Correction to yesterday's entry

Wes has kindly informed me that since HE runs many various errands for me, I have miscalculated the amount of actual combining of trips that occur around here to save gas. *grin*

I guess we have a new goal to work toward!

Earth Day Post

Today is Earth Day! Although, to be honest, we've been slowly working toward making every day a more Earth friendly day at Momma's house. It's very interesting to me that most of the environmentally friendly changes that we can make in our lives are also very budget friendly.

Utilities:

• Last year, we started replacing our light bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Lighting as the regular bulbs burned out.
• We desperately needed a new washing machine last fall, so we replaced it with a more efficient front-end loader. This probably didn't lower the energy usage for the washer, but definitely lowered the energy usage for the dryer, as the clothes had much less water in them after the spin cycle.
• Wes replaced our old thermostat with a new programmable one. This has made a large difference in both gas and electricity bills.
• Recently, I started washing all loads on cold wash/cold rinse cycles.
• I also hang up all socks, underwear, wash clothes, dish clothes, and hand towels, so there are less things going into the dryer.
• I unplug the coffee pot, bean grinder, and toaster every time I go into the kitchen. (Note to self: Probably ought to tell the family, so they don't keep plugging them back in.)
• You may find some great information on this over at Get Rich Slowly. JD is asking the readers for Tips on Energy Conservation

Waste

• We've started composting all of the vegetation we can (cut flowers that have died, table scraps without meat, grass clippings, etc).
• I started a recycling box for paper goods, but plan to research other recyclables for this area and find out how to keep from sending out an overflowing container full of trash to the curb every week. Lynnae at Being Frugal wrote a great post about Recycling and what is recyclable in her area. I learned some stuff from it!
• The children and I have been gathering clothing and items we don't or can't use to donate to a local abuse shelter.

Food

• I'm growing a small garden of herbs and vegetables, to cut down on our food bills and provide more organic food options to my family.

Gas

• I combine trips where I can, and buy gas at night, after I complete my shopping.
• I don't generally drive anywhere besides work and home more than twice a week and even then it's not more than 5 miles from the house.
• Although carpooling isn't an option for me, Spilling Buckets is carpooling now, and figures that he is saving about $2100 annually in the process.
• YL15 (in 4 days!) rides her bicycle the 3 miles to school and back every day so that Wes and I don't have to go and pick her up. Bus riding isn't an option for her in the afternoons.

Link Love!

• For some other fabulous posts about Green Living on a budget, check out these blogs!
• Wealth Junkies posts about Going Green in the Wallet
• Frugal Mom LA is Getting on the Green Bandwagon
• My Two Dollars had some other great links in honor of Earth Day too.
• Notes from the Frugal Trenches says Going Green Helps You Be Frugal!

Going Green - And Frugal

I have a friend who is shunning manufactured cleaning products, in an effort to "Go Green" and have a more chemical free home for her family. I've asked her to write a guest post on this topic here, but hoped that you kind folks may have a tip or two to help get us started.

What are your tried and true methods for going green and staying frugal?