[~Megan~]

We are moving and our new home offers a lot more opportunity for green living and frugal living. My conscience dictates that I live with one and the budget dictates that we live with the other. I'm looking for a harmonious blending of the two.

I need more ideas so please add to this list.

Composting food scraps and paper materials
recycling all non reuseable items
reusing glass and plastic food containers
buying in bulk
buying items made from recycled material and items with recyclable packaging
not having/using a dishwasher
using the dryer as little as possible (indoor and outdoor clothes lines as weather allows)
using a push mower (which has the added benefit of being quieter so I can mow with my kids around)
buying used items
using as few throw away items as possible
heating with wood
collecting free wood scraps by keeping a box in my trunk so I can grab free wood as I see it around town
using the hand-me-down system to dress my kids and self
making celebrations small
entertain my kids by allowing them to play outside at home and parks
using water collection (waiting for bath to warm up, rain collection)
gardening and using a CSA
food preservation
creating a food stash of sale items
placing the trash can in the garage so that recycling and composting is easier

 

[fek&fuzz]

I sew, so I took a bunch of my left over fabric and made cloth bags for bulk beans/rice at the store (make sure to double seam or they could leak) and veggies. I brought them to the farm stand last year, and they want me to make some for them to sell this year.

I also used left over flannel to make cloth tissues. I just pinking shear the sides and they don't unravel. That saves me a ton since I have to buy the supersoft tissues for when I have allergies for a cold. And the flannel is so much softer.

Those are the 2 things I can think of right now, in addition to all the things you listed.

 

[abharrington]

this is a great thread! i/we am/are doing the same thing. you have tons of awesome ideas already. for me, i have 2 rules.

1. always put things we need onto a "waiting" list

2. review the list often and try to think of ways to either make the items or find them used. (ebay has been HUGE for the latter.)

just this week i found an awesome bike at the local univ surplus property auction. all it needed was a little cleaning and some air in the tires. i also made some baby toys from food wrapers and scrap cloth...ds loves the crinkle sounds!

 

[Teenytoona]

Using cloth napkins, rags instead of paper towels and you can even do family cloth.

Green cleaners - Vinegar and baking soda. Use vinegar in a 50/50 water solution and baking soda as a scrub. USe them both together for really tough junk.

 

[hillymum]

Why do you think a dishwasher is not environmentally friendly? I read many studies that said if used correctly they were far better for the environment than hand washing.

 

[~Megan~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillymum Why do you think a dishwasher is not environmentally friendly? I read many studies that said if used correctly they were far better for the environment than hand washing.

It's not as frugal. Also we don't have one.

 

[willew]

Great list. This is exactly what I am working on right now, too. I'd add in homemade laundry soap and using less meat in your meals.

 

[~Megan~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by willew Great list. This is exactly what I am working on right now, too. I'd add in homemade laundry soap and using less meat in your meals.

Do you have a recipe that works well for front loader and hard water? I've yet to find one.

We already do several veg meals per week and most breastfasts and lunches are veg.

 

[ekortering]

More With Less Living by Doris Longacre. I just checked it out from the library (rather then buying it

). It's really hitting home.

 

[willew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Megan~ Do you have a recipe that works well for front loader and hard water? I've yet to find one. We already do several veg meals per week and most breastfasts and lunches are veg.

I have a top loader, but I believe all the recipes work well in front loaders since they are so low suddsing. This is my favorite website that provides recipes and information:

http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundr...rgent-recipes/

 

[willew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekortering More With Less Living by Doris Longacre. I just checked it out from the library (rather then buying it ). It's really hitting home.

I second this. It is a great book. Also check out the companion book, Simply in Season by Mary Beth Lind.

