Less is More
I'm trying to stay green on a budget any suggestions beside do with less?
11 days ago and nobody has replied! We all know all kinds of of good ideas. So I'll get things started.
I like the idea I got from the simple living literature of making use of the "Earth Gym" which means simply to get out and walk (or ride a bicycle.) Walk for errands, walk for exercise, walk for meditation, walk for fun. It's totally green and really cheap. Maybe you need some new shoes, but I never bought shoes just for walking.
I also like to try to buy just the right amount of food. I don't stock up, keep a freezer or things like that. But I buy in really small quantities fresh food just in time.
Do you live in a house / apartment? Do you own the place where you live? Have a yard? Those kinds of things make a difference about what you can do. For example, I can't really garden because I live in a high rise apartment in a city that doesn't have a balcony or outdoor space. But then, I also don't have to deal with stuff like maintaining a yard. But I can walk to nearly every place I need to go or take public transportation.
I like the idea I got from the simple living literature of making use of the "Earth Gym" which means simply to get out and walk (or ride a bicycle.) Walk for errands, walk for exercise, walk for meditation, walk for fun. It's totally green and really cheap. Maybe you need some new shoes, but I never bought shoes just for walking.
I also like to try to buy just the right amount of food. I don't stock up, keep a freezer or things like that. But I buy in really small quantities fresh food just in time.
Do you live in a house / apartment? Do you own the place where you live? Have a yard? Those kinds of things make a difference about what you can do. For example, I can't really garden because I live in a high rise apartment in a city that doesn't have a balcony or outdoor space. But then, I also don't have to deal with stuff like maintaining a yard. But I can walk to nearly every place I need to go or take public transportation.
2 months ago
I find that sometimes...many times...I have conflicting values over various things and I have to make choices. Sometimes thing all align right, for example, walking is both green and low cost. But often this is not the case. Food is an excellent example. Here you need to make some choices about which value is the most important, and there is no correct choice, or at least no permanent correct choice. We all know that organic, locally grown food is probably the "best" choice, but often this is the most expensive one. And it can be impossible with many common food items that most of us really like. Except for Hawaii, for example, there is no organic, local coffee. So do you choose to just say no to all coffee or to only buy organic, fair trade coffee or buy whatever your budget can afford at Costco?
I find I am constantly making choices about exactly how I am going to be green right now. Sometimes I break the green "rules" with impunity, sometimes I'm a green iconoclast. But at least I'm always thinking about it and often trying to be as green as I can so that has to be enough.
I find I am constantly making choices about exactly how I am going to be green right now. Sometimes I break the green "rules" with impunity, sometimes I'm a green iconoclast. But at least I'm always thinking about it and often trying to be as green as I can so that has to be enough.
2 months ago
Thank you both for your ideas. I live in a apartment but I do have an outdoor area where I can do some container gardening.I had been stocking up, it makes sense now that we only have two to feed to buy the right amount of food.
You are right frontiermidwife there is no correct choice only a best for me to chose.
Once again thank you.
You are right frontiermidwife there is no correct choice only a best for me to chose.
Once again thank you.
2 months ago
I've been 'going green' in a number of areas, such as with cleaning supplies. Most of the caustic chemicals that we're accustomed to cleaning with can be successfully substituted with less harmful
- and less expensive! - substances like white vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, or lemon juice, and by using microfiber cloths. Type 'homemade cleansers' into any search engine and you'll find tons of articles and specific recipes. Keep in mind, however, that the 'greenest' way to get rid of the old toxic cleansers is to use them up and THEN make the switch to a more environmentally-friendly alternative.
It's also possible to save green while going green with your beauty products. For the most part, the biggest difference between drugstore beauty products and the high-priced lines is the cost of their advertising budget. Where possible, stick with drugstore brands, which can often be acquired during sales for up to half-off. Not uncommonly, there are also coupons available to coincide with drugstore sales.
Another money-saver is to take a look at makeup lines that are generally targeted to a teen market. Many of the products and colors would work just as well for an adult woman, and at a considerable savings compared to one of the major drugstore cosmetic lines. Think along the lines of Rimmel, E.L.F. and Jane's cosmetics.
