Inexpensive Ways to Go Green

While the "3 R" adage of recycle, re-use and reduce goes a long way in terms of creating a healthier environment, many consumers rarely go any further than the curbside bin to toe the environmentally sound line. A trip down the eco-friendly shopping aisle in the local supermarket will quickly illustrate that going green is not inexpensive at the cash register. Savvy marketers are always ready to take your money with expensive products; however, there are several ways to evade the hype and effectively do your part to help the environment.

Computers

• Most people have access to and use on a daily basis a home computer. This modern marvel is a virtual powerhouse in terms of going green inexpensively. First and foremost, turn it off. Powering down your computer at night greatly reduces the amount of energy used in households. Additionally, use your computer to reduce the use of paper products. Send electronic invites for parties, file taxes online and store them on hard drives or discs. Read your newspapers and magazines online to further reduce deforestation; if you do buy a magazine, pass it on. Pay your bills and shop online to further reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, not to mention the development of retail strip malls.

Fuel Consumption

• Reducing your fuel consumption is a vital component of the environment friendly effort. Ignore your dryer and hang your laundry out to dry. If you live in a neighborhood that prevents line drying, add a few tennis balls to your dryer to speed the cycle. Using a laundromat also saves time; schedule a weekly trip and get it all done at once, saving both energy and water by using multi-load machines. Schedule personal errands that require driving together to avoid multiple trips or share these trips with a neighbor. When you have lunch while you are out, ask for to-go containers and re-use them.

Practicality

• Using an insulated cooler bag for your lunch eliminates tons of paper waste; using washable self-sealing containers furthers this effort. Take your own coffee mug to your favorite brew master, and purchase and use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones. Feeling chilly? Put on a sweater before you reach for the thermostat. Use fabric bags when shopping at the supermarket; their initial cost is offset by the fact that they can be continuously reused.

Buying Right

• When you purchase items, ask yourself: is the packaging excessive, is it biodegradable, and can I use it as a planter or mulch? Buy items in bulk to reduce individual packaging amounts and use a manual can opener. Give your children eco-friendly soybean crayons instead of traditional wax ones. Buy used textbooks and visit yard sales, and next time you have to rent a car, consider renting a hybrid. Every time you're buying something, first consider if there's an eco-friendly alternative.