Go Green and $ave Money!

1. Go Green and $ave Money! Keri Ogrizovich

2. Change your food habits • Eat vegetarian as much as possible • Minimize packaged foods; make food from scratch • Use cloth bags at grocery stores • Bring your own coffee mug for refills • Don’t get take-out unless packaging is recyclable • Try to buy organic and/or locally grown food; grow your own food

3. Organic Food Oranges (lb.) $2.69Blueberries (6 oz.) $3.99 Apples (lb.) $2.99 Carrots (16 oz.) $1.99Vidalia Onion (ea.) $1.29Chicken Cutlets (lb.) $5.59Chicken Broth (32 oz.) $2.99 12 Large Eggs $2.00 Total: $23.53 • Non-Organic Food Oranges (lb.) $1.99Blueberries (6 oz.) $2.99 Apples (lb.) $2.49 Carrots (16 oz.) $1.69Vidalia Onion (ea.) $1.29Chicken Cutlets (lb.) $3.99Chicken Broth (32 oz.) $2.59 12 Large Eggs $1.69 Total: $18.71 Difference in Cost: $4.81 Who says that organic food is so much more expensive than regular food? Don’t sacrifice your health to save a few dollars!

4. Reduce your dependence on paper • Switch to 100% recycled plastic garbage bags (Seventh Generation) • Switch to 100% recycled toilet paper or use cloth wipes • Use cloth diapers • Use cloth towels instead of paper towels • Use cloth napkinsUse real utensils and dishware instead of disposable ones

5. Reduce your dependence on plastic • Use metal or glass containers to store food and drink from (baby bottles, too) • Use cloth lunch bags • Use cloth or butcher paper to wrap food • Use metal water bottles (Kleen Kanteen) • Buy wooden and/or handmade toys for children • Buy bread/bagels in paper bags or bring your own bag or make your own bread • Use real utensils and dishware instead of disposable ones • Refill body care products and laundry detergent at the co-op instead of buying new bottles every time.

6. Reduce your garbage output • Recycle everything you can (for your area), including electronics • Donate used items to a charity (many have pick ups and drop off locations) instead of throwing them out or taking them to the dump, including cell phones and pagers • Compost your food waste and soiled paper products • Buy food and drinks in paper and glass containers

7. 7 Ways to Green Your Kitchen • Unplug all small appliances not in use. • Install sink faucet aerators on your sink to save on water usage. • Run your dishes on the "light" setting and let them air dry instead of heat dry. • Get rid of the microwave. • Use homemade kitchen cleaners. • Use stainless steel cookware. • Switch to cloth towels.

8. Recipes • http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/120/diy • Eight Essentials: • Baking soda, Borax, Distilled white vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide, Lemons, Olive oil, Vegetable based (liquid castile) soap, and Washing soda • To remove rust: • 3 Tablespoons salt1 Tablespoon lemon juiceMix into a paste and rub on rust until clear.

9. “Why your happiness matters to the planet: Surveys and research link true happiness to a smaller footprint on the ecology.”

10. Resources • http://crunchychicken.blogspot.com • http://greenmomfinds.com/ • http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/07/22/why-your-happiness-matters-to-the-planet/ • http://noimpactman.typepad.com/ • http://livingcheapandgreen.blogspot.com/