Question:
How have you prospered by going green?
David Bach
2008-04-16 13:13:30 UTC
There are dozens of ways you can actually save money by making small changes to live an earth-friendly life. My original concept of the "Latte Factor" -- the idea that all the little things we spend money on over the course of the day really add up -- has evolved into the "Litter Factor", the idea that wasting money and hurting the planet go hand in hand.

For example, if you buy a water bottle every day for a year, you’re spending about $500 on water. Cutting out this little habit will not only save you a lot of money, but you’re also saving the planet tons of trash. Or, have a "veggie night" once a week and save on your grocery bill. Make it a habit, and you’ll save over $300 a year.

What are some ways that you can save money by going green?

Yahoo! Canada Answers staff: David is the author of Go Green, Live Rich (Random House): http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385666145
40 answers:
anonymous
2008-04-17 15:58:21 UTC
Or as the old saying goes: "Take care of the nickels and dimes and the dollars will look after themselves!"



People underestimate the value that little actions hold. If you have 20 million people each saving that bottle a day for a year, it adds up.



Considering that most companies are selling you bottled municipal water it's pretty silly to really spend the money isn't it? Not to mention the tonnage of plastic one would save.



And never mind JUST having veggies one night a week why not GROW them in your backyard? Imagine if we all had a little 10 x 10 ft plot of our fav. veggies or better yet a wonderful herb garden.



We can each do a little every day and it all adds up to a lot in the end. I mean people should know by now all the little things they can do to conserve from turning down your heat to switching bulbs and conserving water and using public transportation and mostly, making our concerns known to manufacturers and government so everyone reduces waste and please, please RECYCLE and do not pour chemicals and drugs down your drains and toilets!!!



Use non-phosphonated detergents for laundry and dishwashers too. Why this isn't mandatory in this day and age I'll never know.



Baking soda, vinegar and a little dishsoap makes the perfect cleaning solution for most surfaces. So many sites online to concoct these mixtures that we really should try shouldn't we? Especially in our kitchen who wants to use chemicals?



Please people, do not pour motor oil into the sewers either...this goes right into the lakes.



And I must say I REALLY agree with the concept of WORK WHERE YOU LIVE.



I think the price of gas will either force this issue or should in future. This is really what is destroying our air quality, and costing taxpayers a fortune (salt/snow removal/road repairs!!!) This is where I, personally, have saved a FORTUNE over the years whereas I know people who live to feed their vehicles for the most part.



Ditto on the cellphone usage too. I know people don't think much about cellphones and you may be asking how does it relate to "green" but it's INSANE the amount of money people spend on cellphones and when you consider all the "noise" that all these silent signals give off, and the unfortold consequences to our health of this wireless but signal-full world we live in, all I can say is TG I'm still a land-line person as this saves us a ton of cash. I have no use for one working from home but we do keep one for emergencies if the kids go somewhere that we can't reach them otherwise, and hubby has one for work so he's always reachable, and so we just top the spare off on a pay as you go basis for now. When the kids are older they'll have to pay for their own if they want one! The biggest crime to me is letting payphones disappear from the planet. You may need one some day and it won't be there.



I must say that necessity is the mother of invention. People seem to always find a way to adapt to their environment, and mother nature is hurting and God Bless the people who hear her call and are kind to her!!
anonymous
2008-04-21 11:08:28 UTC
Our family has saved a significant amount on our electrical bill by switching to compact fluorescent bulbs, cold water for washing and turning off our appliances when we don't need them.



When talking about how this will benefit the planet we first have to realize that climate change is a constant. There have been many periods in Earths history when the temperature was far warmer than today and ocean levels significantly higher as well. Climate change is a complex area of research in which we actually know so little about what is going on. Of what we do know, very little gets out to the general public.



Most people know about the relation of carbon dioxide and rising temperatures. The Sun emits what is referred to as "Short Wave Radiation", which is visible light and UV radiation. The Earth absorbs this and emits it as "Long Wave" infrared radiation. The carbon dioxide and other green house gases absorb this long wave radiation and scatter it in all directions, a good portion of it back to the surface. This means that less energy is lost and therefore warmer temperatures.



There are more dangerous greenhouse gases, such as Methane (cow farms are a large source) which are more efficient greenhouse gases. Warmer temperatures causes a problem because there are large reservoirs of Methane in some regions with permafrost which could be released if the groung thaws.



Melting gaciers could pose a problem as well. If they melt fast enough the ocean currents could stall (because of fresh water being less dense than salt water). This could cause a decrease in polar lattitudes leading to a "mini" ice age.



