So much has changed since the first Earth Day back in 1970. That day brought so much hope and encouragement for a well nurtured Earth. We saw the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. We instituted the Endangered Species Act. And the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act held polluting corporations accountable for the first time.
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But as we know, those important measures have been cut back, hamstrung, and all but eliminated. The cries of Global Climate Change were not taken seriously enough and there are still people who deny these changes. But the average person can see and feel the differences in the seasons and the number of new invasive pests (stink bugs!!) And of course the science clearly demonstrates the effects of climate change such as warming ocean temperatures, melting ice sheets and glacial retreat, rising ocean levels and acidification, increasingly rapid changes in global temperature warming and catastrophic storm activity from floods to droughts and category 5 storms. Check out NASA’s site here.As the UN Secretary-General’s report on climate change has told us, we need to make sweeping and unprecedented changes in how we use resources. Many of us are not in a position to dramatically impact fossil fuel use or stop rainforest destruction, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make a real difference. We need broad systemic changes AND individual behavior changes to protect our future generations from the effects of climate change.
So let’s look at just some of the ways you can better care for the planet and lower your impact on it with the way you choose to use your money. You will be rewarded Earth Day tips that will save you money!
Purchasing Goods
When you purchase goods and services, you are voting with your dollars for the world you want to live in. One major way to save money and all the resources that go into making products is to simply buy less. How many people have storage facilities for all their stuff? How many articles and books have been published on de-cluttering? Americans generally have far more than they need. Consider whether you really need something before buying. If you do need it, can you buy it second hand at a yard sale or thrift shop? Or find it on ebay or craigslist? Can you borrow that tool from a neighbor—and share some of your own? When you do need to buy new, please take a look at the materials and resources used to make the product, the packaging it’s in, and the environmental cost of shipping if you order onl
Related Articles: Earth Day Tips on Utilities helps you save money and resources. Or learn about leadin a Zero Waste Lifestyle.
Personal Care Products
Personal care products like shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and deodorant are considered necessities by most. The problem with these products is the amount that goes down the drain, the plastic containers they come in, the ingredients used to make them, and the fossil fuels used to ship them around the world. So what are we to do?
A good place to start is to simply use less. Do you need a quarter sized dollop of shampoo or is a dime size enough? I only use a pea sized amount of conditioner. I have switched back to bar soap instead of using body wash (you’re just paying for extra water and chemical scents!) and I just bought a shampoo bar I’m looking forward to trying. They’re not available everywhere but I will share my research on that in the future. Bamboo toothbrushes are a great alternative to plastic toothbrushes. As for toothpaste, you honestly don’t need much. You can find lots of recipes online for homemade toothpaste made with baking soda if you want to do even more for the Earth and your wallet. You can also make your own cleaning products with vinegar and other common household staples. Your home will be much healthier than with strong chemicals like bleach and ammonia in commercial cleaning formulas.
Cars
If you are in the market for a new car and you haven’t switched to hybrid or electric yet, please consider it now. You could also think about whether you need an SUV or if you can manage just fine with a smaller car.
I’ve never been a proponent of turning cars over frequently since it is more economical to own beyond the years when you may be making payments. So if you’re keeping your gas guzzler (aren’t they all?!?), you can save gas, emissions and money by driving a bit differently. Quick starts and stops and aggressive driving use much more gas (20 to 50% more according to fueleconomy.gov) than coasting to a stop or gradually building up speed. Avoid idling, keep your tires full, and remove heavy items from your car to improve your gas mileage.
Right now gas prices are coming down, so it may be tempting to enjoy the savings without making changes. But please keep fossil fuel use and air pollution in mind too! So think about whether you can walk, ride a bike, take public transit or car pool.
Paper Products
Paper towels, paper napkins, toilet paper and tissues use far more virgin wood than you can imagine. Since 1996, 28 million acres of Canada’s boreal forests have been cleared for toilet paper and literally flushed down the drain. That not only affects the forests and wildlife species, but also more than 600 indigenous communities that rely on the forest.
I found it easy to switch from paper to cloth napkins. I picked up a couple dozen at a thrift shop and don’t miss the paper ones at all. I’ve been substituting rags for paper towels too, though I admit my dear husband is not fully on board yet. He was ahead of me using handkerchiefs instead of tissues, but I am making progress. The pretty, embroidered hankies I have are not so gentle on my nose, so I plan to cut old, soft t-shirts into squares to pamper myself.