Another suggestion would be to check the archives at realsimple.com; they frequently have articles about what are the most effective or least expensive beauty product alternatives.
- and less expensive! - substances like white vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, or lemon juice, and by using microfiber cloths. Type 'homemade cleansers' into any search engine and you'll find tons of articles and specific recipes. Keep in mind, however, that the 'greenest' way to get rid of the old toxic cleansers is to use them up and THEN make the switch to a more environmentally-friendly alternative.
It's also possible to save green while going green with your beauty products. For the most part, the biggest difference between drugstore beauty products and the high-priced lines is the cost of their advertising budget. Where possible, stick with drugstore brands, which can often be acquired during sales for up to half-off. Not uncommonly, there are also coupons available to coincide with drugstore sales.
Another money-saver is to take a look at makeup lines that are generally targeted to a teen market. Many of the products and colors would work just as well for an adult woman, and at a considerable savings compared to one of the major drugstore cosmetic lines. Think along the lines of Rimmel, E.L.F. and Jane's cosmetics.
Another suggestion would be to check the archives at realsimple.com; they frequently have articles about what are the most effective or least expensive beauty product alternatives.
2 months ago
Thank You chaz2148 for your suggestions. Gives me hope to proceed with going green.
2 months ago
I live in the country, so for me, buying by the month and saving gasoline, time and buying in larger but less expensive bulk packages then seperating them to individual sized packages for freezing works best. I also take advantage of seasonal fruits and veggies, use some while fresh and freeze the rest for later. I also try to make soups, sauces, casseroles,etc in large batches, eat what I want and freeze the rest for another time. Saves electricity and I have things for dinner when I don't feel well or just don't feel like cooking. I am really glad to join this group and have already learned a few things about going green that I didn't know. Thanks Zenmistress
about 1 month ago
Hi everyone...
I changed to healthier products for cleaning a couple of years ago because my husband was terminally ill with a lung disease brought on by his work environment, so I decided for him and for me, to change where I could. Now, I guess I should be making home made things with vinegar and such and I will look into that. I think that some of what we think smells clean is the fragrance companies put in cleaners. I use essential oils (NOT fragrance oils) to diffuse in the house and burn in a Lampe Berger to kill germs in the air. Adding them to homemade cleaners would probably make vinegar more acceptable until we learn that it doesn't have to smell good to clean, but the essential oils have SSSOO many theraputic effects on the body. After all, most of modern medicine is simply a synthetic or replica of nature's medicines. And actually, some essential oils do NOT smell good. Oregano oil (for example) is a great antiseptic for topical use, but you smell like an Italian restaurant all day! LOL The biggest thing I've done lately is to do away with a clothes dryer. Happened by accident, actually. It overheated and would have burned down (at least) the garage and storage building if I hadn't been outside doing some things and smelled the heat!!! BUT, I decided NOT to replace it for now. I have a covered patio kinda thing off the garage that someone before me had rigged with wires and lots of nails, so I just hang clothes there when they come out of the washer. The sheets have to hang double like a hammock as they'd hit the ground otherwise, but with our horribly hot summer that has attending hot wind, most clothes and sheets actually dry faster there than they WOULD in a dryer. Now that fall is coming on and it's not like a convection oven outside, the test will really begin. If it rains for a week with no sun when it's cooler, I may be forced to make other arrangements, but I've been without it since March and it's now October, so even if I eventually cave and take a few things to the laundromat to dry here and there during the worst of winter, I still think I want to do without the dryer for the most part! Now, central Texas offers this option, whereas a lot of places probably don't, but we have to adapt what we CAN do with what our environment offers. In other words...as the old saying goes, "bloom where you're planted". I don't use a freezer other than the one on the fridge because I'm in town and so close to so many grocery stores. I figure if my freezer is full, I have enough!!!
That's different for people living further out of town and such and when there are enough family members to buy on sale and in bulk, I know.
