Going green to help protect the environment doesn’t have to mean spending more. There are plenty of ways that greening your life can help keep more green in your wallet. In fact, in many cases, living green can save you money. Here are three simple ways you can help protect the environment and save money.
Eat Smart
Livestock production accounts for about 18 percent of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for about 23 percent of all global water used in agriculture. Meat costs a lot at the store, it’s even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
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Guest contributor Joanna joins us this week to talk about the option of sustainable wood for baby furniture. Beauty and earth-friendly all in one.
Babies need furniture!
If you’re looking for alternative materials for baby furniture other than plastic, then wood can be an appealing option. However, when you’re purchasing wood furniture it’s best to look for sustainable wood to avoid deforestation for furniture production. Try your best to stay away from slow growing trees such as oak, redwood, beech and Colorado spruce. Look for medium growth rate trees such as red oak, birch and red-bud. Most importantly, they should be purchased from sustainable resources.
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If you’re looking to eliminate plastics, you need to check out this post from The Nourishing Gourmet.
Honestly, I never thought of using anything but plastic straws. I didn’t even know there were alternatives.
Thanks to Leah at Abundant Life for pointing out this post.
Now I want some pretty glass straws to slurp down my fruit smoothies!
Image credit: GlassDharma
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Around here, spring is finally in the air…which has me scrambling to find warm weather clothes for my kids!Are you ready for spring and summer fashion? Hand-me-downs and second-hand finds are a godsend, but when you need to fill out that wardrobe with new clothes, where do you shop?
Recently, I was fortunate to become accquainted with Organically Grown, a clothing company who believes in offering affordable, safe, stylish, high-quality organic clothing to consumers.* Why was I interested in organic clothing? I was shocked to learn that an estimated 170 million pounds of pesticides and one-quarter of the world’s insecticides are used in the production of conventional, non-organic cotton.
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I don’t know about you, but March is my least favorite month. In my part of the world, it’s not yet spring, but the lingering winter is no longer welcome; the crocuses try to unfold, just to be deadened by frost. Fog sets in, along with days of rain. Mud cakes boots. And all those best intentions I made back in January seem so very, very distant.
In short, by March, I could use a bit of a boost, so today, I’d like to share a few links with you all. The following are websites and blogs which inspire me to take those big (and small) steps toward a greener me.
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Written on
March 9, 2010 by
Amber
Since embarking on my green journey, I look at my product choices differently. Before buying something I ask myself about its environmental impact and ecological footprint. What is it made of, where does it come from, and how much packaging does it come with? Can I find it used, or borrow it? Every time that I spend money, it is as if I am casting a vote for a product and saying, “This is what I support.”
Most of the fabric in my clothing, bedding and towels is cotton. Cotton, of course, comes from the cotton plant, and so it is biodegradable and renewable.
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Hemp and raffia clothing? A shirt made from recycled plastic bottles? Could such a product look like anything other than a potato sack? I was dubious…until I found LiViTY Outernational, an apparel company who is, in their words, ‘110% for the planet’.
I recently had the opportunity to try several of their products, including the Queen V-Neck in moss and the argyle sock in gray.* And trust me, the tee looked nothing like a potato sack! It’s fitted and flattering and very soft. The socks are made of a blend of hemp, organic cotton, and Lycra, and I’m definitely a fan!
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Written on
February 26, 2010 by
DianaP
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a smidge excited when, a few weeks ago, Tim from CREDO Mobile contacted me about featuring their company on 5 Minutes for Going Green. You see, while I’m currently contractually obligated to one of the major U.S. cellular companies — and truth be told, even though CREDO offers a contract buy out option, I’m not entirely prepared to switch since my current company is one of only two carriers that offer my beloved Palm Pixi — CREDO doesn’t offer just phones. They also carry the Solio Solar Charger. A smart little device that I have been eying for quite sometime.
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Written on
June 23, 2009 by
SusanC
We received an awesome 338! comments on the NoPlastic.ca giveaway post, and today I have two! lucky winners to announce.
These two gals were chosen at random via the integer generator at Random.org.
Without further adieu, congratulations! to:
Commenter #42, Theresa!
Commenter #118, Heather H!
You’ve each won a stainless steel water bottle set. (Total value: around $30 USD, per set.)
Thanks to everyone for entering!
Happy! Tuesday, all.
An original 5 Minutes for Going Green post. Read more about all things Kerri Anne, including her renewed commitment to green living and her affinity for talking in movie quotes at kerrianne.org.
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Written on
June 17, 2009 by
SusanC
Every week or so we use this space to feature a recycled note or three from some of our favorite online sources. This week we’re showcasing the hand-drawn recycled notes from the Oxford-based Etsy shop, Squirrel In The Attic.
A little bit about Squirrel In The Attic, in their own words:
You know how sometimes you want a greeting card to simply say “hey”, but still want your recipient to feel special, knowing the card was chosen just for them? Well, here at Squirrel in the Attic, we produce hand drawn greeting cards that do just that by coupling the word “hey” with a fun descriptive noun.
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