Being green by being frugal.

So you may have noticed that although this blog is about being frugal and green, I don't really push a whole "green is the new black", "everything solar powered" agenda.

This is because I feel that too many people think "Hey, I'd love to be 'green', but there is no way I can afford a Prius, or solar panels on my home, or to raise my own food". My point is that if you look at the bigger picture, being environmentally friendly is about more that being trendy and "green". It's living the way your great-grandparents did during the depression when you couldn't afford to throw anything away or spend your money on something that wouldn't last.

Examples in my own life include:

1) No paper towels or napkins in our home. We use rags to clean up spills and cloth napkins to eat. Is it really THAT much harder to throw them in the laundry with a load of towels? Nope. Do we have to spend $ on that stuff at the store? Nope.

2) I use my homemade cleaner for just about everything in our house. 1/4 part white vinegar with 3/4 part water and some orange oil for scent in a spray bottle. No nasty chemicals in our house and it costs about $0.50 to make a full bottle. We also use dusters and a vacuum for most of our cleaning...cleaning chemicals give me a migraine...and you would be amazed at how much you an clean with all those attachments on your vacuum!!

3) We reuse the containers that food comes in as "Tupperware". I have found that using a piece of masking tape on top with the date/food on it helps us to not forget that there is really steak in the cottage cheese container.

4) We also reuse tin-foil and ziploc bags as many times as we can. I HATE the thought of throwing away a ziploc bag just because it was used. I even wash them in the dishwasher on the top shelf with some heavy duty rubberbands holding them down!

5) We NEVER NEVER NEVER buy bottled water! Tap is where it's at! You're already paying for your water, so buy a filter (if needed) and drink it! Reusable bottles come in every shape, color and design now. I love my old Nalgene bottle, and it's practically indestructible!

6)I don't eat meat. Now this is based more on my issues with the meat processing industry and the lack of regulations as shown through various recalls among other research. But, it is also cheaper to not eat meat, and it reduces your carbon impact on the environment. I will occasionally buy sustainable, responsibly raised local meat...but thats another post!

7) Use EVERYTHING up! We don't buy a new toothpaste, shampoo, clothes etc until the old one is totally gone. (EXCEPT if there is a too good to be true deal on something, then we stock up!) I also have not bought any new clothes in MONTHS. I want to see how long I can go with what I have...which is a TON of clothes!

8) Lastly, stay organized and clean at your home? How much have you wasted because you bought milk when you went to the store without a list and there was already a gallon at home? Or you couldn't find that one little thing that you needed right then so you bought another. I can tell you we have about 1000 nail files, 6 tweezers, tons of (old) cleaning supplies, and countless other duplicates that were bought simply because we were not organized.

Buying more than you honestly need is wasteful to both your wallet and the environment. You can always find a "greener" solution that the one that is portrayed to you by the mass media and consumerism in stores. So think about how your Great-Grandparents would have done something before you take the easy way out.

Happy Monday everyone!