The Cheaper side of Green

[NCW_Woodnymph]

The cost of living green can get really frustrating but with prices going up on everything I've been trying to look on the bright side. Here is my Pollyanna list of cost advantages to green living.

1. Growing your own veggies. For less than the price of a pound of organic tomatoes you can buy and entire packet of seeds that produce all summer long. Instead of wasting water keeping grass or flowers alive you can have veggies that are fresh, nutritious and pesticide free.

2. Cooking from scratch. I made bread this morning. Compared to what I would buy in the store it is half (or less) the price with twice the flavor and nutrition and none of the wasteful packaging.

3. Recycling. Money for your trash! This is something I haven't taken much advantage of because the only thing we can sell back here is cans and we don't drink much pop. I think I am going to start taking along a bag to pick up cans when I take the kids for a walk. That will make a triple bonus, clean up the neighborhood, teach the kids about responsibility and make some extra change.

That's all I've got for now. Anyone have anything to add? :D

:hippie:

[hedgewitch]

Hey GREAT topic.
Good for you for baking your own bread - there's noting like fresh bread straight outta the oven.

Besides the ones you've already listed, try keeping your own compost bin to help grow those veggies. Free compost and we keep waste out of landfills.

Unplugging electrical appliances when they are not in use. Even plugged in there is power going through them.

Dry your laundry outside. Cheaper and they smell SO much nicer.

Fix all the dripping leaking taps (faucets).
You'd be horrified to know how much water is wasted through drips and leaks and water ain't cheap!

over to the next person....

[NCW_Woodnymph]

Hey, on the subject of drying laundry outdoors, how do you keep it from getting stiff? I do mine and the kids but my hubby throws a fit if I do his because he doesn't like how they feel. :(

:hippie:

[CowboyHippy]

get a downy ball and liquid fabric softener. the magic faeries open the ball during the spin cycle and disperse the softner for the rinsing, wallah, soft clothes.

as for tip # whatever, and we had a thread about this way back with the old boards is Dumpster Dive. you can find a lot of good stuff in those things. retail places often times with take in the returnrd and damaged goods, fill paperwork and stuff and rather than shipping to the manufacturer they get pitched. the common find for me lately find lately are candles, the kinds that come in glass jars. the jars get cracked or broken in the store and they end up in the trash. I've also nabbed speakers, small electronic devices...flashlights, an occasional vaccum. found the motherload of sunglasses once.

i talked to a cop, he said the act of going through the trash and or taking it isn't illegal, but it is trespassing and they could try to get you for some sort of liability issue

[kalohabreeze]

Use Reusable items instead of sposies /used recycled items I have tooth brushes for me and a kids brush for my son all made out of recycled plastics "Preserve " makes a lot of different items out of recycled plastic and they are based in Michigan

Carpool and slow down- I used to have a lead foot but now I am the a-hole you're cursing going 55 on the interstate.. you get so much better gas mileage. I also combined trips the nearest whole foods/real grocery store besides walmart is an hour away.. I refuse to shop at that place.. it creeps me out..

Also I combine trips like doctor's appointments , visiting relatives, and shopping into one day :)

Buy local- and organic if you can.. if you have the black thumb of death like I do then growing things isn't going to help you out on the cheap.. buy lots of plants.. watch them die.. then end up buying the fruit you would have had off the plants that are now dried up sticks reminding you that you could never live off the land lol.. I love my local farmers market :)

more later :)

[Hippie Staff]

Carpooling - it's not just for work and school anymore.

Some of my friends and family in the neighborhood are starting to do 'errand carpooling'. We inevitably go to the same stores - we all need food, toilet paper, pet chow - so now instead of 'what are you doing tomorrow', it's 'where are you going', and 'do you want to go w/?'

It takes a little bit of time to get used to, since everyone shops differently. I like to hit it hard, and get out of stores fast. Some people enjoy looking at everything. Pick a neighbor/family member that is most like you in shopping style, and try to combine trips. One time I drive, the next my neighbor does.

[PEACE FROG]

Wouldn't it be awesome if folks started bringing goods and services within walking distance of neighborhoods. Little local economies. Ma and pa, farmers market, shade tree mechanic, folks dealing with folks, people talking, laughing....

