Mean green money saving machine

It's no wonder that in a lot of cases, the "greenest" thing to do is also the least expensive.  Anytime we can use resources we have already instead of trashing them in exchange for something else, this big blue planet breathes a little sigh of relief.  On the quest for living sustainably I think we can take the best lessons from people who actually were sustained by what the earth made.

- Grow your food if you can

Although I have a yard now, for about six years I lived in a condo without any kind of yard so no planting in the ground.  After seeing an inspirational DIY project on instructables.com I figured I could have a container garden and maybe something I would plant might grow.  Turns out, even with my black thumb, a little effort and water paid off and we could actually enjoy a salad pulled right from our garden.

- Use what your mama gave you

Basically, the newest, hottest, coolest stuff may be new, hot, and cool, but it's also one more thing to add to the stack of last years new, hot, cool thing that's now out of date and in the donate pile.  By sticking with old standards even though they might not be the prettiest, you're recognizing that our over-consumption of stuff can contribute to an obese house cluttered with things that sap our energy just like over-consumption of food can contribute to the problem that many in our country are facing today.  

Even in an effort to greenify your house, everything you take out has to go somewhere.  Replacing your current windows for vinyl windows instead?  What happens to the ones that come out?  Can the glass or metal be recycled or repurposed?  Probably.  And the energy-star appliances that are replacing the clunkers are great, but if the clunkers end up in a landfill where they'll sit for thousands of years then is it the greenest option?  Try donating those things to organizations that train people on appliance repair, put it on Freecycle, or Craigslist, or see what recycling services are offered by your city for large appliances.  

Going green is fabulous.  I use cloth diapers, make my own baby food, and by no-VOC paint, but there's always a trade-off.  It's just important to keep an eye out for "greenwashing" tactics that so many companies use to make us think that buying this or that is good for the environment.  In many cases, the best thing you can do is save your money and use what you have.