Note: This post was originally from Feb. I was trying to edit it to include a jump so you wouldn't have to scroll down as much to view older posts and accidentally moved it up higher on the list. The newest post (3-5-12) is actually the one right below this titled "small changes". I appologize for any confusion this has caused.
Hello all! In my last post, I updated everyone on the new (and new-ish) steps my family has taken in our journey to be more green. In this post, I wanted to explain a little bit more about the reasons why I've been leading us in this direction, because to be fair there's more than just wanting to do our part involved.
Of course in this new direction, helping the environment is the main concern, but it also helps our wallet a bit too. Now I know there are some nay-sayers out there who will try to tell you that it's more expensive to be green, and they're right...to a degree. Let me explain-Yes, it IS a bit more expensive at first because many products that are available to help in greening our lives require a slightly larger initial investment. This unfortunately turns a lot of people off. But while it can require a larger initial investment, one must also take into account that most of these things will be re-used time and time again, which brings down the cost per use and makes it cheaper in the long run. Here's an example--a roll of paper towels purchased at your local big-box store will run you about $2.15, and the average family probably goes through about two rolls in a week. At the same local big-box store, you can purchase a package of barmops for about $4. The paper towels are $2 cheaper than the barmops, but the difference is that next week you'll need to purchase more paper towels while the barmops can simply be washed and re-used. Admitedly, you'll need more than one package of the barmops to completely replace the paper towels, but they are still cheaper in the long run since once you have a good sized stash built up you won't have to purchase any more. Sure, in this example, you will eventually have to buy more to replace any that deteriorate over the years, but with proper care they will last you years. Even when you calculate in the cost of the water and laundry soap to clean them, it's really not costing you a whole lot more because you can just throw it in with your regular laundry. Same deal goes for cloth napkins, they can just be tossed in the regular wash as well.
Lets look at another example. Take bottled water--a case at the big-box will cost around $12, depending on the brand. Or, you could purchase a water purifier that attatches to your faucet at home for around $30 and a re-usable water bottle for about $10. While your initial investment for the filter and water bottle is $40, you can wash and re-use the water bottle numerous times and the filters for the water purifier will last you about three months. So let's say you purchase 1 case of bottled water a week...for a three month supply, that'd be about $144. If you chose the water purifier and refilled your re-useable water bottle at home, you'd still only be paying the original $40 for the same three month supply. That's a savings of over $100! Even if you bought a water bottle for each member of the family (in this example, we'll say 4 people), you're initial investment would be $70, which still saves you around $74. The replacement filters for the water purifiers run (at last time i purchased them) about $17 for 2 filters. That's six months worth of purified water (which for the record is all they do to bottled water before packaging it) for only $17, plus the cost of water in your area. Also, if you're wondering, refilling your own bottles of water at home really doesn't make a huge difference in your water bill, especially if you pair it with conserving water usage in other areas of your home, such as low-flow shower heads and faucets. These are just a couple of examples, the ones just off the top of my head.
There are certainly other ways to be both environmentally friendly and frugal. Another example i can think of is in the way you clean your house. Conventional cleaning products can be expensive. They're also full of un-natural chemicals that are hard to pronounce and can be harmful to the environment, not to mention your family's health...but let's face it, you have to clean your house, right? It also doesn't help matters that they want to try and sell as much product as possible, so they bombard us with individual cleaning products for every surface in our homes, even the air, most of which we really don't need. There are also a slew of "natural" and "green" cleaning products available. I have tried several of these in the past, and they worked well...the reason for the quotation marks is that even if a product is labeled as "natural", it doesn't necessarily mean everything in the product is natural. It may or may not contain harsh chemicals and additives. Some may even contain petrochemicals. To my knowledge, there is no "watch dog" organization concerning the labeling of a product as "natural", and some companies play fast and loose with their own definition of the word. Not all companies do this, there are several truly natural companies out there which make products that are truly natural and work remarkably well, but one must be wary of "greenwashing". Greenwashing is when a company produces and markets a product as "natural" and/or "environmentaly friendly" when it is in fact neither. Again, this is not all companies, but there are some. The other alternative is making your own cleaning products at home, which is what i do. That way you know exactly what is in the products you use to clean your home. And it's really not as hard as it sounds...there are plenty of websites and blogs out there with literally hundreds of recipes to make your own cleaning products. It's easy, fun and very frugal. At my house, I use soap and water (natural castile soap, not an antibacterial soap), vinegar and baking soda, and these items cover all of my cleaning needs. Plus, I don't have to worry about any chemical residue hanging around on my freshly cleaned surfaces that could inadvertantly come in contact with my family. Vinegar has natural antiseptic properties that will neutralize most any germ it comes in contact with. (See some of my previous posts about why I don't use antibacterial soaps) If you feel you need more germ fighting power, you can add tea tree oil to many of your cleaning product recipes. I've also read that spraying a hard surface with vinegar followed by spraying it with hydrogen peroxide will also work, but I have not tried it myself. The point is, ingredients to make your own cleaning products can be found easily and cheaply at your local market, meaning that making your cleaning routine chemical free is very easy and frugal. Well, that's all for now...until next time!
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