Archive for January, 2010

Stop Impulsive Buying and Think Before You Buy

Are you tired of wasting your money on things that you do not need?  This is a common problem for a lot of people.  Your first line of defense: make shopping lists and budgets.  What are you willing to spend on said item(s)?   Scour the Internet, penny saver, and newspaper for coupons.  Check out garage sales, thrift stores, eBay, craigslist, flea markets and consignment shops for a wide array of items such as clothing, furniture, and appliances.  You can find lost gems at great prices if you are willing to put in the time and effort.  There is a certain amount of risk involved when purchasing used goods.  Take your time to assess the condition of any item that you are interested in purchasing.  Test it out, ask questions and don’t be afraid to negotiate for the price you think is fair. Making a budget each month will help you put your money to good use.  Take the money you have for that month and put it in an envelope.  Having a physical representation of what you have to work with will help you make the most of it, and discourage you from wasteful spending.  Sometimes it is easier to swipe ...

• Bookmark :
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Stumbleupon
• Redit it

Spending Less Money on Gas, and Becoming Healthier too

It's time to reduce our fuel consumption and cut our costs that are related to conventional fuels.  Conventional fuels are extremely toxic and they are polluting the environment now more than ever.  Even your overall health can be negatively affected when constantly exposing yourself to polluted environments.  You can spend less money on gas by choosing to switch to some green alternatives.  For instance, you can walk or even bike to work in efforts to avoid conventional fuels.  This extremely wise movement will come along with significant savings on gas.  Even the parking costs will be drastically reduced when traveling by bike or walking. By biking or walking from point A to point B, you're not just helping the environment, you’re getting healthier too.  Your cardiovascular health will improve and risks of becoming obese as well as other diseases will be drastically reduced.  The exercises provided by biking can become your perfect way of working out, and you won't have to invest in gym memberships anymore.  Time and money will be saved and you will be very pleased with the results.  Biking can be the perfect solution when dealing with heavy traffic.  Biking can optimize your time as well as reduce ...

• Bookmark :
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Stumbleupon
• Redit it

Turning Dry Leaves Into a Good Deed

Ever thought about the amount of time and energy we spend on our fall leaves?  Whether you live in town or outside it, there's a good chance you dutifully rake up your leaves, stuff them into plastic or paper bags, and let someone else haul them off.  But why?  That takes a lot of human and fossil fuel energy, and it wastes quite a few bags, too.  In the country, we tend to let the leaves fall down, then rake the ones that are most in the way.  We often ignore the rest - less wasteful, but also not very useful. Could those leaves be doing something for you?  There are other options for people interested in getting some value out of their leaves and wasting fewer resources.  Let's take a look at what green minded people can do with fallen leaves. The millions of leaves that fall every year could be a real opportunity.  For instance, anyone with farm animals knows how much straw and other bedding material can cost.  If you have hardwood trees in your yard, you could do away with some of that cost.  Many leaves are a great option for bedding down animals.  Aspen, oak, and many ...

• Bookmark :
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Stumbleupon
• Redit it

Fantastic Holiday Season Going Green Tips

The holidays are almost upon us.  No doubt there's a lot going on in your life.  You're trying to find the perfect gifts, decorating for the season, and planning out fun activities for the whole family.  The problem is that the holiday season is one of the times when a lot of rubbish happens to be generated.  The good news is that you can do your part to reduce the impact that the holiday season has on the environment.  Here are a few great eco friendly tips for the season that can help you out. Tip #1 - Do Your Shopping on the Web One great tip you can use to go green this holiday season is to do your shopping on the web.  You won't have to use any fuel to go around shopping and you'll also save a lot of stress, since the stores are crammed this time of year.  You'll also save money, since most online stores have great prices.  The overall impact of freight is often reduced as well, since items online many times come right from the factory. Tip #2 - Go with Reusable Bags Another great tip to help you keep the holiday’s eco friendly is to go ...

• Bookmark :
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Stumbleupon
• Redit it

Create Your First Sustainable Holiday

When the holidays come around, they bring with them some very unique challenges if you want to go green.  We focus on entertaining others and giving gifts, and it's easy to throw out the choice we have made to live in a sustainable way.  The thing is, it doesn't have to be this way.  Here is a look at some great tips that can help you make the right choices so you can have a sustainable holiday that keeps our environment safe. Tips for Giving Gifts There are actually quite a few ways you can give gifts while still making sure you have a sustainable holiday.  Here are some great tips to help you keep gift giving green this year. - Buy fewer gifts for each person - Purchase gifts that are second hand - Go with gift certificates you make yourself - Hand make your gifts - Give to charity in the name of someone for a gift - Come up with a system that allows everyone in your family to buy a gift for one other person.  Set a price limit.  You'll be surprised on how much it cuts down on extra gifts. Just remember, if you want to make some gift giving changes, make sure you ...

• Bookmark :
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Stumbleupon
• Redit it