Go Greener Tips

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div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=mother and daughters / iStockPhoto height=230 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/the_conscious_consumer/the_conscious_consumer-430376171-1241555518.jpg?ym.YjNBDorw5Ltug width=300//divpMother’s Day is the perfect time to reflect on all the valuable lessons we learned from mom (and grandma). /ppIn fact, many of the smart things mom has always done to save money and time are especially relevant today.  /ppHere is some of her most practical advice: /pp /ppstrongEat your veggies./strong Sure, she may have overcooked them, but mom was right about the fact that they’re good for you. Eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains (and less meat) is also good for the planet. Why? Raising livestock requires vast amounts of resources and is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/greenpicks/240/go-meatless-just-one-day-a-week.htmlCutting back on meat/a is also a great way to save money since it can be one of the priciest items in your shopping cart.strong/strong/ppstrongUse a a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_cheapskate/2/my-crock-pot-mean-green-30-recession-fighting-machine.htmlCrock-Pot/a./strong It may seem old-fashioned, but slow cookers are making a comeback because they allow time-pressed consumers to easily prepare healthy and economical meals. Some other benefits: Crock-pots use very little energy and can turn simple (and inexpensive) ingredients into delicious food. stronga href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/54/raid-your-pantry-for-nontoxic-cleaners.html/a/strong/ppstronga href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/54/raid-your-pantry-for-nontoxic-cleaners.htmlRaid your pantry/a for non-toxic cleaning products. /strongCleaning with baking soda, vinegar, and other pantry staples is cost effective, works well, and is healthier than using conventional cleaning products. Use baking soda to absorb odors (keep an open box in your fridge) or as a scouring powder (sprinkle some on a wet sponge and scrub sinks, bathtubs, and more). Mix distilled white vinegar with water to clean windows and floors.  strong/strong/ppstrongVisit the library regularly./strong Why pay money for books and movies that you’ll only read or watch once? You’ll also reduce clutter in your home and put less strain on the planet. Nowadays, the Internet makes book, DVD, and CD swapping easy. Some sites worth checking out: a href=http://www.swaptree.com/Swap Tree/a, a href=http://www.titletrader.com/Title Trader/a, and a href=http://www.swapsimple.com/Swap Simple/a.strong/strong/ppstrongTurn out the lights when you leave a room./strong There has been much debate as to whether switching lights on and off uses more energy than leaving them on while you’re gone.  Mom was right, though. If you want to save energy and money, a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/61/when-to-switch-off-your-lights.htmlswitch them off/a.  /ppAnd one bonus tip from mom: Only buy (take) what you need. Ultimately, consuming less is the best way to save money and protect the planet.  /pp /pbr /pemEnvironmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green’s users. Send Lori a a href=http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/green/forms/consciousconsumerblog.htmlquestion or suggestion/a for potential use in a future column. Her book,/em Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life emis available on a href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Green%2C%20Greener%2C%20Greenest%3A%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Making%20Eco-Smart%20Choices%20a%20Part%20of%20Your%20Life:3005209514;_ylt=AsLkIJyzfMD4G3Gl2OYYt_gbFt0A?clink=dmps/lori_bongiorno/ctx=mid:1,pid:3005209514,pdid:1,pos:1,spc:14489115,date:20081009,srch:kw,x:Yahoo! Shopping/a and a href=http://www.amazon.com/Green-Greener-Greenest-Practical-Eco-Smart/dp/0399534032/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8s=booksqid=1228865081sr=8-1Amazon.com/a./em/p

I’ve written about algae biofuel a number of times before (see links at the end) and it is definitely a topic that really interests me. I’ll be honest, the idea of growing crops – that could be used for something else – on prime agricultural land for the purpose of making fuel just seems a [...]

I’ve written about algae biofuel a number of times before (see links at the end) and it is definitely a topic that really interests me. I’ll be honest, the idea of growing crops – that could be used for something else – on prime agricultural land for the purpose of making fuel just seems a [...]