This next problem deals with planes. Their contrails are so extensive that they reduce the amount of light that gets through. The impact of this was not fully realized until the grounding of all U.S. planes for the three days in September 2001. Light levels rose and so did the temperatures (by an average 2 degrees accross the States if I remember correctly).



Our impact is not completely understood, and due to climate change naturally occuring, we don't know to what extent we actually contribute.

I personally believe we are contributing to it, we have yet to discover a situation where the temperature has increased this quickly as a natural occurence.



This is only a small portion of what has been found, but as the first point I brought up demonstrates, if we continue to increase our carbon output there will be consequences, but we don't know with absolute certainty what those consequences will be.



The best advice I can give is to reduce your carbon output, do your own research on the topic, don't believe what you hear at face value, and don't believe what you hear a politician say (very few, if any, of them know why the problem is occuring and are trying to grab votes).
paco357
2008-04-21 03:53:50 UTC
I used to eat out during weekdays, which cost me a lot, and it also generated a lot of waste, through packaging, etc. Now I make my own lunch. Now, sure, it's a pain sometimes, but not only am I saving a lot of money, but I've found that I've become more interested in food and cooking. Because of that, I've found that I am able to buy better quality food for lunch. Instead of eating garbage from fast food joints, I can have a really great meal, if not at lunch, then at dinner, when I have more time to prepare.



I've also found that I enjoy shopping for groceries and cooking with my girlfriend. I guess it'll be hard for most people to believe, but when we cook something together, it tastes better, and the whole experience turns out to be more than it seems to be.



You know, going green is not just about saving money. I guess it sounds pretentious and a little patronizing, but if you go green, you're going for a better lifestyle that concerns more than the environment.
anonymous
2008-04-21 08:25:25 UTC
I reckon going Green is a little similar to believing in Santa if you believe it will do some good by making the person happy.



As for not buying water in bottles we could save a small fortune as the water out here in Eastern SK is not fit to drink and we would almost certainly have serious health issues and die young.



The big issue with water in clear plastic bottles is BPA. Denmark BANNED plastic bottles and drinks in metal cans years ago. All bottles are recycleable glass I believe less energy is used than washing and transporting the empties.



As for low energy bulbs there are serious issues with heavy and very rare metals bieng wasted.



Hydrogen cars are the biggest joke of the lot as the cost of making hydrogen is enormous, although GW Bush thinks Nuclear power could be used for making the hydrogen (and his bombs no doubt).



I am afraid that the only serious way to be greener is to use less energy by moving closer to your work and walking to work.



Getting up with the sun and go to bed when it gets dark no TV or Internet. Oh dont forget the garden and the hundred mile diet, shopping with the walking distance diet.
AG
2008-04-21 07:43:47 UTC
Cashiers are often surprised when they see how low my grocery bill is after they put through so many items....and then they realize it's because they are mainly fruits, vegetables, tofu, and nuts....AND they're usually organic!



Not taking the elevator to the fifth floor of my apartment and walking instead of driving has also helped my physical health, since school has been keeping me from the gym these days.



I try not to buy a lot, and if I do it's usually a coffee in my reusable mug that saves me money and doesn't generate waste.



I also save money and emissions by not using the dryer in my apartment building.
anonymous
2008-04-21 04:08:38 UTC
Do we save a "lot" of money by going green? I don't really think so.

Bringing my own cup to Tim Hortons saves me 10 cents a cup. Bringing me from about 700 dollars a year on coffee to 690. Nothing really. But it does save about 600 paper cups going to a landfill. For about ZERO effort. (and yes, even during roll up the rim!)

Bringing my own grocery bags.

At my grocery store it's 5 cents per bag.

I probably use about 5 bags per week, give or take.

So...what? 25 bucks a year...give or take.

I've had reusable bags for about 3 years now, that someone gave me. So, 75 dollars so far.



That's not a lot of money, but it is 600 paper cups and 260 plastic bags. And these are things that don't cost ME anything, in effort, time or money.



