Blogs » Inspectagadget » Recession-Ready Green Living

I don't know about you, but I'm sick of hearing speculation that a recession will mean the end of the 'green fad'. Sure, less money coming in may mean less folks buying organically-raised, rare-bread beef that's been massaged with beer and imported from half-way around the world, or it may mean fewer folks splashing out on a $600 organic cotton grocery bag, but ultimately green living is thrifty living. Here are a few ideas to live green AND save money:

Plant a Garden - sure, you're not likely to grow all your own vegetables, but every little helps. Besides sticking to stuff you and your family like to eat, it also makes sense to concentrate on crops that command a premium at the grocery store - fresh herbs, garlic, peppers and tomatoes, lettuce, fresh fruit etc all taste delicious from the garden, and will certainly save you money. And consider getting chickens - you won't regret it!

Ease Up on the Gas - You've heard all the options before, but they are worth repeating: walk; bike; take the bus; car share; telecommute; consolidate your trips. Whatever way you do it, saving gas has never been more important. Even sticking to the speed limit and making sure your tires are inflated will make a huge difference. And if you are in the market for a new car, you don't necessarily have to go hybrid - just buy small and efficient.

Lighten Up - By now you really should have changed your bulbs to Compact Fluorescents already, but if you haven't, now is the time. Not only will you save money on lighting and replacement bulbs, but you can also save on air conditioning costs - conventional bulbs produce excess heat that you then pay to cool in the summer.

Get a Clothes Line - It's simple, I know, but why the heck pay to run your washer when nature has a perfectly good alternative in the form of the sun.

Reuse and Repair - Try to get in the habit of repairing stuff when it's worn out, and when you are shopping for clothes, furniture or whatever, lok for used items first. You'll save a ton of money, you'll conserve resources, and you'll priobably find stuff with more character and charm than you would at your local mega-mart anyway.

Support Your Local Farmer - Contrary to popular belief, buying from your local farmer doesn;t have to be expensive - shop around, talk to your farmer about what's cheap, join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) scheme. There are many ways to buy local on a budget. And when local is slightly more expensive, consider buying it anyway - shopping locally keeps money circulating in your economy. What goes around comes around...

Cut the Meat - Producing meat, fish and dairy is expensive. It takes many times more grain to produce meat than would be needed if we ate that grain directly. That's costly for budgets and it's costly on the environment. There's no need to go completely vegan, just consider cutting back to make meat and fish more of a treat. And when you do eat animal products, try to be thrifty about the amount you use - stews, pies and bakes are all great alternatives to a large steak, and allow you to bulk out your meat with other staples.

Keywords: recession economy budget sustainability green lifestyle savings money

Comments