Earth Day is a great time to add a little green into your pocket and back into the Earth. However, a lot of people never really know what to do to make their Earth Day celebration count. For many, new ideas may seem expensive or too complicated to try which causes them to push aside the holiday and move on to the next. Earth Day doesn’t have to be anything but fun though. Instead of worrying about price consider green ideas that may actually bring money back into the house. If you’re still at a loss, here’s ten fun ideas that can turn Earth Day into one of the most frugal holidays of the year.
1. Don’t Drive Solo
One of the biggest contributions to environmental problems is how many cars are on the road. Our carbon footprints are getting bigger and bigger every day because we burn so many natural resources when we don’t have to. This Earth Day you may want to organize a carpool within your workplace or your child’s school. If you can, don’t even drive at all. Try to plan your route using public transportation. A transit pass is easy to get and may even save you quite a bit of money. Of course, you don’t have to simply stick with motorized transportation as a whole. If a location isn’t too far away you can always try cycling or walking to the destination in order to be even more green. With all of these changes you won’t spend as much on gas, you’ll get into better shape and you may even feel better about the part you play in making the environment cleaner for future generations.
2. Garden
One of the more obvious choices for Earth Day is to plant something. Trees are usually the more common item to plant, but many end up costing a lot of money. However, if you do have extra money to purchase a tree then it makes a great investment for both you and the environment. Trees can help shade the home when they’re large enough which is great for cooling costs in the summer and makes spending time outdoors a lot more bearable in the summer heat. If you choose a tree that produces fruit or nuts then you’ll be able to use these items in the household which also brings down living costs. If a tree isn’t your cup of tea then starting a little garden could makes things a lot of fun. Fruits and vegetables grown in the home can be healthier and they help cut down on the costs of produce you have to buy in the store. They also allow you to teach kids how to grow their own food, which could be beneficial when they grow up. If taking care of plants isn’t on your list of things to do then perhaps plant some flowers in the yard. Even low maintenance flowers help with the environment and will make your home look more valuable.
3. Recycle
Implementing recycling in your home is a great step towards progress when it comes to the environment. Most homes will have assigned recycling bins for as assortment of items to be disposed of. This is great for all of your school or work papers, milk jugs and other plastic, cardboard or paper items that your household uses on a daily basis. Of course, most locations will also allow you to bring in some plastics, glass and metals with a refund value. This is a great way to get back the extra CRV money that some locations charge on items like these, which can go back into the household. Of course, recycling doesn’t just mean dealing with the basics. A lot of the electronics we throw in the trash can also be recycled. Look around for places that accept printer cartridges, batteries, computer, discs and anything else you think may be recyclable.
4. Skip Water Bottles
Many of us believe that water bottles can be recycled so we use them every day and put them in the bin expecting them to be turned into something else. The fact of the matter is, a lot of the time, most of the bottle isn’t even recycled. So, lots of these bottles end up in a landfill adding even more pollution to the planet. The worst thing is, they take forever to break down, so the landfills keep piling up. So, instead of picking up that convenient package of water bottles at the grocery store, you may want to look for a more environmentally friendly way to keep your family supplied with fresh water. One simple way is to add a filter to all of your home’s faucets. These don’t cost much and will give everyone drinkable water whenever they turn on the tap. Another way is to use gallon jugs to purchase water from water stores. As soon as you begin using one of these methods you’ll quickly realize how much money you’re saving as well as how little you’re wasting each month.
5. Don’t Toss Out Food
We tend to waste so much in our households. From leftovers at dinner to purchasing items we just don’t like. A lot of food ends up in our garbage which isn’t great for the environment or our budgets. A lot goes into producing food so every time it goes to waste it is like slapping Mother Earth in the face. Instead of simply packing up leftovers and expecting the family to enjoy them again you may want to try turning them into something new and exciting. Create on the go frittatas with vegetables leftover from dinner. There’s lot of recipes online so have fun discovering new things. If you’re a fan of juicing then use the pulp to help you out in the kitchen. For instance, vegetable pulp can be used as a broth for most soups and fruit pulp is great for giving baked goods a sweeter kick. If the items have gone bad in the fridge or aren’t something your family will eat or that you can give to someone needy then start up a compost to help with your garden or a community garden.
