The three “R’s” used to mean school subjects: reading, (w)riting, and (a)rithmetic. Now they stand for “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” The current slogan has become a rallying point for people wanting to save the environment. However, these environmental practices are not new. They actually started in the 1940’s as a way to support the war effort. The phrasing back then was “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Regardless of the time frame, the message is the same.
Today, many of our efforts to use and consume less start with a focus on saving money. But whatever your initial reason for trying to do more with less, you’ve probably come to realize that the two lifestyles, frugality and conservation, are joined at the hip. Frugality as a money choice means that you try to get the longest possible use out of your possessions, use fewer resources, and throw away less money on consumable products. Sound like environmental conservation? It is! So how can you “kill two birds with one stone” and help both your budget and the environment? Make choices that will help you go “Green².”
Ditch the plastic water bottles.
Don’t misunderstand me. I am thrilled when I see someone drinking water instead of pop. In 2006, Americans consumed an average of 167 bottles of water each. However, they only recycled about 23% of them. That means 38 billion water bottles went into landfills. It takes hundreds of years before they begin to break down. And even then, they don’t completely decompose because they are made from petroleum products. On the money side, bottled water costs $1-$4 per gallon, with 90% of the cost in the bottle, lid and label. If you are spending $5 every week to purchase a case of bottled water, that cost adds up to $260 per year for a product you can pretty much get for free from your faucet.
Maybe you’re thinking “I don’t buy water, I just reuse the bottles.” I used to be that person. And it was hard for me to let go of that mind-set. But then I started to look at the health risks associated with re-using plastic bottles. I realized I had to find a different way to cheaply store water. Plastic bottles are constructed for one time usage. If you have been trying to save money by re-using your water bottles — which get dinged up through normal wear and tear and dishwashing — realize that this increases the risk that chemicals are leaching out of the cracks and crevices of the bottle into your water. Plastic leaching has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels. In case you haven’t noticed, there are still beverages available at the grocery store packaged in glass bottles, such as iced tea and juice. I purchased an eight-pack of iced tea in glass bottles with screw on caps, drank the tea, and currently wash and reuse those same glass bottles for water storage. Another advantage of switching to glass? The water flows better coming out of a glass bottle; it is more fluid because the sides aren’t caving in and out from the suction of swallowing. Many people have also begun to purchase stainless steel drinking cups to reuse over and over.
Get and use a clothesline.
I think I was Amish in a previous life, because I love hanging my clothes on the clothesline. I figure why pay the gas or electric company for a service that Mother Nature will give me for free. Depending on where you live, you can get anywhere from 7-12 months of free drying time by using a clothesline. The cost savings are an advantage, but sunlight also sanitizes and freshens your clothing, bedding, and towels. Many people find it comforting to sleep on clean sheets that were dried on a clothesline. Cost savings range from $100-200 per year, depending on your climate and type of dryer (gas vs. electric). Using energy to create heat is energy intensive, so the average clothes dryer will end up costing about $1500 to operate over its life span. There are some obvious reasons why someone might not be able to use a “solar” dryer, such as people who live in apartments or in neighborhoods where outdoor drying is banned for aesthetic reasons. Those rules may need to be challenged in these days of climate change and awareness. You might consider lobbying your neighborhood association to reverse this rule.
Bottom line: If you are trying to tighten up your expenses, some lifestyle choices you make will actually help you contribute to a more sustainable universe. How great is that?
Written by:
Donna Green
Family and Consumer Sciences Educator
Ohio State University Extension