I'm not about to start a homestead or grow my own vegetables, I don't have the time for it or the inclination. But it's the little things that add up. That doesn't always equal money for me.
Ethel
2016-04-09 06:23:52 UTC
Obama is not the Messiah, that would be Jesus, although I'm sure you're being sarcastic. No green energy company is prospering. I have a degree in environmental science and can attest to that. In fact, these green companies have caused numerous environmental problems. Do you have any idea who and how all that glass sitting at Solyndra will be cleaned up? Also wind turbines and solar arrays can be disastrous for wildlife.
Ange S
2008-04-21 07:45:56 UTC
I don't feel I've done as much as I truely can... I walk to work most days, have invested in compact florecent lightbulbs, and invested in a few power bars so that I can shut down my "ghost" power products (like my T.V., V.C.R, stereo, microwave, computer set-up, and the like). I try to pack a lunch of work every day, using my "WRAP-N-MAT" for sandwiches instead of platic wrap or plastic sandwich bags. I have a stainless steel canteen kit that I use for cool items, and I have a set of "To-Go Ware" bamboo utensils so that I don't use plastic ones that fill the landfill (I bought all these items at www.reusablebags.com). I use cloth bags, and recycled plastic totes for my grocery shopping, and cotton sacks for my produce instead of plastic. I used to buy a bottle of water everyday for work, but have since bought a reusable water bottle that I fill from our water cooler at home and work, and by doing this I save ($780/year plastic bottles, less the $36/year cooler bottles) OVER $700 a year! Wow...until now I hadn't bothered with the math...



I have also been reading books about homesteading and self-sufficient lifestyle to get ideas on how to implement better ways into my existing lifestyle. I know that I still have a fair ways to go, but with each new baby step change I make, I get closer to bettering myself, my family, AND the environment.
Choqs
2008-04-18 08:11:58 UTC
First thing is that I have stopped using hot water in my washer. The clothes are just as clean using cold.

I also keep my thermostat turned down to 65 and wear a sweater if I'm cold.

Unfortunately I live in a very small village and the well water makes me sick so we are drinking bottled water. I do though remove the caps and sort them and take them in to the recycle place in the nearest city along with my cans, cardboard and anything else I don't throw in the trash. I have a garden and a composter so most of my scraps can go there and my plants love it.

I walk or bike to most places but I will admit that my other half couldn't care less, and as a farmer's son you'd think he would. I have a brother who is and environmental consultant as well as one who is a biologist along with his wife, all involved in saving our planet and so I do try.
angelaflowerwater
2008-04-17 23:55:27 UTC
I'm not really sure I've saved a lot by composting, but I've been doing it for years and love to be able to spread my compost each spring without have to go and get a lot of chemical fertilizers for my garden. And it's so convenient! I know a lot of community are adding the wet recycling, but by keeping my own compost out it doesn't get as smelly and it has definitely reduced the amount of garbage we've put on the curbside.



My other huge contribution to being green was cloth diapers when my children were little. Honestly, I was forced into it because there little butts couldn't tolerate paper, but again it greatly reduced garbage. Although the water consumption went up.
anonymous
2008-04-21 10:15:18 UTC
"For example, if you buy a water bottle every day for a year, you’re spending about $500 on water. Cutting out this little habit will not only save you a lot of money"

all very well - if your local water authority provided clean drinkable water - Im sure drinking the excessive chloramine , fluorine , pesticides , agricultural runoff and other muck in my local water supply would give me Cancer quicker than you can say PTB so back to the drawing board for that idea
northshorepow
2008-04-21 09:12:30 UTC
I don't know about prospered, we've got a young family and just felt we needed to be a tiny part of the soulution as opposed to part of the problem.



1) We reinsulated the attic

2) Installed Brand new double pane windows

3) Got rid of our Ford F150 pick up truck and got a Toyota

Matrix



Unlike most chimps who drive sport utilities and pick up trucks we actually needed and used a pick up. We have a number of investment properties and are involved in real estate development. The carrying and towing capacity was being used all the time. Now we use a trailer on the Matrix for lighter loads and pay a bit extra to have building supplies delivered on site. It makes alot more sense that driving a pick up truck that was not in tru work mode 70% of the time
percsdisco
2008-04-21 07:07:46 UTC
I have found by going from incandescent light bulbs to the florescent lights i have noticed a big difference in my electric bill.

In addition i have found they last longer as well. I have had one that i bought 5 years ago and is still working.



I have moved closer to work in which I'm in walking distance, before i used to drive to work which cost me $50 dollars a week for gas. If i had to make that same trip now i would be looking at a $100 a week.



Going green is not only good for the enviroment, it will save money as well.
Missy
2008-04-21 04:32:57 UTC
We live in the city of Hamilton, Ontario. Just over one year ago, we installed solar panels and a wind generator. That has cut our electricity use almost in half. We are installing more panels this year, to save more.

To make our solar electricity efficient, all our lights in the house are new fluorescent and LED(light emitting diode). The LED's are even more efficient than the fluorescents. The lights are only on in the rooms we're in. When we leave a room, the lights go out. Even my computer runs on solar energy!

This year we will also be installing solar water heating, to save money on our gas bill.

We also cook in a solar oven and a parabolic cooker. Both are run on the sun. No gas or electricity needed. So, we are saving money and the earth.

We also use rain barrels to water our vegetable and flower gardens. This also saves us money, because we have to pay for our water.

