Ways to go green and save green

We had planned a Recession Buster workshop for a few weeks back that was canceled because of our super eco-conscious customers who had recycled a bunch of electronics. Kudos to them for recycling!!! So, since we didn't have the workshop we are posting all of our earth-friendly money-saving tips right here on our Green Alternatives blog. Enjoy!

• Ditch prepared meals. Go for healthy & cheap eating by picking up in-season fruits and veggies and making your own meals. It’s better for your body and wallet. Planning is key. Make sure you have a stocked pantry and plan ahead.
• Cook meatless meals. It’s definitely cheaper to prepare a meal that is meat-free than the latter. And, it’s considered more green because an extreme amount of methane is released into the atmosphere by the animals that are raised for consumption.
• Travel locally. Be a tourist in your home town. It will save you time and money. And, Hampton Roads has a slew of historical sites to check out.
• Squeeze to the last drop. Get every last smidgen out of your products before tossing them. Then, when you think you are near the end, fill with water and use that very last bit.
• Use only recommended doses. If your detergent gives you an amount, use it. It’s designed to work with the recommended, noted amount.
• Bring your lunch. It will save you a tremendous amount of time and will greatly reduce the waste that is provided by getting processed food. Make sure to get a reusable lunch set.
• Eat breakfast at home. Or, bring it with you to work. For the same reason that was mentioned in number 6 it will save money and diminish waste.
• Consider a pellet stove. The pellets are way more eco-friendly than wood-burning stoves and produce just as much heat and comfort.
• Green clean your home. By making your own cleaning supplies, you can save money and will get a great result. Look for spray bottles that have recipes on the side so you will never be without your recipe when you need a refill. Or, buy products that are super concentrate so you will reduce waste and save money.
• Green gift giving. Wrap your presents in newspaper funnies. It provides great reading material, saves money, and it a fantastic reuse of your newspaper.
• Turn off your lights when you’re not in the room. Makes sense, right?
• Use public transit. I know, I know...our area is not too well-equipped with a public transit system, but at least look into it.
• 5 minute showers. Get a timer and stick to it.
• Compost. Get a composter and make a project out of it. It will reduce your waste and you can use the fertilizer for gardening.
• Unplug appliances. When not in use, unplug your appliances so they are not drawing energy.
• Don’t over consume. You won’t waste money on stuff you don’t need and it’s kinder to the earth.
• Lower your thermostat. Drop it by a few degrees and wear a sweater at home.
• Wash in cold. Wash clothes in cold. Colors and whites can be washed in cold and it saves energy because you’re not using power to heat the water.
• Use a dryer rack. It will save you money on your energy bill.
• Get a low flow showerhead. It will reduce the amount of waste water you produce when showering and will lower your water bill.
• Plant drought-tolerant plants. Consider your watering needs when gardening. Or, save rainwater with a rain barrel and use that to water your plants.
• Walk or bike. Anywhere that’s close enough to walk or bike. Do it. It will save you on gas and is carbon-neutral.
• Buy local. Supporting your local farms and dairies is crucial. Check out your local farmer’s market that carries all in season fruits and veggies from nearby. Our Norfolk Farmer's Market in at Church & 26th Street.
• Reusables. Use a reusable water bottle and don’t buy disposable water bottles.
• Thrifty shopping. Check thrift stores or www.craigslist.com if you need something. Chances are it’s there…it’s definitely green because you aren’t supporting the virgin harvest of materials to produce consumer products, and it will save you big bucks.
• Go to the library. The library is a fantastic resource for books, videos, and more. Get a library card and take books out instead of buying them to read once and have them sit on a shelf in your home.
• Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. It will save you from having to replace it over and over again while saving the earth because you aren’t consuming as much.
• Green recession-proof grocery shopping. Check for coupons, plan out what you need, and stick to the outside. The outside is where all of the more natural, fresh foods are…stay away from processed foods.
• Telecommute. If your job will allow you, work from home when possible. It will save on gas and money.
• Carpool. It’s great fun to have someone to ride with and will definitely save on resources including finite oil and money.
• Back off rapid acceleration and breaking. It lowers your mpg when you do this.
• Take luggage rack off. It creates drag and hence lowers your mpg.
• Check your tire pressure. For maximum gas efficiency, your tire should have the right amount of pressure.
• Deduct charitable contributions. A lot of green practices are also tax deductable like electronics recycling.
• Freecycle. Don’t trash your unwanted items, post them on freecycle. Maybe someone else needs just what you are getting rid of.
• Wash full loads only. It will save you money and saves energy.
• Reduce hot water temp to 120’. There’s no need to heat your water up that much.
• Wrap your water heater. It will keep your hot water hot without using as much energy.
• Ceiling fans. Use fans instead of a/c. It uses way less energy.
• Put a white panel on the outer part of your curtains. White will keep the hot in or cold in during the appropriate seasons.
• Move lights away from cooling applications. The heat from the lamp will keep your a/c on for longer than needed.
• Change filters. Keeping filters changed and clean will maximize efficiency.
• Flat panel monitors. If you need to replace your computer or monitor, get one…they use less energy. If you have a laptop, you’re good because they use even less energy than a desktop. And, there are now energy star certified laptops.
• Rechargeable batteries. There's an initial cost out of the gate, but you will definitely save big time over the life of your batteries.
• Reusable bags. You'll get a few cents back at many retailers for using them and they reduce waste big time.
• Look for rebates. If you need a big ticket item, check to see where you can purchase an Energy Star rated appliance and get a rebate from the government.