pI hate reality shows. However there’s one that’s just kicking off out in San Francisco that I’m looking forward to watching. You might call it The Frugal Farmers or Gardeners Gone Wild./ppThe challenge: Raise half the food you eat this year in a garden that costs absolutely nothing to maintain. /pdiv style=float:right;img alt=gardening class=img height=300 hspace=10 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_cheapstake/edible-garden-switch-tp-med.jpg vspace=10 width=230//divpAnneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson are the authors of ema href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Scavengers-Manifesto/Anneli-Rufus/e/9781585427178/?itm=1 target=_blankThe Scavengers’ Manifesto/a/em, and are the brain-trust behind what they call a href=http://scavenging.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-2009-no-cost-garden/ target=_blankNo-Cost Gardening./a They’re taking the challenge themselves and have thrown down the gardener’s gauntlet for you to do the same. They’ll be reporting their progress — the good, the bad, and the arugula — on their website, and I plan to check back in with them periodically here at a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/ target=_blankThe Green Cheapskate/a to see how their garden grows. /ppAnneli and Kristan describe themselves as full-time scavengers. We’ve made a lifestyle out of getting stuff (legally) without spending a cent, they say. My Inner Miser applauds them for helping to show people that gardening need not be expensive. Sadly, what started out as a way to save money (i.e. growing your own food) has, in our uber consumer society, morphed into a $40 billion annual industry of specialized gardening tools, overpriced seeds and nursery stock, and even stylish garden apparel. Do you really need a special wardrobe to dig in the dirt? /ppHere are some of the tips from Anneli’s and Kristan’s website for getting plant seeds for little or no cost: /pullistrongSaving the seeds from store-bought produce. /strong It’s amazing how often this works and yet how few people do it./lilistrongSeed swaps. /strong Various clubs and cliques of gardening enthusiasts hold a href=http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/exchind/ target=_blankseed exchanges/a or seed swaps, in which a group of like-minded individuals get together to trade seeds. /lilistrongSaving the seeds from the plants we planted last year. /strong We always try to let at least one plant of each type bolt and go to seed, so we can save its seeds and start the cycle all over again the following year./lilistrongGet old packets of seeds for free or cheap, then plant more than you need, taking into account the fact that only half of the seeds at most will ever sprout. /strong/lilistrongSeed sales at discount stores. /strong If you’re lucky, you can catch the right moment when some discount supermarkets drastically lower the prices of already-cheap seed packets as they approach their expiration date./lilistrongBuying expired and old seed packets at garage sales for very little money./strong Old seed packets don’t crop up too often at sales, but when they do, you can often get them for ten cents or twenty-five cents a packet./li/ulpCheck out their website for the details, more tips, and info on the a href=http://scavenging.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-2009-no-cost-garden/ target=_blankNo-Cost Gardening challenge/a, and stay tuned for regular rutabaga reports here at a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/ target=_blankThe Green Cheapskate/a./ppemLearn more about a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/blogs/organic-gardening/organic-seeds-organic-gardening-460227starting a garden from seeds/a./em/ppemJeff Yeager is the author of the book a href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Ultimate-Cheapskates-Road-Map-to-True-Riches/Jeff-Yeager/e/9780767926959/?itm=1 target=_newThe Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches/a. His Website is a href=http://www.ultimatecheapskate.com/ target=_newwww.UltimateCheapskate.com/a./em/ppstrongMore from The Daily Green/strong/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/organic-gardening-tips-460309?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgHow to Start an Organic Garden in 9 Easy Steps/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/super-foods-44030408?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg7 Superfoods You Should Be Eating/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Foods to Eat Organic/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/vodka-uses-460424?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Vodka Poison Ivy Cure … and 9 Other Weird Uses for Vodka/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/earth-day-money-savers?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg7 Easy Green Money Savers/a/pp /ppReprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc/pp /p

