1) Get a Reusable Water Bottle - Love this one. Bottled water is one of the greatest marketing schemes of all time. Bottled water is unnecessary and expensive. I love this Klean Kanteen
stainless steel water bottle. I started carrying a reusable water bottle while pregnant to help me remember to drink enough fluids. Then it came in handy after the baby was born because it's tough to stay properly hydrated while nursing. And, duh, lots of water is good for weight loss!2) Buy Local - Going to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings in the Spring and Summer is one of my favorite traditions. Buying local not only greatly reduces the carbon footprint of the items you buy, it also supports the local economy. Somethings at the farmer's market are a good deal -- some aren't -- but I find all the fresh produce, herbs, dairy, flowers and handmade items really inspire me and set the tone for a good weekend. There's something so special about being that connected to the people who grow your food.
3) Change Light Bulbs - This is one of the greatest money-savers of all the green tips. Though they may cost a bit more up front, compact florescent light bulbs quickly pay for themselves. Not only do CF bulbs last so much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, they also use less electricity thus lowering your electric bill. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, if every household replaced three 60-watt incandescent bulbs with energy efficient bulbs the pollution savings would be like taking 3.5 million cars off the road.
4) Use Reusable Shopping Bags - My favorite thing about reusable shopping bags is that some stores (including Target) give you a discount for using reusable bags. My favorite reusable tote (perfect for farmer's markets) are the graphic pattern reinforced bags
from Simply Green Solutions. Having these also comes in handy for stores like Aldi where bags are not complementary. Plus it's nice to have a few insulated bags with you to help keep meat, dairy and frozen items cool if grocery shopping isn't your last errand of the day.5) Limit the paper in your life -- There are so many ways to do this, but some suggestions include not getting a receipt at the bank or store unless you really need it, opting out of catalogs and pre-approved credit card applications and paying bills online. Some great resources for helping you reduce the paper waste in your life are Catalog Choice and Opt Out Pre Screen.
These are great tips, I have a reusable water bottle i've had for years, the color's cracking on the sides, the seal is semi-broken so when I hold it I have to do it at a certain angle, but I love it :) Won't be buying a new one any time soon, and i <3 farmers markets, the best things ever!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea I could opt out of those annoying credit card offers! I do most of these already. It's a great list and definitely easy for those to implement who aren't even nominally "crunchy". :)
ReplyDelete