We bake our own bread. It costs us 50 cents a loaf. In the store is $3 a loaf.

I do laundry in cold water (have for 30 years) and hang them on the line to dry.

We recycle over 65% of our garbage, to blue boxes and greencarts. Save they earth.



What we do need, is more large scale wind generators in this country and no more Nuclear Reactors! That would be cost saving AND good for the earth!
Joey Twoface
2008-04-17 12:49:22 UTC
We've saved loads of cash by buying a home within biking distance of work, we're in better shape and spend a fraction the amount on gas and have far less wear and tear on our nerves. The notion that buying a house 50 KM's from where you work to save money on the mortgage is absurd, when you factor in the cost of gas, increased insurance, a much longer work day and the stress of threading your way through buffoons driving Hummers and Escalades, it's not worth it. Buy a house near where you work and eat local foods when possible.
anonymous
2008-04-21 12:51:50 UTC
The single biggest way, is to get the ungreen governments to stop with the polluting laws. If one lives in a city or many parts of North America or Europe, the laws simply don't allow one to dig and use geo-thermo heat for housing. Even fewer places one can use a windmill generator. With the anti-tower laws, thanks to cell phone companies. The governments make most of their money off of utilities as most are owned and regulated by them to ensure the treasuries get filled, not that we get fair price CLEAN energy. Once people learn how to get off the utility grid the carbon emissions will dwindle, along with the treasury's gold. Passing laws about not making disposable items such as cars, electronics, packaging containers, ect. Sad truth is this would financially ruin the governments whether you agree or not. They are the real enemy of mankind with an entire economy based on an enviro tax on everything and making disposable items that always need replacing due to regulations. That makes for multiple sales and tax opportunities, the governments cash in on every time. Our planet takes the toll on garbage. It's very sad that here in Canada, that we have to import so much when we actually have a surplus of EVERYTHING but bananas, pineapples and oranges. Not that the crown will admit it or want us to know how bad they really are. We are one of a very few nations on Earth that has a true surplus of resources for the population we have. The prices sure don't show it, nor do the wasteful products they stock by force of regulations to ensure the pollution continues. If the governments ever grow balls and brains and sell us our goods without huge taxes as things don't really cost more here without the huge greedy taxes (highest in history and the 4th highest on Earth at present). They claim to look out for the people but their actions say very loadly, another sick, twisted story of which reality usually is. We supply 30.15% of the US's oil but we pay more for CRUDE OIL than they do, thanks to a 64.5% taxation on it (shows you who the criminals really is there). Oil, gas, electicity and water are all the same there too. Why do you think 2million people want to move to the States every year and only 1/10 want to move to Canada, with the fouth highest costing place to live on Earth, with the LOWEST of any G8 nation for services offered in return for the taxes collected. Lets put the blame were it belongs. Until the laws change to help the greenhouse problems get lower NOTHING I OR ANYONE CAN CHANGE IT ENOUGH!! It's all just conjector that 350 bottles of plastic will be saved and $500.00 will be in my pocket. That FACT is, I HAVE TO DRINK no matter what, so there really won't be $500.00 in my pocket and also I will have to get something to drink that must come in some kind of disposable container, that the laws only allow them to be packaged in!! Wake up people and open your eyes. Change the government and change the world. The current ones are complacent, tryranical and most of all, more harmful than at anytime in man's history. This guys book and the huge greenhouse topic is proof of that.
Orion S
2008-04-21 10:57:29 UTC
Ensuring all electronic devices are energy efficient has cut my hydro bill, even though hydro prices are still rising! This includes, washer.dryer, dish washer, Switching CRT monitors for LCDs. energy efficient bulbs, tossing the cheap plastic devices that are always on. This has also been an ongoing project for 3 years. I simply couldn't replace everything immediately except the bulbs.



Make a plan to reduce your power usage! Start by adding up the watts per year everything is rated to use, and ask yourself if you really need it. You'd also be surprised how much power some devices draw when they are "off" but still plugged in.
IAIN B
2008-04-21 07:50:03 UTC
If you own a supermarket you can stop giving out plastic bags and don't bother to pass the cost savings to your customers.



I'm an eco-friendly person, not and eco-dupe. It seems just another opportunity for conglomerates to re-invent the way they operate and increase the bottom line.



I drive a small displacement car that runs well, I recycle, and I put all my garbage in a bin. Until the monetary benifit becomes mine and not someone else's, that's as green as I can get. I respect what you have written and I agree with many of your concepts; I just can't afford to pay out.



