What are some inexpensive ways to go green?

Question

Going green seems expensive. Right now a hybrid car or installing solar panels is out of my budget. What are some inexpensive ideas, besides recycling, to help save the environment?

Answer 1

using fluroesent lights , properly insulating your home, using pulbic transport, driving a smaller car, solar hot water, better insulating your hot water system and using lees heating and cooling.

Answer 2

Hi - there's an awareness campaign called National Downshifting Week that has 3 lists of ways to help you 'slow down and green up', as an individual, in your work place and your school too.

See www.DownshiftingWeek.com for info.

Answer 3

unplug computer and use your brain

Answer 4

Start small.  Walk, ride a bike or carpool whenever possible instead of driving.  Recycling is a good start.  Turn off lights when leaving a room.  Don't buy things you don't need and you'll have less trash.  Buy organic foods to have fewer pesticides used.  Turn down your heat in the winter.  Cover your windows with plastic in the winter.  Little things add up.  Good luck!

Answer 5

the ,most inexpensive way to go green is recycle

Answer 6

keep your fridge/ freezer topped up. If not with food with newspaper or even containers with water in. This helps keep the running cost down. Using less electricity too. Also look at the settings on both. Lots of people have their fridges turned up too high. I know i did.  Grow your own veg. lots of ways to save money plus great way to recycle lots of products at home. Reuse washing up water to water garden plants. I do this alot and my plants are healthy(also some have not been attacked with pest so much) Just a few things i do to help

Answer 7

Conserving water usage is my good way of being green.  You normally run the cold tap water out for a while before taking shower.  You could bring a bucket to collect the cold water to be used to flush your toilet or water your trees.  It is my way of saving water.

Answer 8

unplug your fridge

Answer 9

Hopefully you already recycle, since you wrote "besides recycling".  Make sure, however, that you are recycling all that you can: aluminum, tin, plastic bottles, cardboard, paper, newspapers, plastic bags from the store (bring them back in - most stores have recycling programs for this).

Answer 10

Turn off the lights ,TV, hot water and computer. get rid of your car , walk or ride a bike every where you go. No city buses there not green.Now bath only once or twice a week this will save a lot of water not counting all the wast water you wont be adding to the environment.this way you will keep your carbon foot print way don ,which will be good for me!and you will save a lot of money. which you will need to buy more Friends because you will be stinky and dirty m but greener at least ,good luck.

Answer 11

Set your thermostat at 68 in the winter and 78 in the summer.  

Take shorter showers.  

Start a compost pile.  

Carpool.  

Use a clothesline to dry your clothes.

Answer 12

use reuseable bags...ride your bike to the store..make wrapping paper out of fabric so you can reuse it!

Answer 13

Unplug all unused adaptors, chargers, etc.

Answer 14

Green only seems expensive because its a marketing tools these days to sell even more stuff we don't need.  Reducing is the key, and that is the most inexpensive thing you can do!  Reduce toxins by using vinegar, lemon, baking soda and other natural cleaners.  Join a CSA for affordable, local (hopefully organic) produce.  Don't be afraid to grow a garden, its fun and easy (book: food not lawns).  Did you know all cities allow you to have chickens in your yard?  Eggs and great fertilizer while reducing the need for factory farms.  Buy used clothing.  Pass things along when you're done with them.  Does your lawn have to be green in the summer?  Then collect water from gutters or even your clothes washer for watering.  And really there is nothing like line dried sheets, give the dryer a break in the summer.  Low flow faucets and toilets.  Insulate, insulate, insulate and turn down the heat and AC.

Answer 15

Lower your energy usage:  unplug anything not in use:  cell phone chargers, coffee maker, hair dryer, etc.

Put your computer on a surge supressor and turn it off when not in use

Reuse grocery bags or get some canvas bags and carry them with you when you go to the store - even home depot!

If you are going to paint - use zero-voc paint like Sherwin Williams Harmony

Reduce water consumption by turning off water when not in use and only washing full loads

Collect rain water in barrels and use it to water your plants and wash your car

Answer 16

I cut up old shirts and towels and use these in place of paper towels. i can use one over and over for floor spills that aren't too messy. yes, they have to be washed but i get alot of use out of one. Also, I use a mix of lecithin and oil  to swipe pots or cookie sheets in place of aluminum foil. it creates a nonstick surface... makes them super easy to clean.

Answer 17

wash clothing in full loads

use energy efficent light bulbs and other products.

turn off the lights when you leave a room

shut off your computer at night.

+much much more.

Answer 18

Some of these are probably repeats, but..

-Walk, ride a bike, or take public transportation whenever possible.

-Cut down on disposables: rags instead of paper towels, fabric bags instead of paper or plastic, mugs instead of cups, etc.

-Reuse everything you can, like using jars for storage instead of buying storage containers.

-If you use paper, buy recycled and unbleached paper (printer paper, notebooks, etc)

-Wash your clothes with cold water

-Buy less things in general, and buy used whenever you can

-Check if your electric company offers renewable energy options (you'll pay a few dollars extra a month)

-Switch to environmentally friendly soaps - dish washing, body soap, cleaners, etc.

-Cut down or eliminate bottled beverages

-Buy in bulk, buy as a local as you can, and pick products that are packaged in the most environmentally friendly way

Basically, just keep it in the back of your head that everything you do has an impact, so make your choices accordingly.  Every little bit counts..

Answer 19

Build a passive solar home... at the low end it can cost less than an average home that would be using fossil fuel.

Build that home close enough to work that you can walk there,  typically saving thousands per year.

Answer 20

Switch all your lightbulbs to the type that uses less power and that will save you money

Get a lower flow shower head and use less water.

Start a compost bin and you can sell compost to local gardners so you actually make money.

Switch your energy to reusable energy for like $20 extra on your electric bill.

Turn off your lights when you don't need them on.

Don't leave chargers plugged in.

By used stuff like clothes and books.

Eat vegetarian once and a while.

Grow native flowers in your backyard.

Reduce, reuse, recycle.