6 Tips for Going Green on a Budget

We all know that the environment is important. After all, we only get the one world to live in. However, going green can seem very expensive. Many environmentally-friendly products appear to be much pricier than their conventional counterparts. Fortunately, you can go green even on a budget. These are a few tips to help you do just that.

1) Keep It Minimal

As you may know, there are three Rs of reducing your footprint: reduce, reuse and recycle. The last of these gets all the attention but the other two are even more important. Reduce the number of things you consume. Over the next month, keep careful track of what you buy and how much you use those things. Also, take some time to look at your possessions and evaluate which are truly helping you.

Chances are you will find that you buy a lot of stuff that really isn’t necessary. Try reducing the number of things you consume. Also, declutter some of your current possessions that you aren’t getting any value from.

2) Get Some Solar Panels

This may not sound like an inexpensive idea, but it can save you money quickly. Solar technology costs have come way down in recent years. It depends a little on where you live, but you can expect that a solar panel cost less than what you’d be spending on electricity in the next few years. The prices are even better if you have government subsidies in your area.

For many homes with solar panels on the electric grid, energy companies will actually pay for the excess energy produced by the panels. That is a pretty good deal if you have them on your roof.

3) Cut Down on the Paper

Despite the fact that almost all records have a digital version these days, paper still plays a big role in most of our lives. Try switching your financial statements and bills to paperless versions. This will not only help you be greener, but it will also help you reduce a lot of the mess around your house. That’s a win-win.

Some banks even offer refunds and incentives for using paperless billing. Typically, these programs are opt-in only, so you need to check with your bank to turn it on.

4) Turn Off Your Lights

Try to avoid using electricity in rooms you aren’t currently occupying. Turn off the lights when you leave a room and unplug chargers that you aren’t actively using. These draw electricity for no reason, doing nothing more than driving up your utility bills and harming the environment.

A great way to do this is to plug electronics into power strips with on/off buttons. Using that, you can quickly shut off electronics that you don’t need to be using currently. It is a simple way to cut down your energy usage.

5) Support Green Businesses

As you probably know, a lot of emissions are caused by businesses. Try to patronize companies that are committed to reducing their footprint. Voting with your wallet is one of the best ways to have an impact on society around you.

Even better, you can feel great about shopping at your favorite business because you’ll know they are green. Some businesses, such as banks, even reward you for switching to them.

6) Use Less Water

Water is a finite resource. While most modern societies have figured out how to reuse a lot of water, it is still something that we shouldn’t take for granted. Even if the recycling process was completely efficient (it isn’t), there would still be a lot of harmful emissions from the processing systems.

Cut down on the amount of water you use by shutting off taps while your washing. For example, if you are brushing your teeth, only leave the tap on to wet your brush. There is no need to keep it running while you brush. This will help protect the environment and save you some money.