Seven Ways Your Family Can Be Doubly “Eco” Minded (Economically And Ecologically)

There is growing social pressure on all of us to carry out our part for the environment, but some of the pressure we feel conflicts with the economic pressure on our families. Here are some ideas that are both ecologically and economically friendly.

1.  Reuse and repurpose everything possible. Your younger children should certainly have some new things, but hand-me-downs from older siblings are a wonderful tradition that families have used for generations. Before throwing just about anything in the trash or even in the recycle bin, consider for just a moment if there isn’t another immediate use for that item—especially one that would help you avoid having a purchase. Nonetheless, don’t save junk on spec! That’s a recipe for hoarding!

2.  Donate your used stuff to a thrift store like Goodwill so that it doesn’t end up in the landfill and you’re not paying to store stuff, you don’t utilize. If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll find a lot of stuff in your home that you never ever use. Don’t blow it by filling the space with extra junk—just enjoy the openness created by having less clutter around the house, fewer shirts in the drawers and toys that have all been outgrown.

3.  Sell your cherished old stuff on eBay (but.Ly/FSAEQ) or Craigslist (it.Ly/dq4otk) (use the former for things that you can easily ship and the latter for things that would be expensive or difficult to send out).

4.  Walk to the grocery store. Not only will it save on gas and protect the environment, but you’ll find you can’t carry nearly as much, forcing you to make wise decisions in the store. If you have lots of kids or live too far from the store, try organizing your errands carefully to cut down on the miles you drive.

5.  Buy groceries in bulk (if you’ll eat them). Buying in bulk not only tends to be cut the cost per unit down, but often results in less packaging per unit, reducing the landfill pressure. A big jar of peanut butter, for instance, may cost half as much per ounce as the small jar. In the landfill or in the recycling process, one gigantic jar will end up doing less damage than the set of smaller jars required for an equivalent amount of peanut butter.

6.  Use Skype (it.Ly/M3QgK) or a Hangout on Google+ (bit.Ly/NSNFGC) to see far away friends and family instead of going see them. (You can do this for business, too.) The energy saved by avoiding travel can be huge!

7. Go gets a train instead of a plane. Be careful, it isn’t always cheaper, and in the U.S. it is rarely faster, but a train ride could be a real adventure and is much greener than air travel.

There are a lot more ways to be green and cheap. What do you suggest?