Go Green and Save!

Besides the economic woes of the day, we always hear the buzz words "Going Green". It seems like all of the major companies are doing it. For many of us, putting one more thing on our to-do lists is just not practical. But there a some simple things that you can do that will save you money and help the environment. Add one onto your routine weekly and you will hardly notice the effort, but it will be well worth the savings. I am going to share with you some simple ways to "Go Green" and save money while you're at it!

Get to Know Your Local Farmer
I visited Tanaka Farms, an organic farm in my area, with my son last week. We took a tour on a wagon, ate fresh veggies and picked strawberries off the vine. We loved it. We saved money buying locally grown produce, it was safer to eat without the harsh chemicals and pesticides, and it tasted SO GOOD! Buying directly from the farm what was in season was much cheaper than buying organic at the grocery store.
Check out http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ to see if your area has Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). You buy directly from the farms and have a weekly share of the produce each week. This will save you even more.

Home-Made Beauty Products
Oh how I love a trip to the spa! Unfortunately it does not agree with my budget. Your skin, hair, and nails do not have to suffer. Pamper yourself at home! Look up home made beauty products and break out the eggs, yogurt, and olive oil. It is fun and nearly free. I'll post a few simple recipes that I found below:

Hair:
1. Hot Oil Treatment: 1 cup organic olive oil (use more or less depending on hair length)
This is the simplest and most effective remedies to dry hair and you can do it often. Before shampooing, massage the olive oil into your hair and wrap it in a towel for 20-30 minutes.

2. Hair Moisture Mix
1 1/2 cups of plain organic yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 organic egg yolk
1/4 tsp organic olive oil
Mix the ingredients in a glass bowl until it reached a creamy consistency. Apply generously to your hair, starting at the scalp. Massage into your hair and scalp. Discard any left over mask (or use it to massage your hands). Leave the mixture on for around twenty minutes.


Soft Hand and Feet:
1. Socks + Lotion = Soft Feet
Favorite Natural Lotion or Coconut Oil
Saran Wrap or towel
Pair of old warm sock
After a warm shower, slather your hands with your favorite natural lotion or coconut oil. Wrap your hands with either saran wrap or a very thin tea towel. Pull on a sock on each hand and relax for 5-10 minutes.

Recycle
I have a special trash bin for this. So I have no excuse not to recycle. I gather up my plastic bottles, cartons, and cardboard and stick them in the bin with the grey lid. It is as easy as it could be and I feel good separating out my recyclables.

No More Bottled Water!
This is just terrible for the environment, and in many cases, we are drinking bottled tap water and paying 100x more for it. Buy a water filter like Brita, or drink from the fridge. You will save money and help the world.

Bag It Up the Green Way
When grocery shopping, consider bagging your own groceries in cloth, reusable bags. I keep my "green" shopping bags in my trunk. I admit, I forgot to bring them into the store or back out to my car many times. But when I do use them on my shopping trip instead of the plastic bags, I feel so accomplished. You may end up spending less if you know your space is limited. Just maybe. :)

Turn Up the Savings
Raising your thermostat a few degrees this summer can make a significant impact on your wallet. In the winter lower your thermostat three degrees. You'll hardly notice the difference until your bill comes! Whenever possible, use a fan.

A Clean Commute
With the cost of gas these day I recommend that you arrange a carpool, use public transportation or bike to work. Better yet, Telecommute if possible. You'll be surprised at how much you can get done with no distractions. I telecommute 4 days out of the week and LOVE IT.
If you must drive, improve your gas mileage by keeping your tires inflated and driving the speed limit.

That's should be plenty to get started with... let me know how it goes, and share your tips for going green and saving money.