Ways You Can Go Green and Save Money

The global warming concerns lead us to "go green" to save our planet, and our economic concerns place such strain on our wallets, to do so we must find ways to go green and save money. Going green doesn't have to be as expensive as everyone imagines, as there are plenty of ways to go green and save money.

Change your light bulbs. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs are more energy efficient and better for the environment. You'll save money on your power bill, and the environment will have a little less greenhouse gas to deal with.

Adjust your thermostat. Just a few degrees warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter will make a great impact on your energy costs, and still keep you cozy.

Wash your clothes in cold water. It takes energy to heat up the water you're washing your clothes in, so do both your wallet and the environment a favor and wash your clothes in cold water whenever possible.

Use your dryer less. Start using a clothes line to dry your clothes, and reserve the dryer for emergencies or rainy days when you know your clothes wouldn't dry outside. You can invest in dryer balls to reduce the amount of time your dryer takes to dry the clothes, too.

Unplug appliances or get a "smart" power strip. When you're not using something, unplug it. Smart power strips are those that can detect when an appliance is off and stop sending power to it. This will help you save money without having to remember to walk around and unplug everything.

Get a water purifier and a reusable container for your bottled water. Bottled water is a good thing, until all the bottles end up in the landfill. Buying bottled water can get expensive too, so instead of spending all that money on bottled water, buy a purifier for your faucet at home and use a reusable container. You'll get the same high quality water, with much less waste, for much less money.

Make your own cleaning solutions. This follow the same principle as the bottled water. Many cleaning solutions have harsh chemicals, and their empty bottles always end up in the landfill. Making your own allows the container to be reusable and the solutions to be completely safe for you and the environment,

Borrow instead of buying. Share things with your neighbors, especially yard equipment. You'll save money, and only one tool will pollute the air with gasoline fumes. Go to the library and borrow movies and books rather than buying them. You'll save money and you'll save ink and paper when new movies and books don't have to be printed.

These are all little things you can do to go green and save money. Of course, there are other ways to go green, such as installing solar panels on your house, but many of us can't afford the tremendous upfront cost over the long term savings, so we'll have to start small and work our way up. Think of something else? Share your ways to go green and save money, too.