pI hate reality shows. However there’s one that’s just kicking off out in San Francisco that I’m looking forward to watching. You might call it The Frugal Farmers or Gardeners Gone Wild./ppThe challenge: Raise half the food you eat this year in a garden that costs absolutely nothing to maintain. /pdiv style=float:right;img alt=gardening class=img height=300 hspace=10 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_cheapstake/edible-garden-switch-tp-med.jpg vspace=10 width=230//divpAnneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson are the authors of ema href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Scavengers-Manifesto/Anneli-Rufus/e/9781585427178/?itm=1 target=_blankThe Scavengers’ Manifesto/a/em, and are the brain-trust behind what they call a href=http://scavenging.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-2009-no-cost-garden/ target=_blankNo-Cost Gardening./a They’re taking the challenge themselves and have thrown down the gardener’s gauntlet for you to do the same. They’ll be reporting their progress — the good, the bad, and the arugula — on their website, and I plan to check back in with them periodically here at a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/ target=_blankThe Green Cheapskate/a to see how their garden grows. /ppAnneli and Kristan describe themselves as full-time scavengers. We’ve made a lifestyle out of getting stuff (legally) without spending a cent, they say. My Inner Miser applauds them for helping to show people that gardening need not be expensive. Sadly, what started out as a way to save money (i.e. growing your own food) has, in our uber consumer society, morphed into a $40 billion annual industry of specialized gardening tools, overpriced seeds and nursery stock, and even stylish garden apparel. Do you really need a special wardrobe to dig in the dirt? /ppHere are some of the tips from Anneli’s and Kristan’s website for getting plant seeds for little or no cost: /pullistrongSaving the seeds from store-bought produce. /strong It’s amazing how often this works and yet how few people do it./lilistrongSeed swaps. /strong Various clubs and cliques of gardening enthusiasts hold a href=http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/exchind/ target=_blankseed exchanges/a or seed swaps, in which a group of like-minded individuals get together to trade seeds. /lilistrongSaving the seeds from the plants we planted last year. /strong We always try to let at least one plant of each type bolt and go to seed, so we can save its seeds and start the cycle all over again the following year./lilistrongGet old packets of seeds for free or cheap, then plant more than you need, taking into account the fact that only half of the seeds at most will ever sprout. /strong/lilistrongSeed sales at discount stores. /strong If you’re lucky, you can catch the right moment when some discount supermarkets drastically lower the prices of already-cheap seed packets as they approach their expiration date./lilistrongBuying expired and old seed packets at garage sales for very little money./strong Old seed packets don’t crop up too often at sales, but when they do, you can often get them for ten cents or twenty-five cents a packet./li/ulpCheck out their website for the details, more tips, and info on the a href=http://scavenging.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-2009-no-cost-garden/ target=_blankNo-Cost Gardening challenge/a, and stay tuned for regular rutabaga reports here at a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/ target=_blankThe Green Cheapskate/a./ppemLearn more about a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/blogs/organic-gardening/organic-seeds-organic-gardening-460227starting a garden from seeds/a./em/ppemJeff Yeager is the author of the book a href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Ultimate-Cheapskates-Road-Map-to-True-Riches/Jeff-Yeager/e/9780767926959/?itm=1 target=_newThe Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches/a. His Website is a href=http://www.ultimatecheapskate.com/ target=_newwww.UltimateCheapskate.com/a./em/ppstrongMore from The Daily Green/strong/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/organic-gardening-tips-460309?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgHow to Start an Organic Garden in 9 Easy Steps/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/super-foods-44030408?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg7 Superfoods You Should Be Eating/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Foods to Eat Organic/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/vodka-uses-460424?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Vodka Poison Ivy Cure … and 9 Other Weird Uses for Vodka/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/earth-day-money-savers?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg7 Easy Green Money Savers/a/pp /ppReprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc/pp /p

