Happy Earth Day! As someone who habitually tries to be more eco-friendly in life, I love seeing all the articles pop up about how to be more “green”. The thing that irritates me is that often they include thoughts on SPEND SPEND SPEND which kind of misses the entire point.
If you have a car that works, there is no need to go purchase some hybrid car. Use the car you have until it no longer works. Then when you get a replacement car, opt for something with better gas mileage.
You don’t need to buy new bag totes to use them while shopping. Most people have some cloth bags at home that will do fine. Use those! If not, hey, get a few. Then make sure to keep them in your car so that when you are out and about you can actually use them.
If you accidentally forget them (let me raise my hand), just keep the plastic bags and use them as mini trash can liners. Don’t have a mini trashcan? When Christmas comes around and someone inevitably gives you one of those big popcorn tins? Yeah, those things are perfect. I remember at an old job that was one of our bonus’s for Christmas. It’s hard to fake enthusiasm over that. But they balanced it out by giving us a frozen Christmas turkey too.
Also, I like to keep a bunch in my car and hang one over my shifter knob as a tiny trash collector. So even though my car is full of junk, none of it is trash! Speaking of which, I need to clean out my car. I’ve got tons of sweaters back there.
Fluorescent light bulbs are what’s up. And as a lazy individual who hates any reason to drag a step ladder through the house can tell you, they work so much longer than traditional bulbs. But don’t chuck out the ones you currently have! Replace them as your bulbs go out. We’ve had our house for two years (!!) and we still have a few regular light bulbs downstairs just because they don’t see much use.
A common tip I see spouted is to go paperless on bills and call me old fashioned, but I positively refuse to do that. If I don’t keep my eye on Comcast they do some crazy shit. And every six months I have to call to get a good rate anyway. Like hell will I let them post right to my checking account.
My savings accounts are all paperless, which is a step in the right direction. But I find it easiest to balance my checkbook spreadsheets with a paper copy. I like highlighting and checking marking things.
Programmable thermostat! Definitely worth the expense because then your abode is always positively comfy and yet you know that when you are not home for long periods of time, the temp is lowered and saves you some money by not heating unused space. Also, I love spring, early summer, and fall weather because then I can open all the windows up. I have fans placed in the house at strategic points so that I can easily cool off an area with more circulation if need be.
A big thing for me is my water jug. I actually started it because I have very oily skin and my acne is such a bother to me. I read that drinking more water helps your body in so many different ways and I knew I wasn’t drinking the doctor suggested eight classes a day, so I got my big jug.
It made a noticeable different in my skin and I actually got compliments, which was weird for me. Radiant skin, someone said that! I LOVE a compliment so that kind of cemented the almighty water jug in my life. Own your vanity. Radiant. What a beautiful word. =D
Of course, water jugs are great because they are reusable. Just fill it with water and away you go. I know some people like filters and that but I just use tap water. I’m not dead yet. Also, I’m lazy. And cheap. I don’t want to keep buying filters just to drink some water.
Also, I mentioned before how I purchased a rain barrel late last year but I haven’t hooked it up yet. That is my project for this weekend. Theoretically it will save money spent on watering the lawn.
Please don’t overestimate my domestic diva ways though, because I never water the lawn. Or my plants. Ever. It never occurs to me, I don’t have the time or inclination… say what you want. The only reason I turn on the water spigot 
outside is to fill Kayla’s outdoor water bowl. But this water could easily be used to fill her bowl as well as water plants if I ever get the overwhelming urge to do so.
Also, I found one of the coolest inventions ever, a self watering pot. Pretty much it’s just a pot with space to hold the water without rotting out your planties roots. It’s how I’m reviving my dead cactus. Zombie cactus! Yes. I killed cactus. Plant life that can survive the most horrible climes complete with heat, wind, and sun. But I’m bringing them back to life! That should count for something.
I probably should have bullet listed this… oh well. I’m trying to think of other ways to easily adopt a more environmentally friendly lifestyle but drawing a blank. They say washing clothes in cold water rather than hot water is helpful but I’ve never done that.
Oh and I recycle aluminum cans. Mostly because when you turn them in, you get money for it. Unfortunately right now the price per pound is really low so I’ve got a collection of bags in my garage.
What’s funny is that most of the reason that I’ve done what I do is to save money and time. The fact that it helps the environment is a very pleasant bonus. For example, buying in bulk. You save money and use less plastic in packaging. Double yay! Rechargable batteries save money and you always have batteries on hand. Reusing tupperware instead of using plastic wrap.
There are so many different ways to be friendlier to your environment and it pays to do so! Money for you now, a better world for your offspring and their future spawn.
What sort of things do you do to save money that also benefit the world around us? Or just to save money? Or just to benefit the earth? I’m not picky. I like both scenarios. =D