[Unkle_John]

That' what's sad about this town we live in. All the people who grew up here would rather drive west to the city (80 miles round trip, plus in town driving) so they could go to Wal-Mart or some place to get feed or seed. The Farmer Co-Ops here are struggling to stay open, mom & pop businesses are struggling because of this too. And then people start to complain that gas is too high to drive to the city and there is no place to shop in this town (but don't want to open a business themselves). That's why JuJu and I are trying to "recycle" this town an bring in people like us who want a coffee shop/ art gallery, who want a better grocery store or even a farmers market, who want to this town like it used to be or even better. Forget the city to the west, we can have all of that here.

[Hippie Staff]

Ed you're talking crazy talk!! :D

[LIBRA]

Wouldn't it be awesome if folks started bringing goods and services within walking distance of neighborhoods. Little local economies. Ma and pa, farmers market, shade tree mechanic, folks dealing with folks, people talking, laughing....
We actually have alot of that here, its still too far for me to walk but they are everywhere. Flea markets too. They have lots of handmade goods, people talking, home made food, veggies etc... But mom and pop stores still thrive here, lots of folks wont even go to town for anything. You pay more, but your keeping it a lil more local.

People even have signs out by the roads now, home made foods, clothes, etc... Ive been buying perenials from this lil old lady who thins out her garden every few years and sells the extra plants. She loves doing it and telling me all about how to plant them, where they like to be planted etc... a real sweetheart! Plus she gets a lil bit of cash, that she could use and Im not paying big box stores for over priced chemically grown flowers that will probably die anyway.

[NCW_Woodnymph]

I am so excited that our farmer market opens this coming weekend. I can't wait. The produce in the grocery stores sucks in comparison. I don't understand why more people don't take advantage of their local farmers. :confused: At the same time though we need a change in how we comunicate with farmers. There are tons of wheat farms around here but I have no outlet to buy local wheat. It's very frustrating.

Positive notes:

Walking or Bikeing. No crazy gas prices, good exercise, time to enjoy the beautiful places we live.

Spending time outdoors. No energy usage, good fresh air and for the mamas happy, healthy children and a less messy house. :D

:hippie:

[LIBRA]

I know I cant wait for the farmers markets to open up too. Theres one open in Ithaca but thats a 30-40 min drive which defeats the purpose,lol but the local one will be open soon!!!!

Where I live we can just go to the farms and ask farmers if they wanna sell stuff, try that Candice. Ask a wheat farmer, he may just say yes.

I buy hay from a guy down the road, for my garden. He sells fresh milk you can get a gallon of it and he is a supplier to organic valley, He also raises rabbits for food. Super nice man, ive gotten some manure from him too, but that was free ;) Lots of farmers around here are going organic, they say thats the way it always used to be so its not a big deal, and almost all sell there milk by the gallon now, its whole milk though, yuck. Kris loves it, me not so much.

I think there are so many pro's for people going green, as long as they dont get caught up in the consumerism aspect of it all. Which I see alot of, but on the same note im also seeing alot more people stayin in the community, they seem to be finally "getting" it!! Which is great!

[hedgewitch]

I try and go to the farmers market but because I don't have a car (and it really is too far for the push bike, honest. I'm not being lazy) I have to rely on the good will of others and unfortunately it's on a Sunday and no-one gets out of bed early enough on a Sunday.

*sigh

Libra - you sound like you've well got the right idea girl. I am secretly envious of you...though it's not a secret now that I've told everyone.

*sigh sigh

[LIBRA]

Move to PA Hedge :D We could start a happy hippie community!!!! Ive got 2 acres, im not sure how many people that could sustain, but theres thousands of unused acrage all around me, we could pool some money and buy some! Ahhhh dreams ;) that would be pretty sweet though!!!!

[kalohabreeze]

omg I love my farmer's market.. there is a guy that I bought melons from like 10 a week and he'd let me have them for a dollar a piece.. and I've been anxiously stalking his booth waiting for me.. and he's like they will be in soon! He's an awesome guy to work with.. and now even more understanding fo mt watermelon craziness since I am preggo :)

ahhh I want some watermelon!!

[NCW_Woodnymph]

Libra that's a good thought. If I can figure out where the farmers live I'll have to do that.

Along the same lines, there are a few pick-your-own farms around here that I have been meaning to check out. I don't know if any of them are organic but (in my opinion) fresh local tops flown-in, Wal-mart organic any day. :)

:hippie: