Save the Planet, Save Some Cash
10. Recycle Your Rubbish.
This one’s a no-brainer for even the least savvy would-be environmentalist. Recycling bottles and cans (as well as paper, cardboard, and plastic shopping bags) reduces landfill waste and reduces the need for new material production. Many areas have deposit programs that encourage recycling by paying residents to turn in their bottles and cans at a collection station. In other areas, you might be able to turn a quick buck by selling your aluminum to a metal salvage yard. My own city’s utility department runs a comingled recycling scheme which allows me to recycle most of my glass, plastic, and aluminum at the curb. While I never see a dime up front for these recyclables, the city uses revenues from these materials to reduce the cost of refuse collection and other services. Recycling doesn’t just save materials and energy; it saves money, too.
9. Eschew the Drive-Thru
If you’re a fast food junkie – and to my shame, I definitely am – I invite you to do an experiment. For one month, save your packaging. Burger wrappers, bags, plastic and paper cups. Anything that comes through a drive-thru or take-out window. You might be surprised at just how much trash fast food or take-away generates. It isn’t pretty. Even worse, it isn’t as cheap as you think it is. Those value meals can cost you over $150 a month. Your money-saving (and Earth-friendly) alternative? Bring last night’s leftovers or pack a lunch in reusable bags or containers. You’ll definitely see a change in your wallet and your trash can, and maybe your waistband too.
8. Bottle Your Own Water
Both Aquafina and Dasani are come from “public sources,” which is just a fancy word for filtered tap water. The $1 you spend on a bottle out of the vending machine not only creates waste, but costs fossil fuel energy to produce and transport. It can also be harmful to your health, as some studies have shown that some types of plastic bottles may leach a dangerous chemical called bisphenol A, or BPA. Using a refillable bottle will not only save you money and reduce environmental impact, but more and more companies are producing stylish, BPA-free bottles that you can use to carry around your thirst-quencher of choice.
7. Light Up Your Life (With Compact Fluorescent Bulbs)
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (or CFLs) are bulb-sized, long-life fluorescents that are as bright or brighter than conventional fluorescent or incandescent bulbs. They’re ideal for everyday use in lamps and light fixtures and use less energy than standard bulbs. While they may seem expensive at first – a CFL bulb typically costs a few dollars – they’ll pay for themselves both in utilities costs and fossil fuels used over the course of the bulb’s life. One small disadvantage of CFL bulbs is that, like all fluorescents, they contain a small amount of mercury. However, you’ll change them so infrequently that you’ll have more than enough time to check with your local trash-collection service about proper disposal after installing them in your home.
6. BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag)
When I was a kid, I thought that shopping bags were something you only saw on television or read about in books, and that real people used disposable plastic bags. These days, though, we’re starting to wise up about the impact of those bags on the environment. Many local and national retailers have begun selling their own reusable bags. Whether you opt for a stylish, branded tote like Target has started offering in their stores or a screen printed mesh bag at your local grocery, you’ll be reducing waste and retail costs by taking disposable plastic bags out of the equation. Hate carrying a goofy, branded tote? Try ChicoBags, which come in a range of colors, fasten to a bag or belt loop with a clip and come with an integrated pouch smaller than a tennis ball.
5. Know Your Hazards
Do you throw batteries, aerosol cans, consumer electronics, medications, flea collars, or printer cartridges away in your regular garbage? You may be contributing to hazardous waste pollution in your local landfill! In generally, waste may be hazardous if it is toxic, flammable, corrosive, or explosive. Be sure to read disposal labels on products like household cleaners, and check with your local trash-collection service to see if they have any special guidelines or collection options for hazardous materials. Disposing of these wastes properly reduces the need for costly environmental clean-up efforts in your community, which saves everyone money in the long term. Also, some retailers offer financial incentives to bring in certain materials (like printer cartridges), and you might be due a tax write-off if you donate your used electronics to charity.
4. Buy Locally
Does your city have a grocery co-op or buying club? What about a farmer’s market? Does your grocery store stock local organic produce? Buying at least a few locally produced products (which can range from household goods and furniture to a jar of cherry preserves) might not always be less expensive, but keeping money in the community bolsters your local economy and cuts down on transportation pollution and packaging waste. That’s something everyone can appreciate.
3. Dodge the Draft
Inefficient heating and cooling doesn’t just cost money. It significantly increases your overall carbon footprint! A leaky house means running a furnace or air conditioner harder and longer, and may tempt you to crank the dial in order to maintain a comfortable temperature. To save money and energy, check windows and doors to ensure that they close and seal properly. Block or seal obvious drafts, use a door sweep on your exterior doors, and be sure to maintain your heating and cooling equipment. If you have storm windows, be sure to install them during the winter months. Another tip: layer in winter and use a fan in summer to reduce your dependence on climate control. Even a few degrees can save you a nice chunk of change.
2. Share the Wealth
Don’t just throw away items you don’t need. Sites like Craigslist, eBay, and Freecycle are designed to help goods find their way to new owners instead of into a landfill. You’ll be surprised what you can buy, sell or trade. If you have a lot to get rid of, consider having a yard sale with friends, selling items to a thrift shop, or donating your stuff to groups like the Salvation Army or Goodwill. Your contribution can reduce the burden on local relief agencies (again, good for the economy) while clearing out some closet space. If you’re not attached to buying new, you can save a few bucks shopping those same websites or thrift shops, too.
1. Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without
One of the abiding lessons of the simplicity movement is that more often than not, we don’t actually need a good deal of the stuff we own. We buy for the rush, and then forget or throw away things that are no longer interesting or useful. I have a whole room in my house full of things I haven’t used since moving in because I can’t be bothered to unpack. Have I missed these things? On occasion, but most of the time I wonder if I’d notice if elves came in the night to spirit things away one by one. Probably not. Try going a week without buying anything, or instituting a ‘new thing in, old thing out’ policy. Donate, recycle, or re-gift 365 things in 365 days. Before buying something new, consider if an old object could be revamped or retrofitted to do the job. The monetary and environmental benefits to merely consuming less are enormous and nearly impossible to enumerate.