Here's my eco-tip: don't get hosed by eco-carpetbaggers.
S W
2008-04-21 09:07:31 UTC
The entire green / global warming movement is nothing more than a scam to tax people even more. Ever wonder why it's now called "climate change" rather than "global warming"?



Al Gore is nothing more than an "Inconvenient Idiot" who is trying to fleece the sheeple that follow him. His movie is pure fantasy and has been discredited by many scientists. All he wants is your carbon-credit tax dollars!



A friend of mine continually recycles his cardboard boxes even though he has a dumpster at his business. Do you want to know what it really costs to recycle these boxes? Factor in his time, fuel costs and other expenses and it's much more efficient and "environmentally friendly" for him to simply toss the stuff in the garbage. A perfect example of this nonsense on a country wide scale is an article written by Per Bylund (PhD student) and can be found at http://www.mises.org/story/2855 .



Everyone should try doing some research before they blindly follow the scare-tactics used by every person and group with an "agenda" about global warming (oops... climate change).
jaygysler
2008-04-21 08:11:05 UTC
Some of you guys are pretty selfish. We have to do it if we want to retain any of our honor as human beings. Forget about profit and grow up. And...recycling is window dressing. You have to make big changes in your ecofootprint if we have any hope of averting disaster on a global scale. I don't have the time to explain this more rigorously so there will be many comments against this I'm sure but just be honest with yourself; are you being fair to the future generations or poor people in other places who will not be able to afford the basics, not to mention air and water filtering.
msrita_ca
2008-04-21 06:05:28 UTC
I had a domestic solar water heater installed. It makes its own electricity then pumps hot water into a reserve tank. I am saving about $400 every two months on oil. In addition, I have changed my habits. I use a power bar on the TV and computer. That has saved me almost $20 per month in electricity.
elementoflife
2008-04-17 20:34:39 UTC
Prospered is a strong word but we have cut costs by installing a programmable thermostat - that has saved us tons this winter, what with heating costs these days. We keep the temp at 14'C at when we sleep and during the day. In the evenings and the hour before leaving for work, we keep it at 20'C. Also, we live in an 1940s home and last fall we increased/changed the insulation in the sunroom and back entrance (including insulating the floor). I am sure it saved us a bit of money there, but of course, we had to pay for the materials to initially do the work. We also changed many of the windows and back door to more energy efficient ones. Again, the initial cost was substantial but it felt good to do make the house more energy efficient. I guess we prospered in the sense that we feel better living in a more efficient home.



We have also started composting our kitchen waste and our leaves and such (both with a kitchen worm composter and a back yard one). That will save quite a bit in the future since we are getting our garden going for the first time this spring. That is another thing, since we moved from an apartment to a house, we plan on making as much of the back yard a garden as comfortably possible so we can grow, harvest and preserve many of our own foods. THAT is going to cut cost soooo much (although I am going to take an 'urban farmer' course on how to preserve vegetables, which of course will initially cost something, but we will benefit long term due to gaining that information!). We have also planted native species of berries (choke cherries, blueberries, raspberries, saskatoon bushes, goose berries, cranberries) that are more drought tolerant and will eventually supply us with yummy food. We also used the berries from a pre-existing nanking cherry bush last year. We have plans on setting up rain barrels this spring to water the saplings and our garden, instead of using city water.



Other things we have saved money on, is living close to downtown, thus reducing our vehicle use. I can walk to the LRT station and ride the train for free to the University (work place) from that station - saving 60$ a month. My boyfriend also walks to his work, located downtown - saving him 60$. Also, since we are centrally located, we can easily walk to local grocers, restaurants..etc. It has reduced the amount of food we waste since we only bring home what we want for the next 2 or 3 nights AND we don't spend anything on gas. We actually consciously try to limit our refilling of the vehicle to once a month. It's worked out really well.



My boyfriend was recently in a serious pedestrian accident (a side effect of going green I suppose). Anyway, he needed constant bandage changes (twice daily). That stuff costs a fortune. We couldn't get away from using the polysporin (he had horrible road rash from being dragged) but we started using cut up flannel PJs as bandages and wraps, as well as reusable tensor bandages to secure the dressings. We didn't start doing that until after the fear of infection had pretty much passed but I am sure it probably saved us a couple of hundreds of dollars, believe it or not!



We have also started putting in the energy efficient light bulbs as the old ones burn out... expensive investment but in the long run it'll save us money!



I also try to reuse as much as possible. I am a HUGE believer in second hand stores and garage sales. Many of our appliances are from the Sallyann's and Value Villages. Also, clothes, dog blankets, and daily usable things I have purchased from there. I am sure that saves TONS of money (although I was a student for so long, it's just second nature to shop there, so I don't really know the dollar amount).



