Go Green And Save Money: 8 Simple Ways

It’s time to face the cold, hard facts; the U.S. officially has the highest greenhouse gas emissions per capita than all other countries. While the pollution from large corporations is mainly responsible for this, there are certain steps a regular citizen can take when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint. 

In fact, there are many ways in which you can go green and save money in the process! That’s right; taking a step for the environment doesn't necessarily mean that you have to buy expensive stuff for recycling, composting, or just being a responsible citizen.  Some households might even be able to save a significant amount from their monthly or yearly budget if they start going green now. 

Right now, households might only account for a percentage of all yearly emissions. However, leading an eco-friendly lifestyle can also influence the behavior of major businesses and even politicians. 

Curious about how to start this responsible lifestyle for the sake of our planet and our future? Read on for some easy steps for going green and lining your pockets along the way: 

Go Green and Save Money
1. Use LED Lights and Bulbs

LED light bulbs utilize much less energy than the traditional incandescent lighting options. The difference is a whopping 75 percent, so this change is certainly not a minor one. What’s more, they last up to 25 times as long. 

Overall, you might be able to save around $75 on your energy costs per year just by swapping five frequently used bulbs. If you replace your whole home with LED lighting (wherever possible), the savings will only go up. 

There will also be a lot less hassle about changing bulbs, so you can relax on that count as well. However, make sure that the LEDs you get are Energy Star-certified or something equivalent. 

If the use of LED bulbs becomes widespread across America, this step could even save the whole economy billions of dollars. With the price of electricity soaring sky high these days, everyone is looking to do whatever is possible to lower that energy bill. 

We also recommend that you replace your incandescent bulbs as soon as possible--don’t wait for them to burn out. This way, you can start your energy saving right now. 

With the technology we now have, you can even choose LED bulbs to match the lighting of the old ones. If you’re looking for that soft, yellowish-white light, go for LEDS that fall between the 2700 to 3000 kelvins ranges. If you’re looking for a cooler, more bluish light, go for the ones between the 4000 to 6500 kelvins range. 

2. Unplug Your Devices As and When Possible

If you’re currently at home, take a look around and see how many devices are in standby mode right now. Chances are, you can find at least a couple in the room you’re in. 

In most homes, the television is the main culprit. Many of us usually have our TVs plugged in and ready to be turned on with the touch of a button (or a voice command to our smart home system). However, how many of us actually have to turn off the TV in such an emergency? We usually switch it on after a long day or even just on the weekends. If this sounds familiar, unplug the TV until you need to have it on for your next binge-watching session. 

Other electronic devices that might be idling away and wasting electricity include computers, coffee makers, microwaves, food processors, chargers, and your entertainment system. There are certainly some that you need to leave plugged in, such as the dishwasher and refrigerator. Other than the necessities, you can probably make do with having a lot of devices and appliances unplugged. 

The energy these idle devices consume could account for a significant percentage of your total household’s energy usage. The costs pass up, especially when you have to pay it out at the end of the month. 

Pro tip: Power strips that have an on/off button are a good investment in this case.

3. Reset Your Thermostats

Another useful step is to reset your thermostat when it’s time for bed or when you’ll be away for some time. In fact, there are now programmable thermostats that you can set up to get the most energy-efficient programming. They can lower or increase the temperature according to your pre-set schedule. There might also be some energy efficient manufactured homes that already have such features for saving and minimizing wastage of resources. 

What if we don’t want to invest in a smart thermostat?

Even if you just have a regular thermostat, simply setting it higher than usual during the warm weather and low in the cold weather can help you save on energy costs. Since working from home has become so much more frequent now, many Americans will find the manual resetting much easier than before. 

Even if you’re going to your workplace now, reducing the temperature burden can save you a lot of money in a year. 

4. Go for Cold Water More Often

Granted, you need hot water for your showers and baths (although keep in mind that they’re not very good for the skin). However, some of the major frequent water usage in your home might not require hot water at all. 

The two best examples of this are the washing machine and dishwasher. Most of the time, your clothes don’t need scalding hot water to get clean. In fact, you’ll probably get better results and a longer clothes life if you use cold or room temperature tap water. 

The same goes for most dishwashers; the pressure of the water should be enough to get your dishes clean. Scraping and even rinsing dirty dishes before putting them in the dishwasher is a common practice. If you’re taking care of this, the cold water setting shouldn’t compromise the cleanliness of your crockery. 

While we’re on the subject of doing laundry, it might be a good idea to watch how you’re drying your clothes. Many households are now using a drying rack or a traditional clothesline for saving on energy costs. Remember, drying takes up around 70 percent of the total electricity you use to do your laundry. 

There’s another aspect of saving with this practice. Not only are you taking a step that’s better for the environment, but air drying your clothes will also make them last longer. Plus, you won’t have to worry about all that lint that occurs when you dry your clothes in a machine. 

