Frugal Environmentalism

Today's blog post is about ways to save money and be environmentally conscious. This is such a big part of my life, a post about it was overdue.

Environmentalism? You should take a tip from me...I save water by using my tongue for baths.

SO! I'm going to list the top 5 frugal/environmental things I already do and then the top 5 things I want to start doing. I know not everyone can practically do every thing all the time. My goal is to try a few small habits that can grow and be built upon. So I hope you enjoy reading and maybe see some things on these lists that you do (yay!) or could try to do a little more often.

Things I already do:

1. Eating less meat.

I don't call myself a vegetarian like I used to because in reality if I have to eat some meat on occassion (especially if someone else is cooking for me, I wont turn down any home cooked meal) it isn't a big deal. I think humans were meant to eat meat and it was important to our development as a species (at one point in time) But we never cook meat at home and usually don't order it out. With the number of people on the planet, a meat-at-every-meal diet isn't sustainable. It would take a long time for me to articulate all of the environmental benefits of eating less meat, so I'll just cite some sources for those interested (here, here, here). Plus, though I do buy a few pricey soy "meat" products, overall buying rice, beans, and veggies helps save money (after reading Eating Animals Brad wouldn't let me cook any meat anymore anyway...)

2. Biking to work (and other places)

I did just start this but it is a fun/healthy way to save money and not use fossil fuels.

3. Growing food/buying local

Thanks to my friend Jessica at Duke who taught me to make sub-irrigated planters, we've been able to have plants on our patio. We've had the greatest success with herbs and lettuces but we've also grown onions, tomatoes, and peppers (haven't gotten an edible one of those yet). Mostly I think of this as a learning experience for when we do have a yard someday. 

The bigger impact probably comes from eating local. Almost all of our veggies come from the CSA we are in through a local farm (Brinkley Farm). Every week we get to pick what we want from a list of veggies (they also have beef and pork) and they box it up for us to pickup! The food is WAY fresher than in the store and it didn't get trucked in from California or South America. 

Even when we do have to buy in the store, some of the grocers have produce from "local farms" and I try to pick things from those stands when possible. It just tastes better. Though I can admit that this it probably one thing that doesn't save us much money, I don't care. I figure, "you are what you eat" is the truth. Eating provides the nourishment you need to exist. So I'd rather shell out a little more to nourish my body than eat cheap garbage (plus I've got the extra dough from all these other money saving exercises!).

4. Less Trash

We recycle plastic, paper, aluminum and glass at bins near our apartment. I know there are issues with recycling being "downcycling" but at least it isn't sending more crap to the landfills where it will sit until the Earth gets blown up by aliens. I can't find it right now but I also recently saw a good article refuting claims that recycling is worse than making things from scratch.

Additionally, we used to have a full size trashcan in our kitchen. It didn't fill up that quickly (with all the recycling) but it would be full of food scraps that SMELLED. So we'd always have to take out a half full trashbag. In a stroke of genius I had Bradley cut the plastic trashcan in half so it could hold a small plastic grocery bag. Yes it is still using plastic, but it wastes a lot less than before! Plus we can get these bags for free instead of buying bags. Saves money, lessens the smells, and uses less plastic.

5. Buying used/buying less/fixing things

Whenever I can I look for a used product. Books especially, clothes and furniture on occasion. We have a great store in Durham called The Scrap Exchange where we get tons of used stuff for crafts and projects. Total money saver but also makes you more creative. Along those lines I also try to donate things if there is any chance someone could want it, instead of sending clothes or dishes to a landfill when I am done with them, donating lets them have another life for a little longer. I also try to buy less things and use what I have in the apartment already. That means we end up fixing things a lot more often. This is easy for ME because Bradley likes fixing things. So when something breaks we don't have to run out and replace it, we usually find some way to repair it, sometimes with a more creative result than before!

Things I want to start doing

1. Composting

My grandma Sally always did this, so I've always known about it but I also didn't really know why no one else seemed to do it. It really makes so much sense, especially if you have a garden. Jess has us baby sitting her vermicompost while she is in Colorado but I'm not sure this counts. They can't really handle much because it's not a whole lot of worms. So we only put small amounts of food scraps in. And she'll be home soon to take it back. I've just been too lazy to figure out the most practical way to compost in an apartment. But its a goal!

2. Buying MORE locally, and with seasonal consciousness

I could/should buy more of my food locally, especially fruit. Part of the problem is that I'm just used to eating what I want when I want it (like most Americans), rather than eating what is fresh for the season. Even though our CSA doesn't do much fruit, others do and I could buy seasonal fruit at the farmer's market. (Once I get a basket for my bike I'll probably go to the farmer's market more often, making it easier).

3. Saving Water

Since we have to water our garden a TON in the summer heat (there is no shade on the patio), we try to collect rainwater when we can in a cooler on our patio. I also try to dump old water (from our cats dish or cups/bottles that were sitting around too long) out in the garden instead of down the sink. But I'd like to become more dedicated to this, especially by collecting water in the shower. I've set Bradley on the task of figuring out what would be the best thing that we could set in the shower to collect water as it is heating up. 

4. Eco-friendly cleaning products

I do buy all natural laundry soap because my skin is sensitive to strong deodorants etc, but I could be better about other cleaning products, especially bathroom cleaners and hand soaps. I also would like to make more of my own cleaning products. My mom is always suggesting vinegar and water for window cleaning and I use baking soda to clean many things (including my hair in the winter). That could save us some money for sure and I hate the thought of all those chemicals getting into the water supply and ruining aquatic ecosystems (causing ugly algal blooms). Plus, I don't want to be breathing that stuff or getting it on my skin. 

5. Saving Energy

Though we live in a small apartment I know we could be better about where we set the thermostat and keeping lights and other electronics turned off. We don't have a programmable thermostat, so that makes it harder. But we could be more conscious about closing blinds during the heat of a summer day to keep the apartment cool. And dressing for the temperature, less clothes if it is hot and more if it is cold. Something to work on for sure (especially now that I took over paying the power bill and I see what we pay!)...