I almost forgot, we give only handmade gifts for birthdays and christmas, often part of it is reused materials and such (I often 'wrap' my gifts in cloth bags that I make from pillow shams - which people can use for groceries). The people I am friends with and our families are very much into getting and giving homemade gifts so it's fantastic!



We also use baking soda, vinegar, borax and lemon to clean the house. We haven't become ill from not using any of the nae brand chemical cleaners, so I am sure it works!!! Also, I am sure it saves moolah (that can go towards the mortgage!)



Cheers!
anonymous
2008-04-22 19:39:35 UTC
I've wasted a lot of time, energy, and money trying to go green. I've bought hemp and/or organic clothing for five times more than comparable clothing, only to have it fall apart after a few washings. I've bought in bulk, only to have to store it in my vehicle (where it gets chewed on by mice) because I don't have enough shelf/cupboard/floor space. I've used special, eco-friendly laundry detergent only to have it fail to work properly and stain delicates. I use an energy efficient dryer (no clothes lines allowed in my condo building and no room to hang more than a couple of items at a time) that I have to put through three cycles to dry clothing instead of one cycle with the older, less 'efficient' dryer. The clothes I hang to dry are itchy and scratchy on my skin. My low-flow shower head doesn't get shampoo out of my hair, so I take 35-40 minute showers now instead of 10 minute showers. The low-flow toilet requires 2-3 flushes instead of one and regularly plugs up even when flushed when empty. The plumber said it 'lacks power' (water pressure/force). Organic food I buy costs 3-4 times more than non-organic, and often tastes like cardboard. The 'reusable' grocery bags I buy at $2-$12 each don't wash well, can't even be wiped off if something spills on them, and the handles come apart after a few uses. Plastic bags are so thin, they often don't even make it home before the item inside rips through it. Re-using them is not possible. The eco-friendly oil I bought for my vehicle ruined the engine and cost me over $4000 to have repaired. The indoor composting worms and container I bought for $85 'all set up' from an 'earth store' came complete... with fruit flies, which spread all over my home and into my plants. After three months of trying everything possible to get rid of the flies, I brought the worms and container back to the store, who then accepted my 'donation' and gave the worms and container to a school classroom. Everything 'eco friendly' I do bites me in the rear and costs me money and makes my life miserable. The best way, as you said to save $300-$500 a year is for me to stop buying into (literally) all the stupid eco-friendly products.

By the way, many places in the first world (ie: Canada) still have boil water advisories, and many areas (such as where I live) have petroleum-tainted or alkali "water" coming out of kitchen faucets that even my dogs won't drink. The water smells awful, tastes so bad I can't swallow it, and yet it's 'safe'. I buy bottled water, and will continue to do so no matter what. If more so-called earth friendly things in life were people-friendly, more people like me would rally around earth-friendly things. What's the sense in living an unhappy life helping the environment? Life is short, and if even one major industry cleaned up it's act, it would do more good all of Canada eating veggies or reusing plastic bags for a year.



Oh, and when I was growing up in the early '70's, it was Global Cooling we were all going to die from by the year 2000. We were all supposed to be living at the equator by the late 1990's, freezing to death. The scientific 'proof' was overwhelming. Now Chicken Little says it's Global Warming and scientific 'proof' is overwhelming. I call it a Global Con. Most of Canada and Europe was under at least half a mile of ice a few thousand years ago... called the Ice Age. The earth is a living thing, and for millions of years it's been going through Global Climate C-h-a-n-g-e and will continue to do so long after we're in our eco-friendly coffins or urns.
willow21pipkyn
2008-04-21 11:11:39 UTC
Going green hasn't necessarily helped my pocket book, because the costs for natural tend to be a bit higher, but it has helped my health a great deal. I am a woman who suffers from Endometriosis and I made the change to chemical free, as much as possible, to help reduce my condition and keep it under control, along with natural supplements. I reduced the chemicals, because they mimic estrogen, causing a hormone imbalance and making PMS and Endometriosos much worse. It made me feel better physically, but also made me feel better as a person, because I knew the changes I was making were to benefit my environment as well.
Kevin g
2008-04-16 14:20:09 UTC
1.I’ve saved electricity by changing to compact florescent light bulbs

2.I’ve gotten in much better shape by riding a bike to work when weather permits, and saved money both on gas and by canceling the gym membership that I no longer need.

3.The grocery store where I shops gives a small discount for brining in clothe bags, or 4.reusing bags from previous shopping trips.