6. Go Paperless
It seems like every day people get lots of mail that could easily be handled online. From bank statements to bills, there’s an option for most of this paperwork to be emailed to you each month. In most cases you can call and ask for this option, but many businesses will also have the option on their website. A lot of stores have also began to email receipts to their returning customers, which helps cut down on the paper wasted from each transaction you make. Although it may not save you a whole lot of money to use this option, it will save on the amount of paper shredding and recycling you must do as well as how much damage you do to the plant. Of course, not all of our paper mail and receipts are our choice. Credit card companies are always sending out new offers which waste an extraordinary amount of paper each year. One way to help cut down on this is to get on the website and take your name off of their mailing list. It may take a month or two to kick in, but once it does, checking your mail may not be quite as frustrating. In the household you should think about using less paper products as well, such as paper plates and paper towels, which shouldn’t be too difficult of a change.
7. No Meat Monday
Recently, a Meatless Monday movement was created to help cut down on the carbon footprint people are currently leaving behind. The movement calls for families to give up eating meat one day out of the week. It doesn’t have to be Monday, nor does it have to be just one day out of the week. It does, however have to be at least once a week. By getting every household to do this we will be removing the same amount of pollution from the planet as we would by removing millions of cars, which is a little extraordinary. Of course, cutting out meat from just one meal can also help you save some money as the meat component of a meal is usually more expensive. After seeing the savings and possible health benefits you may want to cut down meat from one day to two. There’s a lot of meatless recipes online to try out too and whole websites dedicated to making the transition easy for anyone willing to try!
8. Energy Efficient Upgrades
If you have some spare cash to part with then it may be time to upgrade some of your home’s appliances to energy efficient. If you’re not sure where to start then consider the items in your home that get used the most. For instance, the refrigerator is constantly running so it may be a great place to start. Other household items you can buy that are energy efficient are washers and dryers. Electronics are also a great place to start when it comes to the upgrades, especially televisions and laptops that may be used more often. These items are a great way to treat yourself during Earth Day because they cut down on electricity substantially, which means lower bills for you and a smaller carbon footprint too.
9. Keep It Local
When you decide to shop, try to keep local as much as you possibly can. Farmer’s Markets are great places to go for food shopping and will allow you to enjoy some amazing fruits and vegetables that aren’t filled with pesticides nor are they overpriced. Purchasing locally helps remove all of the transportation fees that are always tacked on to food so you get a better deal each time you go shopping. Shopping locally isn’t just about your budget though, even though that’s a pretty awesome incentive. It also helps keep your local economy going strong which benefits your community. With a strong local economy comes even more savings for you.
10. Thrift Stores
One of the easiest things you can do to cut down on spending and save the environment is to actually do some shopping! Thrift store shopping is a great way to cut down on unnecessary manufacturing while also keeping your clothing budget down. You can also find some of the necessities at thrift stores like items for the kitchen. Toys, books, movies and some electronics are also available here which can really change the way you enjoy your free time without costing you a fortune. The best things is, the money you give to thrift stores goes for a good cause so all of your shopping does a world of good. Of course, the thrift store works both ways. Where you can purchase items, you can also donate items which goes to help those around you. Donating items isn’t just a great way to give to a charity but it can also offer you tax deductions at the end of the year. Of course, giving up some of the clutter in your home to someone who can use it is also a great incentive. This helps cut down on the amount in landfills too as throwing away old clothes and other item adds to the waste that is causing immense damage to the planet.
Earth Day can be a great time to teach your family great ways to have fun and save the environment. With a few cheap adjustments to your life, even your green living can help make your budget flourish all the more. So, this Earth Day, make an extraordinary plan to help your family understand the importance of the holiday while saving money.
