Being 'green' on a budget...?

catznine

I buy regularily from charity shops, it benefits the charity, it benefits me with great savings and it benefits the earth by not clogging up our landfill sites! I am amazed that some people still have a problem with this!!

Sarahsaver

Its great, moreover I cannot understand how anyone can throw away ANYTHING which could still be of use. I must have given a whole van full of baby stuff to a local charity last year.
Still cant find a local veg. box supplier

HappySad

Magentasue Tried energy saving lightbulbs but didn't like the dim light so try to turn lights off where possible
You just need to get the higher wattage energy saving bulb. I was like you and bought the 11w bulb and thought was a waste as the light was so low. Then I tried the 20w and never looked back. Most of the house now has 20w bulds.


I use energy saving light bulbs, door step recycle electrical goods, cans/foil, bottles and paper. I compost. Resuse printer paper on both sides or use other side to write on, organic for 1/3 of our food. Plastic goes to the local recycle dump.

Want to check out farmers market and butchers instead of always going to the supermarket.

I am looking into getting the mooncup. Save money & healther. Hope that it will not leak or get stuck inside.

I would love to know where I could buy in bulk "nature nappies" so that I can save the money .. I find them so expensive. You know the ones that are about 80%. ..degradeable.

I very rarely buy books now & goto the library.

I'm always giving stuff to the charity shops. Clothes are mainly secondhand. I mend my clothes. Nearly all my furniture is secondhand..from friend & family.

Use plastic containers from bought food to store stuff in or make toys with.

When I shop.. I always ask myself before I go to the check out..."Do I REALLY NEED this? Can I do without this?"

I am looking for natural oganic baby bubble bath? Where can I get this? Ideally not from mail order as I don't want to pay the delivery price but if I can't get it from the shops thenn I am prepared to order.

I am always trying to change my ways and be less of a consumer... I am not always wanting the lastest item in fashion or electrical goods. I am always decluttering my house and giving stuff away. My friend & family now don't give birthday or Christmas presents to each other.. instead we make time for each other & go out for meals (don't know if this is green but the not giving presents is). We do give to each others children. I share some DIY items with my neighbours.

http://www.foe.co.uk is a great place for more ideas.

littleredcorvette

HappySad I would love to know where I could buy in bulk "nature nappies" so that I can save the money .. I find them so expensive. You know the ones that are about 80%. ..degradeable.

I am looking for natural oganic baby bubble bath? Where can I get this? Ideally not from mail order as I don't want to pay the delivery price but if I can't get it from the shops thenn I am prepared to order.

* Bulk "Nature Nappies":
http://www.eco-babes.co.uk/
http://www.spiritofnature.co.uk/acatalog/sect729.html

* Organic Baby Bubble Bath:
Earth Friendly do a Baby Organic Hibiscus Bubble Bath (400 ml), a number of places sell it but I'm not sure of the delivery prices - look on Google.

* The following website sells both Economy Boxes of Moltex Oko nappies and the Earth Friendly Baby Organic Bubble Bath!:
http://www.naturebotts.co.uk/ - Orders up to £65.00 = £4.25, For orders over £65.00 = FREE delivery

Hope that helps

HappySad

catznine wrote:

I buy regularily from charity shops, it benefits the charity, it benefits me with great savings and it benefits the earth by not clogging up our landfill sites! I am amazed that some people still have a problem with this!!

I so agree with what you have said Catznine. When you shop for clothes in charity shops you also develope you own style and are not dictated to by the shops who say this year you will be wearing brown or what ever.

I am working on decluttering my whole house and the charity shops & library love it when you arrive with loads of stuff for them. I have decided to give to the library a whole load of the books that I hardly use. If I want to look at them again I can just get them from the library again. My house is getting less cluttered and more spacious. The loft is now waiting for me to get rid of a whole lot of things... big task as my loft is 1/2 full of stuff!!!

Another thing about being green on a budget is try not to buy stuff that you don't need in the first place. The shops are very good at making us think that we need the stuff that they are selling us. Millions and possibly billions are spent on advertising and marketing to convince us that the products we have at home is not good enough and we need to trade up to the lastest product... usually because of the lastest look (e.g clothes fashion) or the latest facility to product provides (e.g. camera/video phone).

Edinburghlass_2

HappySad wrote:

Another thing about being green on a budget is try not to buy stuff that you don't need in the first place. The shops are very good at making us think that we need the stuff that they are selling us. Millions and possibly billions are spent on advertising and marketing to convince us that the products we have at home is not good enough and we need to trade up to the lastest product... usually because of the lastest look (e.g clothes fashion) or the latest facility to product provides (e.g. camera/video phone).

So you won't need the new phone with camera that you are looking for??

We actually need very little to survive but no advertising will make me buy something that I don't want or think might help me in day to day living.

HappySad

I must admit I am a bit suceptiable to the advertising. I am looking for a cheaper option for my mobile phone calls and I am being tempted by the lastest camera phones even when before I did not want one.

I am not influenced by the clothing market to redo my waredrobe every new season.

PetuliaGristle

Nature Boy and Girl nappies http://www.naty.se/frameseteng.htm are pretty good, I'd rate them as good as Pampers and cheaper than Moltex Oko. Boots and Sainsburys stock them.