5.I bought an old house closer to downtown, which has allowed me to bicycle to work and walk to nearby stores. The old house was far cheaper than a new construction of equal size would have been, and it only took a fraction of the difference in price to invest in home improvements (double pained widows, insulation in the walls and attic, remodeled kitchen & bathroom, refinishing wood floors), and now the old house is much nicer than a new house in my price range would have been. To get a new house with the kind of craftsmanship that was put into my old house (stone fireplace, built-in hutches wood trim, moldings & box beam ceilings claw foot tubs ext.), would have cost far more than I could have afforded, required the use of much more raw material, and would have been 15 miles outside of downtown.



My original reason for buying and fixing up an existing house rather than buying a new one was not to promote suburban sprawl, but I have found that the communities are far more tightly knit in urban neighborhoods with houses close together and porches in front rather than patios in back that allow for more interaction with neighbors. Every home improvement project becomes a job in which I have a crew of neighbors helping. I also feel much more connected with my city by being closer to all of the community events downtown. Of all the things I have done with the environment in mind, buying this house that we love in a neighborhood full of all our new friends, closer to work so we don’t have waste an extra hour each day on commuting has been largest improvement on my quality of life.
bilkeo
2008-04-22 10:54:13 UTC
I purchased a house in the country 4 years ago, and immediately installed a geo thermal furnace. The whole system cost about $21,000 Cdn. Has not paid for itself yet, but I am on my way. Great heating and cooling technology.
mrarazi
2008-04-21 08:37:12 UTC
He is very right comments to save environment.



I propose to walk for shopping to near by supermarket with your kids or your wife every week three times on evenings.



That will save 10 bucks a week and total 52x10=540=1000 with maintenance and others.



Enjoy clean air
greenstep51
2008-04-16 13:43:02 UTC
I can't say that we have prospered but it has helped our family financially by saving on energy costs as well as adding a sense of helping our planet. Most of what we have done I call automated savings, the small things that add up without thinking about them. You can see some of the things we have done at www.alterativeenergysource.org
Donald C
2008-04-21 02:52:08 UTC
well, this going green is very expensive for those who are intersted.

i have installed a gio-thermal heat pump and a 5 kw wind turbine,this province (NS) offers no incentives for either up grade. I did it for my selve.it would be nice to see our governments get involed and offer the average tax paying person tax breaks or incentives as they are to the big companys. it we had every family put up a small turbine the electric production would greatly reduce the carbon produced by buying fossils fuels
Ccrest
2008-04-21 11:32:48 UTC
I usually take my bike outside on the road instead of the bus, it might take up more time but when there's a traffic jam I just slip though all the cars up to the lights. Also I get more exercise out of it then just sitting on the bus.
keyway51
2008-04-21 03:54:32 UTC
I have changed all lights to compact flourecent, heat with wood pellets to save money and its cheaper than propane, I converted a full size street motorcycle to series hybrid electric, got it inspected and insured. Because its also a plug in hybrid, uses almost no fuel. fun to drive. Have a nice day.
Sara P
2008-04-21 08:19:02 UTC
Some of the ways you can go green are by taking the bus instead of driving, using lower wattage bulbs, carpooling, recycling more often, and of course reusing things like paper.
Emily
2008-04-21 22:28:53 UTC
By buying a shampoo bar to use instead of bottled shampoo I save a loooootttt of plastic and money...love it. It smells way better too. Bahaha.
anonymous
2008-04-21 03:16:16 UTC
2 year ago i retro fit my house new lighting

new stove ,fridge,windows and doors insulation and sealed everything

my house is so air tight its hard to close the doors

but my kilowatts went up from 12 to 53

now its costing me more then ever

when we turn our lights out for that hour

the hydro is going to cry that they lost millions of dollars and raise the rates

just my take on the hole thing
mithril
2008-04-21 03:27:59 UTC
Shopping at thrift stores for reusable merchandise is not only money saving but fun, too!
Bohemian_Garnet_Permaculturalist
2008-04-17 10:12:41 UTC
Interesting question. My husband and I live on a permaculture farm, in the high mountain desert of Idaho, 4700+ feet elivation. We are in the heartland of potato country.



We raise most of our own food. We raise meat goats and meat rabbits. When I state I'm cooking from scratch, I'm really not kidding. That means grinding the wheat to make flour to make the bread. Last time I checked at the grocery store, to come anywhere close to the quality and taste of the bread I bake it was $6 a loaf. Bread has gone up a LOT in price. Still, let's stick with the $6 a loaf.



We eat two loaves a week normally. $12 for a weeks worth of bread X 52 weeks in the year= $624 a year (at least) for bread at grocery store prices.



I can bake a loaf for $.10 cents. Two loaves a week is $.20 cents X 52 weeks= $10.40 for the year. So for less than I would spend I one weeks worth of bread, I can bake it for the entire year.