pI hate reality shows. However there’s one that’s just kicking off out in San Francisco that I’m looking forward to watching. You might call it The Frugal Farmers or Gardeners Gone Wild./ppThe challenge: Raise half the food you eat this year in a garden that costs absolutely nothing to maintain. /pdiv style=float:right;img alt=gardening class=img height=300 hspace=10 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_cheapstake/edible-garden-switch-tp-med.jpg vspace=10 width=230//divpAnneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson are the authors of ema href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Scavengers-Manifesto/Anneli-Rufus/e/9781585427178/?itm=1 target=_blankThe Scavengers’ Manifesto/a/em, and are the brain-trust behind what they call a href=http://scavenging.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-2009-no-cost-garden/ target=_blankNo-Cost Gardening./a They’re taking the challenge themselves and have thrown down the gardener’s gauntlet for you to do the same. They’ll be reporting their progress — the good, the bad, and the arugula — on their website, and I plan to check back in with them periodically here at a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/ target=_blankThe Green Cheapskate/a to see how their garden grows. /ppAnneli and Kristan describe themselves as full-time scavengers. We’ve made a lifestyle out of getting stuff (legally) without spending a cent, they say. My Inner Miser applauds them for helping to show people that gardening need not be expensive. Sadly, what started out as a way to save money (i.e. growing your own food) has, in our uber consumer society, morphed into a $40 billion annual industry of specialized gardening tools, overpriced seeds and nursery stock, and even stylish garden apparel. Do you really need a special wardrobe to dig in the dirt? /ppHere are some of the tips from Anneli’s and Kristan’s website for getting plant seeds for little or no cost: /pullistrongSaving the seeds from store-bought produce. /strong It’s amazing how often this works and yet how few people do it./lilistrongSeed swaps. /strong Various clubs and cliques of gardening enthusiasts hold a href=http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/exchind/ target=_blankseed exchanges/a or seed swaps, in which a group of like-minded individuals get together to trade seeds. /lilistrongSaving the seeds from the plants we planted last year. /strong We always try to let at least one plant of each type bolt and go to seed, so we can save its seeds and start the cycle all over again the following year./lilistrongGet old packets of seeds for free or cheap, then plant more than you need, taking into account the fact that only half of the seeds at most will ever sprout. /strong/lilistrongSeed sales at discount stores. /strong If you’re lucky, you can catch the right moment when some discount supermarkets drastically lower the prices of already-cheap seed packets as they approach their expiration date./lilistrongBuying expired and old seed packets at garage sales for very little money./strong Old seed packets don’t crop up too often at sales, but when they do, you can often get them for ten cents or twenty-five cents a packet./li/ulpCheck out their website for the details, more tips, and info on the a href=http://scavenging.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-2009-no-cost-garden/ target=_blankNo-Cost Gardening challenge/a, and stay tuned for regular rutabaga reports here at a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/ target=_blankThe Green Cheapskate/a./ppemLearn more about a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/blogs/organic-gardening/organic-seeds-organic-gardening-460227starting a garden from seeds/a./em/ppemJeff Yeager is the author of the book a href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Ultimate-Cheapskates-Road-Map-to-True-Riches/Jeff-Yeager/e/9780767926959/?itm=1 target=_newThe Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches/a. His Website is a href=http://www.ultimatecheapskate.com/ target=_newwww.UltimateCheapskate.com/a./em/ppstrongMore from The Daily Green/strong/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/organic-gardening-tips-460309?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgHow to Start an Organic Garden in 9 Easy Steps/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/super-foods-44030408?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg7 Superfoods You Should Be Eating/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Foods to Eat Organic/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/vodka-uses-460424?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Vodka Poison Ivy Cure … and 9 Other Weird Uses for Vodka/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/earth-day-money-savers?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg7 Easy Green Money Savers/a/pp /ppReprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc/pp /p

