When I chose to start living a more simple frugal life, I didn’t realize I would be continuing my passion for living green. I’ve learned that frugal living and green living really are a lot alike.
1. Conserving electricity by during daytime, lights in my home are off. I use natural light coming in my windows. Turning up my thermostat during the summer (and wearing less clothes) and down during the winter (wearing more clothes also) I hang certain items over shower curtain bars to dry and other items are only placed in dryer for a very short period and then hung in closet to finish drying. Be conscious of phantom consumption. Saving on your electricity bill is living frugally AND reducing your consumption is living greener!
2. Conserving water by installing simple rain barrels, taking shorter showers and turning water off while sudsing up, brushing our teeth with water off, only washing full loads of clothing, and raising the water level in my toilet tanks is living frugally AND greener!
3. Don’t fall into the consumer trap! Do not buy products that require a constant “refill” or disposables and this will reduce your waste. Try making your own household cleaners. I no longer buy paper plates, paper cups, paper napkins or paper towels. Windows are washed using newspapers and my home-made window cleaner. I have purchased from thrift stores cloth napkins (.29 and .39 each) and kitchen towels (.49-.69 each), and after 6 months have a nice collection! Using a rag or string mop is more frugal, reduces your waste and therefore reduces your carbon print making you greener. I no longer purchase bottles of water. We have a few re-usable water bottles we now use. I no longer buy rags.
4. Old tshirts are cut up for dusting rags, shop rags, and used on my swiffers. Ratty bath towels are also cut up into 4 smaller towels to be used various ways. I think twice before throwing ANYTHING away. Toothbrushes are saved and used for cleaning. A lot of food containers are saved and reused.
5. Recycle as much of your waste as possible. Aluminum cans, plastic milk/juice jugs, and cardboard boxes are recycled in our home reducing our waste.
I heard someone say “It’s not easy being green if you’re poor”. I disagree with this mindset. Yes it costs a big chunk to install solar panels on your home, to buy a new electric/hybrid vehicle, to buy newer energy efficient appliances, etc. The way I am approaching these is this…. When I HAVE to replace a new big ticket item, (my car finally dies, the washer has spun for the last time, the refrig won't chill anymore) I will do my research and buy a more eco friendly product but not until that time.
The majority of the ways listed above does not cost you anything but are the most common first steps experts will tell you to do when wanting to live more frugally or green.
You can get more tips by reading my previous post: 11 Ways to be an Earth Friendly Couple. Another great article to read is Frugal Living Can Be Green Living.
I would love for everyone to share their frugal and/or green tips in comments, it just might be something that someone else has not thought of.
Wonderful post! I think my favorite frugal tip is the reuse, reuse, reuse! I can't count how many old towels, old t-shirts or baby onesies i've reused as cleaning rags or emergency "napkins" for the car. Sometimes I cut them down to size to make it easier. I'm sure this is why my paper towel stockpile from over a year ago lasted until now.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I'm very much of the same mind-set and we've been trying to conserve on energy and reuse as much as possible. We're also not using anything disposable like paper plates and cups but I do have some paper towel to clean up after my baby girl since she tends to have diarhea and throws up alot all over the house. And because cats carry certain bacteria I keep cleaning with paper towels to avoid any issues. For the rest it's old t-shirts and such. Growing your own produce even if it's just herbs help with the cost at the supermarket but also helps avoid getting plastic packages that end up in landfills. I don't buy bottled watter but I do buy soda's for my DF and only large containers. Wish I could get him off from it but it's work in progress. I'm looking forward to apple seaso so we can stock up on farm fresh apple juice instead.
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeleteThis is a fabulous post! I love what someone said to you recently about..it is hard to be green when you are poor. I love your response to that especially about the navy showers. I had someone just yesterday say to me "Your shower situation is RUDE!" Company never has to do anything different when they shower here in the morning than they do at home. The increased $20.00 in my electric bills showed they didn't. We have hot water until 1PM every weekday. If I choose to take a navy shower in my own home that is my business and no one elses. It doesn't affect them! I bring up this example to go along with your comment above meaning: I find that people who don't do these simple green things are usually the ones who create their own state of poverty.
amiyrah lol, I am still using receiving blankets for various things around my home. My baby will be 12 the 15th of this month! They wear well. :)
ReplyDeleteJenny I understand about baby girls' issues and needing the paper towels for that reason. Every once in a while one of my mini poodles will have an upset tummy and I use newspapers, then sanitize using my home made Clorox Anywhere Spray and a t-shirt rag.
Precious I agree, some people just don't get it. Like you said, it's your business what you do in your own home.