Any ideas for getting greener??

[theegghunter]

I am trying to do my part! I use cloth napkins, have for years, hankies, cut up old, holey clothes for rags, quilts, etc, dry clothes on the clothesline when the weather cooperates.
I have pig fat in the freezer now that I am planning on reandering into lard, we grow a garden and I can. Of course, we have chickens!! Wanting to get another milk goat for butter, cheese, yogurt, soap, etc.
Needing more ideas on what else I can do to be "greener" or to pinch our pennies, as we see less and less of these everyday!!
Thanks for any help!!

 

[Tiramisu]

Use rain barrels?
We shut mostly everything down at night and shut off switches for multiple plug-ins. thats all i can think of right now, your already doing a lot though

 

[Preservation Acres]

I've been so smothered with the "going green" thing, that I've decided to go brown.

I'm considering killing a tree as a random act of violence every time I hear the term "going green."

 

[theegghunter]

Quote:
hehe...I understand!! I guess I am more of a "if it saves a dime" person than a "green" person!! I DO care about things in the environment, mostly because of my kids, grandkids, but I am worried about getting by till the next paycheck right now!!

 

[BarredBuff]

Keeping honeybees is a goodstart. THey help the environment, give you honey, wax to make candles and soap. You could install solar panels.

 

[Tiramisu]

um composting? unless you already do that...it doesn't really save money, but less garbage and free fertilizer and chickens can scratch through it and eat bugs and stuff in it.

 

[theegghunter]

Currently working on the compost pile! Chickens love it so far!! hehe
Looking into solar panels. Also would like to do some research on wind energy. Always seems to blow like crazy out here!!
Soooooo wish I could do the beekeeping thing, but I am DEATHLY allergic to bees!! YIKES! If I could find some way around that, I would certainly have them! Love, love, love honey, but paying what they want for it at a store, CRAZY!! Like I say...I am a TIGHT WAD!!
Keep the ideas coming!! Like the rain barrel, gonna see what I can come up with!!

 

[BarredBuff]

You could also drive a hybrid vehicle. Convert to CFLs if havent already.

 

[SallyF]

Quote:
I don't know. My DH had a friend who talked him into the honeybee thing. Three hives and I don't know how many hundreds of dollars later, the bees are all dead, the friend has one of the hives, and we haven't seen any honey or wax yet. In fact, we had to buy sugar to make syrup to feed the bees which all died. Ain't as easy as it sounds! DH also bought a solar panel kit to put on the roof of the garden shed so he could run an electric light in there. Haven't seen any light at the end of that tunnel either.

 

[HeatherLynn]

Quote:
Ok I have to laugh because I have said the same thing. The odd looks I got when I said I am Anti Green. Its like I killed a whole rainforest by myself. I think going green does not actually equal doing whats good for the planet, or your family. Some of the ideas are insane and lack common sense. You are doing great just by living a different lifestyle than many of the so called green people.

If pinching pennies is your ultimate goal avoid "normal " stores. I have found our local dollar general (really the only close grocery) to have some of the best deals on pantry staples. We stock up and only do grocery shopping every 2 weeks. If I need milk my husband picks it up on his way from work so I don't have to drive. We combine trips to save gas. Buy all your clothes from consignment. I get clothes cheaper than I can make them this way and I usually can get really nice stuff.This saves a fortune. Literally a fortune. Shop craigslist. We check it daily especially the free section. Check craigslist for rainbarrels. We got huge ones for $10 each. $5 in parts and we have a rainbarrel to match the $80 one at the feed store.