pI hate reality shows. However there’s one that’s just kicking off out in San Francisco that I’m looking forward to watching. You might call it The Frugal Farmers or Gardeners Gone Wild./ppThe challenge: Raise half the food you eat this year in a garden that costs absolutely nothing to maintain. /pdiv style=float:right;img alt=gardening class=img height=300 hspace=10 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_cheapstake/edible-garden-switch-tp-med.jpg vspace=10 width=230//divpAnneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson are the authors of ema href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Scavengers-Manifesto/Anneli-Rufus/e/9781585427178/?itm=1 target=_blankThe Scavengers’ Manifesto/a/em, and are the brain-trust behind what they call a href=http://scavenging.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-2009-no-cost-garden/ target=_blankNo-Cost Gardening./a They’re taking the challenge themselves and have thrown down the gardener’s gauntlet for you to do the same. They’ll be reporting their progress — the good, the bad, and the arugula — on their website, and I plan to check back in with them periodically here at a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/ target=_blankThe Green Cheapskate/a to see how their garden grows. /ppAnneli and Kristan describe themselves as full-time scavengers. We’ve made a lifestyle out of getting stuff (legally) without spending a cent, they say. My Inner Miser applauds them for helping to show people that gardening need not be expensive. Sadly, what started out as a way to save money (i.e. growing your own food) has, in our uber consumer society, morphed into a $40 billion annual industry of specialized gardening tools, overpriced seeds and nursery stock, and even stylish garden apparel. Do you really need a special wardrobe to dig in the dirt? /ppHere are some of the tips from Anneli’s and Kristan’s website for getting plant seeds for little or no cost: /pullistrongSaving the seeds from store-bought produce. /strong It’s amazing how often this works and yet how few people do it./lilistrongSeed swaps. /strong Various clubs and cliques of gardening enthusiasts hold a href=http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/exchind/ target=_blankseed exchanges/a or seed swaps, in which a group of like-minded individuals get together to trade seeds. /lilistrongSaving the seeds from the plants we planted last year. /strong We always try to let at least one plant of each type bolt and go to seed, so we can save its seeds and start the cycle all over again the following year./lilistrongGet old packets of seeds for free or cheap, then plant more than you need, taking into account the fact that only half of the seeds at most will ever sprout. /strong/lilistrongSeed sales at discount stores. /strong If you’re lucky, you can catch the right moment when some discount supermarkets drastically lower the prices of already-cheap seed packets as they approach their expiration date./lilistrongBuying expired and old seed packets at garage sales for very little money./strong Old seed packets don’t crop up too often at sales, but when they do, you can often get them for ten cents or twenty-five cents a packet./li/ulpCheck out their website for the details, more tips, and info on the a href=http://scavenging.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/the-2009-no-cost-garden/ target=_blankNo-Cost Gardening challenge/a, and stay tuned for regular rutabaga reports here at a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/ target=_blankThe Green Cheapskate/a./ppemLearn more about a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/blogs/organic-gardening/organic-seeds-organic-gardening-460227starting a garden from seeds/a./em/ppemJeff Yeager is the author of the book a href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Ultimate-Cheapskates-Road-Map-to-True-Riches/Jeff-Yeager/e/9780767926959/?itm=1 target=_newThe Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches/a. His Website is a href=http://www.ultimatecheapskate.com/ target=_newwww.UltimateCheapskate.com/a./em/ppstrongMore from The Daily Green/strong/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/organic-gardening-tips-460309?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgHow to Start an Organic Garden in 9 Easy Steps/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/super-foods-44030408?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg7 Superfoods You Should Be Eating/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Foods to Eat Organic/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/vodka-uses-460424?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Vodka Poison Ivy Cure … and 9 Other Weird Uses for Vodka/a/ppa href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/earth-day-money-savers?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg7 Easy Green Money Savers/a/pp /ppReprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc/pp /p

I’ve written about algae biofuel a number of times before (see links at the end) and it is definitely a topic that really interests me. I’ll be honest, the idea of growing crops – that could be used for something else – on prime agricultural land for the purpose of making fuel just seems a [...]

