Simple Ways to Go Green When You're on a Budget

Going green not only helps you and your family, but it also helps the environment. Information about the benefits of going green is almost too great to ignore. As cancer continues to take the lives of so many, more consumers are becoming aware of the toxic world in which we live. Many households contain a long list of deadly products that can harm us over long time use. Even our shampoo and toothpaste is toxic if ingested. Although people don't eat their toothpaste, or drink their shampoo, the ingredients in these products can be absorbed into our skin, and tiny amounts of toothpaste can be swallowed over time. A typical tube of toothpaste has a warning label that says, "Warning: Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a local Poison control Center right away."

Going green means that you have decided to make more ethical choices in what you buy when it comes to food, personal care products, etc. It means that you choose products that don't contain harsh toxic ingredients that can harm your body or the environment which includes everything from soap, laundry detergent, dishwashing soap, produce, and other foods. Pesticides and herbicides used in the production of conventional produce can be quite harmful to your health, and these chemicals also leach into the soil and contaminate water. Choosing organic food over conventional is the best option for the earth and your health.

However, despite this strong message to go green it can still be quite expensive to throw out all of your chemically made soaps, cleaning products, personal care products, and switch to mostly organic food all at once. Many of us can feel overwhelmed just with the thought of switching everything that we have grown accustomed to over the years. Here are some tips of how you can go green when you're on a budget.

Switch over Gradually

Rather than going out and buying every green product you can find all at once, it's much easier and cheaper to switch over gradually. This means that the next time you need to buy laundry soap, toothpaste, or food, make the choice to buy a healthier product, and read your labels just to be sure. There are many products which claim to be natural when they are not.

Two books that can help you become more aware and discern between different ingredients are:

A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients By Ruth Winter, M.S.

A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives By Ruth Winter, M.S.

Some of my favorite Natural products

Body care

I absolutely love Burt's Bees products because they are gentle yet effective, and they can be found in most stores like Target, Safeway, and of course on line. I love their new naturally nourishing line, especially the body wash. It has a very fresh scent and nourishing ingredients such as shea butter, and milk. The body bar is also very creamy and moisturizing. These products don't contain parabens or other harsh chemicals; instead you will find only the best nature has to offer. Check it out at: www.burtsbees.com

I have also always been a fan of Loccitane just because of their ultra rich shea butter soaps.

Teeth

Tooth soap is a wonderful product because it cleans teeth by using natural oils and the harsh chemicals are left out. This product is safe even for babies. Check it out at: http://www.perfect-prescription.com/

For the home

Laundry soap- Seventh generation has a line of natural cleaning products and laundry soap. However my favorite product is Maggie's Soap Nuts. They are actually berries which have been used for thousands of years to clean clothes. Check it out at:

www.maggiespureland.com

Get Coupons

Many coupons for natural products can be found on line, and you can also write the company directly and ask specifically for coupons.

Buy Store Brand Organic products

Many stores such as Safeway are creating their own lines of certified organic products. They are offering everything from organic milk, eggs, and even cookies for decent prices. They usually even offer coupons for these products and you can often find them on sale.

Buy Local Organic produce

When you buy local organic produce you get a better more nutritious product because the food has been locally grown so it contains more vitamins and minerals. Food that is shipped loses vitamins during the shipping process. When you buy at local organic farmers markets you help to support local farmers and the community, and local produce is usually more affordable. Here in Arizona there is also a company that will ship organic and natural products right to your door. They offer delicious seasonal boxes of the freshest organic produce guaranteed. Check them out at: www.boxedgreens.com

They also ship to other states for those of you who don't live in Arizona.

A great book about going green is called Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano.

Sources:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5342.cfm

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Live-Green-On-A-Budget&id=963068

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/HowToGoGreenOnABudget.aspx