Heating water is a major energy expense, so we should do what it takes to limit the practice. In addition to using more cold water, you can also ensure that your dishwasher is fully loaded before starting a cycle. 

One more tip for the hot water showers; set a timer so that you don’t overuse the heated water. If the weather isn’t too cold, try showering with lukewarm or cold water as well.  

5. Make a Greener Commute

Your subway or car commute might be necessary for getting to work, but it’s hardly the most interesting or the most environmentally friendly way to travel. 

Why not switch things up a bit so that the journey will be less expensive, more in line with a green lifestyle, and perhaps, even a bit enjoyable? Some people might even be able to reduce their commute if they really think about it. Here are just a few easy ways to go about this:

Working from home

First off, you can request to work from home more often. This will work if you have a peaceful environment in your living space, a designated workspace, and the ability to stay disciplined plus productive in this setup. Many workplaces are now more open to the idea of remote working. 

If you can’t work from home for an extended period, a couple of days a week could be a nice compromise. This way, you can cut down on your travelling costs and emissions, while also getting some socialization at an outside workplace. 

Carpooling

Take a look at how you’re travelling to work. If you’re driving your own car, ask around to see if anyone’s interested in a car pool. A co-worker who lives nearby or a neighbor who works near your office might jump at the chance. 

Public transport

If not a carpool, try taking some public transport every now and then. Even if you have a car, giving it a break every now and then will reduce the emissions released into the environment. Plus, this also reduces the chances of your car breaking down or having other tissues which might be expensive to fix. 

Ride-sharing

Ride-sharing is also a good option, especially if you opt for eco-friendly vehicles on the app. This option will also save you from paying for your own car. You’ll be saving your time and helping the environment; it's a win-win situation all around. 

Walking, jogging, or biking

Is your workplace somewhere near your home? See if you can walk or jog there and back! This way, you get some exercise along with all the other benefits. If the distance is a bit longer, you might try some pollution-free ways like riding a bike. 

6. Reduce Your Plastic Use

There are too many single-use plastic items out there. These include plastic straws, Ziploc bags, water bottles, and so on. Unfortunately, most households use at least one of these items on a daily basis. 

The less you use all these, the less waste goes into landfills. Even though one might argue that the items have already been manufactured, reducing the demand for them will hopefully mean that companies produce less of them.

What you should focus on instead is getting reusable alternatives for such items. Below are just a few examples: 

• Silicon bags in place of Ziplocs; we can wash these and use them for all sorts of storage; in a drawer, in the fridge, and even the freezer if the design is suitable
• Steel, thick plastic, or glass straws in place of single-use thin plastic straws
• Beeswax wraps or paper instead of saran wraps; stretchable silicone lids might also be a viable option
• Reusable water bottles made of thick plastic, steel, or glass.
• Installing a water filter instead of getting water in disposable plastic bottles

Fortunately, it has now become much easier to get reusable items like the ones above. While they might cost more upfront, getting them means that you don’t have to buy such items again for a very long time. 

Of course, at times we might need to buy things like straws in bulk. A children’s party, for instance, would hardly have steel or glass straws. In such cases, look for a more eco-friendly alternative like paper straws. They won’t be saving you much money, but it’s still a more responsible decision. 

7. Severely Limit Single-Use Items

It’s also not just about single-use plastic, buy single-use items in general. The paper straws for a party are a one-time thing, but think about the paper towels we use on a daily basis. These also come in plastic packaging, which we rip off and throw away without a second thought. See if you can replace these with sponges, dish towels, and even rags made from old, worn-out clothes. 

Also, bear with us: the toilet paper usage in most American households is through the roof. Fortunately, we do have a green alternative for this aspect of life as well. Many people are now looking towards either bidets for washing themselves. This way, you only have to use a couple of sheets of toilet paper for drying off. 

All of the above might be small tweaks in your lifestyle, but you might be surprised at how your grocery costs come down. 

8. Buy Second-Hand Whenever Possible

Buying second-hand goods is a very efficient way to both help the environment and save yourself some cash. When you’re scrolling on social media or even just looking around at other people, it can be very tempting to purchase everything that seems to promise a better life. 

However, wouldn’t it be more interesting and enjoyable to get around the same items at a much lower price? They might be slightly used or old, but it’s surprising how much good dry-cleaning, polishing, or other forms of sprucing up will do!

Be open to visiting thrift stores, yard sales, garage sales, and any other platform where you might get great second-hand items. Once you get the hang of shopping like this, it will become much easier to get the really nice things at a throwaway price. 

The Takeaway

With all the pollution and strain on natural resources, our planet is heating up. This is evident from the natural disasters that have become increasingly common now. The severity of our wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and floods has become very disturbing, so it’s high time we should take a step. 

Consumers might not be as powerful as large corporations, but just following steps like the ones we’ve discussed above can eventually make a difference. It’s even more effective when these changes start happening at a national or even global scale. Everything you do adds up, so start with at least one step today and spread the word.