Ride a Bike Instead of Driving A Car
A great way to save money and help the environment is to ride a bike. 40% of all car trips made in the United States are under 2 miles, which could easily be done on a bike. Riding your bike is perfect exercise for your heart and a great way to stay in shape. It’s also great for the environment, because it doesn’t require any gas or electricity to get it going. Ridding your bike will bring you many benefits. You’ll be stronger, look better and save a lot of money on gas.
RIDING TO WORK OR SCHOOL
Its very easy to install some bike bags, also called panniers, onto your bicycle. These will allow you to carry your laptop, briefcase, and a whole lot more if you go for the full front and back wheel system. You can also go old school and get one of the little “book shelf” racks for the back. While you are customizing your bike, I would also install some fenders to keep the occasional puddle from splashing up on you, and maybe a blinking light or two for dusk and dawn ridding. Your daily commute can turn into a very fun part of your day.
Two great commuting style bikes are Elektra Amsterdam and the Trek Lime. The Amsterdam is only around $500, has a chain guard to protect your clothing, a luggage rack in the rear, and a headlight in front that is powered by your pedaling. The Trek Lime is around $600, has automatic shifting and a seat trunk that locks. Mountain bikes are more rugged and heavier, whereas “road” bikes are easier to ride but more fragile and more expensive.
THE FACTS
40% of all car trips made in the United States are under 2 miles, which could easily be done on a bike.
Green Beauty Supplies by Green571
Many beauty supplies already in your bathroom contain harmful chemical toxins. Most are made from petroleum and hormone disrupters, which make their way into our rivers, lakes and ocean after they are washed down our sinks. These chemicals have a devastating effect on marine wildlife. The average person spends $600 a year on beauty supplies making this a huge issue. Solution? Buy natural organic beauty supplies instead.
BUY NATURAL ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
There are many products that contain natural, environmentally friendly ingredients that work just as well and cost the same. These products are availabe an most supermarkets and health food stores such as Whole Foods. Here is a quick list of some of the more popular brands:
Alba Bontanica, EO Products, Simply Soaps, Avalon Organics, Kiss My Face, Aveda and Burt’s Bees.
THE FACTS
Learn more about the potential chemical toxins in your beauty supplies at www.ewg.org.
Green Your Baby by Green571
According to the National Association of Diaper Services (didn’t know it existed either), 18 billion disposable diapers end up in landfills every year. Its a difficult topic because the only alternative is cloth diapers which can be messy and need to be washed often, although they are cheaper and don’t end up in landfills. Disposable diapers are also very expensive, costing an average couple $2400 during a baby’s first two years of life.
If laundering soiled cloth diapers isn’t your thing, here are a few other tips for keeping your baby Green. Be sure to keep your baby’s room free of VOC paint. VOC stands for “volatile organic compounds”, compounds often found in paint that have been known to cause health issues including cancer. Be sure to ask for low VOC paint when you paint your baby’s room. Baby furniture often contains flame retardant chemicals called PBDE’s that can become poisonous when in contact with common household fungi. Be sure to ask when you buy your baby furniture.
BABY FOOD
Made with refined sugars, chemically modified starches, preservatives, and artificial additives, most prepackaged baby foods are little more than processed filler in a jar, which means that your baby is mostly getting mouthfuls of fillers, instead of the fruits and vegetables pictured on the container. Homemade baby food is cheaper and better for the baby. Pureeing organic vegetables is a great way to save on over priced baby food. Considering a 4-ounce jar of baby food costs between 60 cents to $1.20, you’ll get to put some extra cash away for your baby’s college fund.
THE FACTS
Disposable diapers are very expensive, costing an average couple $2400 during a baby’s first two years of life. Cloth diapers are cheaper and don’t end up in landfills.
Home Energy Audit from Green571
The best thing you can do to start making your home more energy efficient is to get a professional home audit. The results of an energy audit can recommend changes to your home that can reduce your energy bills by 30%. Call your local utility company to see if they offer a free energy audit to their customers, many of them do. The auditor will go room to room using infrared cameras to identify leaks, missing insulation, cold-air pathways, and moisture problems. They also perform a blower door infiltration test to identify air leaks. Most audits also include a review of your past energy bills and recommend changes that will make your home more energy efficient and save you money.
THE FACTS
The results of an energy audit can recommend changes to your home that can reduce your energy bills by 30%.
Welcome to Green571
Green571 is an online community for people committed to living a greener lifestyle. We focus on the benefits of recycling, the preservation of energy and fuel, the use of organic products, and the consumption of organic food. Green571 offers a daily newsletter with tips and ideas for living green and saving our planet.
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