 

[amlikam]

subbing

 

[artparent]

reviving a brilliant thread.
definitely the ability to sew + knit + felt, make soap, quilt, preserve food in different ways.
composting to produce our own good, free, organic soil and reuse garden waste.
growing as much food as we can squeeze into a space - when we were in a flat we had a balcony and grew cherry tomatoes and strawberries in hanging baskets, for example! herbs in windows.
we're getting a rainbarrel.
using freecycle - you can offer stuff up and make requests as well.
doing trades with folks, or setting up a bulk-buying group, so you don't always need to buy so much to get a discount.
exercising in ways that free - i love running in the forest or doing yoga at home (youtube

)
we love our sumi stick, it is a piece of charcoal you put in a pitcher of water, and it (slowly) cleans the water. just throw it on your compost after. it gets rid of a lot of plastic for us!
rotating toys, if you have that many. we have an international rotation going on

as we have left behind things in canada. also, toy lending along with clothes-lending with friends + family.
finding out how to do more and more things yourself.

*

 

[MamaFern]

Quote:

Originally Posted by artparent reviving a brilliant thread. definitely the ability to sew + knit + felt, make soap, quilt, preserve food in different ways. composting to produce our own good, free, organic soil and reuse garden waste. growing as much food as we can squeeze into a space - when we were in a flat we had a balcony and grew cherry tomatoes and strawberries in hanging baskets, for example! herbs in windows. we're getting a rainbarrel. using freecycle - you can offer stuff up and make requests as well. doing trades with folks, or setting up a bulk-buying group, so you don't always need to buy so much to get a discount. exercising in ways that free - i love running in the forest or doing yoga at home (youtube ) we love our sumi stick, it is a piece of charcoal you put in a pitcher of water, and it (slowly) cleans the water. just throw it on your compost after. it gets rid of a lot of plastic for us! rotating toys, if you have that many. we have an international rotation going on as we have left behind things in canada. also, toy lending along with clothes-lending with friends + family. finding out how to do more and more things yourself. *

so many great ideas~!

can you tell me more about the sumi stick? its like a water purifier? im moving to a town with city water and looking for options other than bottled. this sounds promising. where do you get them? when i googled it all i got was Japanese ink info.

 

[artparent]

here's the sumi stick. i love it! it does take time, you need to leave it for a few hours, so i start water overnight. for summertime i may get a second one, we'll see...or just pour off the water to another pitcher for the fridge. i put the previous stick in our kettle.

*

 

[nerdymom]

using 'grey' water, ie instead of washing your hands with running water while cooking, draw a sink of suds and rinse your hands often. Then afterwards rinse off dishes in same water. drain or carry in dishpan to water garden. then draw fresh water to wash dishes.

 

[~Megan~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by artparent here's the sumi stick. i love it! it does take time, you need to leave it for a few hours, so i start water overnight. for summertime i may get a second one, we'll see...or just pour off the water to another pitcher for the fridge. i put the previous stick in our kettle. *

Where did you buy it?

 

[artparent]

well, i'm in london, england

a bit far away from oregon!

*

 

[almadianna]

Using a clothesline instead of a dryer... you dont use the electricity and iti s better at treating stains than any harsh cleanser I have never seen.

 

[Amys1st]

Most of my green ideas tend to cross over into the frugal ideas so usually it works out!

dishwasher- we didnt have for 10 years but its actaully more frugal to have one now. I hated having dishes pile up so I did dishes at least twice daily. Now I load the washer and wash once at night.

appliances with energy savings. Worth the extra money, should pay for itself within a year on energy bills. Also care for your appliances. Replace filters, batteries, etc as needed and clean. It extends their life and abilities.

Freeze- buy the largest one you can afford. New is better because the latest ones use less energy. Also, keep it full. The first few months as I was filling up my freezer, I would freeze cartons of water to fill in the space. A filled freezer freezes better.

stock up but rotate food and supplies. where you stock up the freezer, have some breathing room in the fridge so you dont have as my DH refers to in the back of a fridge- dead soldiers. Use what is on hand before adding more. Not only frugal, but cuts down on waste.

use cloth for anything and everything

menu plan so you can shop the sales, stock your pantry and also use what you have on hand all the time.

I hope this helps!