need to insure a bicycle.  Money in the bank.  There are so many ways which finding alternative modes of transportation is a benefit to us and our world.  I recommend it to everyone!

Dispose of Your Disposables- In our modern era we dispose of EVERYTHING!  One of my biggest pet peeves are paper products.  We use a paper towel for just about anything, and we use them constantly.  We buy paper/plastic plates and silverware which ends up in the trash after one use.  Why not just take your money and set it on fire.  Not to mention the environmental impact we are having by wasting these things.  Use a cloth towel and wash it.  Use real dinnerware and wash it.  I remember life out on the farm with farmers who blew their noses into a handkerchief, and then, guess what, washed it and used it again.

Buy Produce at a Farmer’s Market- Summer is coming and that means the Farmer’s Market will be in full force.  Buying products from them helps support your local economy and also helps the environment by reducing transportation emissions.  I know that I will be getting out there and buying some produce when they open.

I hope that some of these tips will help encourage you to “Think Green” in more ways than one.  If you have your own ideas of how to Go Green While Saving Some Green, feel free to add a comment!