Also, I don't water my lawn....EVER!!!! I have one big Turnbull pear tree that would not survive some of the dry summers (it's drought or monsoon and you never know) and IT gets water as well as plants....but grass??? NOPE!! And it was so dead and crunchy, you'd think it would NEVER come back. As soon as it started raining mid September, it arose like Lazarus from the tomb and is thick and lush again! Our water supply is TOO precious to waste it on lawns and especially in towns like where I live where there is so much sodium in the city water, it can't do ANYTHING but damange the lawns anyway!
One more thing is less than 2 minute showers....not that I time them, but my grandson does as he thinks it's hysterical how fast I'm in and out...and yeah, the hot water feels great to just stand in after you're clean, but THAT'S something we can do without!! I'll be watching here for more suggestions from everyone. All we can do is our own little corner of the world and try to spread the knowledge.
Thanks,
Marcy
I changed to healthier products for cleaning a couple of years ago because my husband was terminally ill with a lung disease brought on by his work environment, so I decided for him and for me, to change where I could. Now, I guess I should be making home made things with vinegar and such and I will look into that. I think that some of what we think smells clean is the fragrance companies put in cleaners. I use essential oils (NOT fragrance oils) to diffuse in the house and burn in a Lampe Berger to kill germs in the air. Adding them to homemade cleaners would probably make vinegar more acceptable until we learn that it doesn't have to smell good to clean, but the essential oils have SSSOO many theraputic effects on the body. After all, most of modern medicine is simply a synthetic or replica of nature's medicines. And actually, some essential oils do NOT smell good. Oregano oil (for example) is a great antiseptic for topical use, but you smell like an Italian restaurant all day! LOL The biggest thing I've done lately is to do away with a clothes dryer. Happened by accident, actually. It overheated and would have burned down (at least) the garage and storage building if I hadn't been outside doing some things and smelled the heat!!! BUT, I decided NOT to replace it for now. I have a covered patio kinda thing off the garage that someone before me had rigged with wires and lots of nails, so I just hang clothes there when they come out of the washer. The sheets have to hang double like a hammock as they'd hit the ground otherwise, but with our horribly hot summer that has attending hot wind, most clothes and sheets actually dry faster there than they WOULD in a dryer. Now that fall is coming on and it's not like a convection oven outside, the test will really begin. If it rains for a week with no sun when it's cooler, I may be forced to make other arrangements, but I've been without it since March and it's now October, so even if I eventually cave and take a few things to the laundromat to dry here and there during the worst of winter, I still think I want to do without the dryer for the most part! Now, central Texas offers this option, whereas a lot of places probably don't, but we have to adapt what we CAN do with what our environment offers. In other words...as the old saying goes, "bloom where you're planted". I don't use a freezer other than the one on the fridge because I'm in town and so close to so many grocery stores. I figure if my freezer is full, I have enough!!!
That's different for people living further out of town and such and when there are enough family members to buy on sale and in bulk, I know.
Also, I don't water my lawn....EVER!!!! I have one big Turnbull pear tree that would not survive some of the dry summers (it's drought or monsoon and you never know) and IT gets water as well as plants....but grass??? NOPE!! And it was so dead and crunchy, you'd think it would NEVER come back. As soon as it started raining mid September, it arose like Lazarus from the tomb and is thick and lush again! Our water supply is TOO precious to waste it on lawns and especially in towns like where I live where there is so much sodium in the city water, it can't do ANYTHING but damange the lawns anyway!
One more thing is less than 2 minute showers....not that I time them, but my grandson does as he thinks it's hysterical how fast I'm in and out...and yeah, the hot water feels great to just stand in after you're clean, but THAT'S something we can do without!! I'll be watching here for more suggestions from everyone. All we can do is our own little corner of the world and try to spread the knowledge.
Thanks,
Marcy
about 1 month ago
I just read in a magazine, vinegar, lemon and club soda work and of course save $$$$$. Guess the standard applies Reuse, Recycle, Reduce ........one more, must be past my bedtime can't think of the fourth?????. Less is more , so you are on track. Just the smart things we know that save $$$$ , save resources and save the earth..........save us
about 1 month ago