There are some people who have switched from toilet paper to “family cloths” to eliminate the need for toilet paper. If you’re not ready for that, (I’m not!) then try to select a more eco-friendly brand such as Marcal which I’ve used for decades or Seventh Generation which receives an A grade on NRDC’s report card on toilet paper brands. What grade does the toilet paper you use get?
You can have an even greater impact on preserving forests if you avoid unnecessary printing and use scrap paper as much as possible. For magazines and newspapers, save the paper and save the delivery by reading online.
Earth Day Tips That Will Save You Money on Toys
Toys are necessities for kids—play is a huge part of how they learn. So many toys today are made of plastic combined with other materials so they’re not even recyclable. Whenever possible opt for wooden toys that can last for years. Buying used toys means new resources aren’t being used to make more and you can get quality toys for a fraction of the retail price. If your child has a lot of toys, try putting a handful away for a few months. When you bring them out again, it will be like getting a new toy! Of course the best and most eco-friendly play is getting outside and letting the kids use their imaginations.
Earth Day Tips That Will Save You Money on Clothing
Our landfills are overflowing with clothing! “Fast fashion” or cheaply made clothing is largely to blame. When you find a cute top that costs so little, why not pick it up in three colors? And if it doesn’t last long, well it didn’t cost much, right? Well, no. The dirtiest secret about fast fashion is that most of it is made in sweat shops in Asia that have terrible conditions, low wages, or even use people enslaved by the owners.
A better way to stretch your clothing budget is to buy quality items at great prices by shopping at thrift stores, consignment shops, yard sales or even neighborhood swaps. Embrace hand-me-downs and repair ripped seams or missing buttons to make your clothes last. Even with free items, you may want to avoid pieces that need dry cleaning; though there are organic cleaners now, it’s a big expense! There are still plenty of shoe repair shops to help make shoes last for years too.
When you no longer want the clothing you have, donate as much as possible, but then put the rest in one of those collection bins. Check the bin information, but most will use un-wearable clothes to make industrial rags.
Plastic
Did you know that nearly every piece of plastic ever made is still here on the Earth? It just breaks down into smaller pieces, but does not biodegrade. Single use plastic has become a nightmare for our oceans and beaches. Almost every creature living in the ocean has plastic inside it. In fact scientists now know that people ingest tiny micro-plastic particles every day through our food and even the air. I refuse to buy bottled water. Even if you are diligent about recycling, that doesn’t mean the materials will end up recycled. They could simply be dumped on a developping nation or in the ocean.
Studies have shown that people who regularly drink bottled water ingest twenty times more micro-plastics than those who regularly drink tap water. We don’t yet know what effect this could have on our bodies or immune systems, but we do know that plastics in the environment can absorb toxic chemicals.
Reusable water bottles are readily available to fill with tap water. Did you know that most bottled water is in fact tap water? I think most people are familiar with the fact that plastic can leach from the bottle into the water when heated, so you may try to keep your bottles out of the sun. But they have already travelled cross country (using fossil fuels) in the back of a hot tractor trailer where the leaching process has already begun. Beyond these considerations, suppliers of bottled water have at times been sourcing their water from communities with drought problems. There is so much wrong with this industry! I recently saw water offered in a carton, sort of like milk. That’s a far better idea than single use plastic.
Earth Day Tips That Will Save You Money on Coffee
I remember when Starbucks moved into my area. Suddenly people carried their disposable cups everywhere, almost like a status symbol. But all those paper and plastic cups as well as the straws and plastic lids are never recycled at the coffee shop—and how many are really recycled at home? From a financial perspective, I stopped going out to get coffee and made it at home. I not only saved a lot of money but countless disposables as well as gas for the drive. When I do make a coffee date with a friend and we decide to go out, I bring my travel mug and have my mocha made in it!
As I’m sure you noticed, there are common themes for adjusting your purchases to be more eco-friendly. Don’t buy items you don’t truly need. Borrow or buy used. Avoid excessive packaging. And be sure to recycle everything you can.
Please share how you have changed your shopping practices below. And please subscribe to my newsletter. Thank you!
Great article! I’d like to know how the shampoo bar works as I was thinking of trying one myself. Also, can’t wait for warmer weather to hang my laundry outside!
You have some great ideas for everyone to consider. Thanks for sharing them. One thing I still do is to hang my laundry out on the line to dry when the weather is good. It definitely saves money and electricity by not using the dryer.
Yes, hanging laundry is great for the environment and the budget! When it’s too cold or rainy I still hang everything inside.