At the end of the year, my single waste product is a plastic foil pouch the bulk yeast came in. Everything else came in burlap, paper, or cardboard.



We only buy food products in bulk. Like during potato harvest, we contact one of our neighbor farmers. If we don't get the 300 pounds of bulk potatoes for free, they usually cost around $10. I think (but I'm not actually sure) a 10 pound bag of potatoes at the grocery store is $2. That would be $60 at grocery store prices.



Because I raise meat goats, and meat rabbits, our meat, if we butcher it ourselves, has a cost of $.30 cents a pound for the rabbit, and $.75 cents a pound for the goat. Both meats are extremely healthy compaired to the confinment raised, grain feed meats you find in the grocery store. What little fat you find in the meats of our animals is actually healthy for you.



Rather difficult to put a price on the bennifits of not having major medical problems due to the really bad meats from the grocery store.



We grow our own fuel (rapeseed) to use here on our farm, in our trucks and tractors. We do NOT use it off farm, as we have not paid the hefty bonds one must to legally do so. Our fuel is about $.69 cents a gallon, to use here on the farm.



Since we have food storage (about a years worth), and only go to the store twice a year or so to stock up, our savings in gasoline are really signifigant. Not to mention the fact that delivery trucks are not running to the grocery stores to deliver our breads, meats, fruits and vegtables.



Christmas gifts around here, if they are not homemade quilts, or scarves I knitt from the wool from my Angora goat, tend to be used books, quality tools, quality boots, wool socks and blankets from the army surplus store, and items like that. Everyone is our family is an avid bibliophile. Used books are inexpensive, and everyone is thrilled to recieve them. We also purchase good quality items instead of cheap junk.



My former neighbor use to spend $39.95 on a wheelbarrel every year. I spent $150 on a wheelbarrel. 12 years later, I'm still using it. That means my wheelbarrel is now at a price of $12.50 a year, and it goes down each and every year. I assume that neighbor is still buying the $39.95 wheelbarrels. In 12 years, they will have spent $479.40 on wheelbarrels.



We always buy the best quality, best made items we can afford. We do not buy trendy. We buy neutral colors in furniture, so the look of a room can be changed with new throw pilows and items like that.



I have found amazing watercolors (real ones) over the years shopping at garage sales and thrift stores. I have not paid more than $10 for a single picture. All have come nicely framed and matted.



I really could go on and on. Living on a permaculture farm, with both my husband and I having very strong goals toward being independant gives us a VERY green lifestyle. Our only bills are a mortgage and student loan. Both will be paid of years early. At some point we will also be completely off grid as our farm will produce it's own electric, and heat.



I've dawdled long enough on the computer. Time to go do chores!



~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years
anonymous
2008-04-17 18:06:53 UTC
I am not prospering under the new Green fascism that is sweeping the country.



There are two ways of conserving. One is being more frugal, the other is finding ways to be more efficient.



I equate being more frugal with 'freezing in the dark' just like many of us did during the collective turning out of lights for an hour last month.



Being Green manifests itself with falsely promoting bio fuels as being Green because they leave less of a carbon footprint. It manifests itself falsely by adding carbon taxes to clean heating fuels such as natural gas and other fuels for which there is no alternative, not even the alternative of being frugal. Green taxes will drive up the cost of everything that requires energy to manufacture and transport to the market but will not reduce the demand for those products.



What do you want to do; go back to burning coal for heat and killing whales for train oil in order to light your homes?



If you really want to go Green, stop the medical procedures that encourage populations to soar. Restore balance to the world population by letting people die off naturally of disease, war, starvation, old age, and child birth. Reduce the carbon footprint caused by billions of people exhaling CO2 and using energy for their day to day energy needs. Put a cap on populations instead of putting in phoney protocols such as Kyoto.



All this BS about global warning because glaciers have retreated a hundred yards in the past 20 years. Did you know the glaciers once came as far south as Toronto? No one noticed the ice disappearing until now. Why? Because there is now a Green political agenda. A fascist agenda that promotes frugality instead of scientific progress that provides more options.



Down with the Green agenda. The Green fascists are going to cost everyone a lot more than we can afford. And I don't want to freeze in the dark.
jacques d
2008-04-21 06:25:27 UTC
Live in the city, use public parks, get rid of car and comute with public transit and bicycle.
Ingeborg N
2008-04-22 06:26:34 UTC
having a garden, don't used pesticide's ,don't used plastic-bags make your one from cotton , cook your own meal.
anonymous
2008-04-16 14:11:55 UTC
coo, i have saved shedloads of money and been saved from being a wage-slave.



cheers!


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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