div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=mother and daughters / iStockPhoto height=230 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/the_conscious_consumer/the_conscious_consumer-430376171-1241555518.jpg?ym.YjNBDorw5Ltug width=300//divpMother’s Day is the perfect time to reflect on all the valuable lessons we learned from mom (and grandma). /ppIn fact, many of the smart things mom has always done to save money and time are especially relevant today.  /ppHere is some of her most practical advice: /pp /ppstrongEat your veggies./strong Sure, she may have overcooked them, but mom was right about the fact that they’re good for you. Eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains (and less meat) is also good for the planet. Why? Raising livestock requires vast amounts of resources and is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/greenpicks/240/go-meatless-just-one-day-a-week.htmlCutting back on meat/a is also a great way to save money since it can be one of the priciest items in your shopping cart.strong/strong/ppstrongUse a a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_cheapskate/2/my-crock-pot-mean-green-30-recession-fighting-machine.htmlCrock-Pot/a./strong It may seem old-fashioned, but slow cookers are making a comeback because they allow time-pressed consumers to easily prepare healthy and economical meals. Some other benefits: Crock-pots use very little energy and can turn simple (and inexpensive) ingredients into delicious food. stronga href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/54/raid-your-pantry-for-nontoxic-cleaners.html/a/strong/ppstronga href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/54/raid-your-pantry-for-nontoxic-cleaners.htmlRaid your pantry/a for non-toxic cleaning products. /strongCleaning with baking soda, vinegar, and other pantry staples is cost effective, works well, and is healthier than using conventional cleaning products. Use baking soda to absorb odors (keep an open box in your fridge) or as a scouring powder (sprinkle some on a wet sponge and scrub sinks, bathtubs, and more). Mix distilled white vinegar with water to clean windows and floors.  strong/strong/ppstrongVisit the library regularly./strong Why pay money for books and movies that you’ll only read or watch once? You’ll also reduce clutter in your home and put less strain on the planet. Nowadays, the Internet makes book, DVD, and CD swapping easy. Some sites worth checking out: a href=http://www.swaptree.com/Swap Tree/a, a href=http://www.titletrader.com/Title Trader/a, and a href=http://www.swapsimple.com/Swap Simple/a.strong/strong/ppstrongTurn out the lights when you leave a room./strong There has been much debate as to whether switching lights on and off uses more energy than leaving them on while you’re gone.  Mom was right, though. If you want to save energy and money, a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/61/when-to-switch-off-your-lights.htmlswitch them off/a.  /ppAnd one bonus tip from mom: Only buy (take) what you need. Ultimately, consuming less is the best way to save money and protect the planet.  /pp /pbr /pemEnvironmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green’s users. Send Lori a a href=http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/green/forms/consciousconsumerblog.htmlquestion or suggestion/a for potential use in a future column. Her book,/em Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life emis available on a href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Green%2C%20Greener%2C%20Greenest%3A%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Making%20Eco-Smart%20Choices%20a%20Part%20of%20Your%20Life:3005209514;_ylt=AsLkIJyzfMD4G3Gl2OYYt_gbFt0A?clink=dmps/lori_bongiorno/ctx=mid:1,pid:3005209514,pdid:1,pos:1,spc:14489115,date:20081009,srch:kw,x:Yahoo! Shopping/a and a href=http://www.amazon.com/Green-Greener-Greenest-Practical-Eco-Smart/dp/0399534032/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8s=booksqid=1228865081sr=8-1Amazon.com/a./em/p

div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=stack of clothes/iStockPhoto height=300 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/the_conscious_consumer/the_conscious_consumer-774838847-1241208299.jpg?ymrnOMBDW7SbKI1N width=201//divpWondering what to do with all the clutter you’ve cleared out of your closets and drawers? What seems like junk to you can be valuable to someone else so consider donating to one of the several charities that make it easy for you to turn your trash into someone else’s treasure. /ppSome ideas to get you started:   /pullistrongEyeglasses:/strong Drop off your old prescription glasses and non-prescription sunglasses at your nearest a href=http://www.sunglasshut.com/sgh/about.jsp#giftSunglass Hut/a. The company will deliver them to those in need through its work with a href=http://www.onesight.org/OneSight/a, a global non-profit. a href=http://lionsclubs.org/EN/our-work/sight-programs/eyeglass-recycling/how-you-can-help.phpLions Club International/a has a similar program. Contact your a href=http://lionsclubs.org/EN/find-a-club.phplocal club/a to find out where you can bring old eyeglasses or mail them to a a href=http://lionsclubs.org/EN/our-work/sight-programs/eyeglass-recycling/lions-eyeglass-recycling-centers.phprecycling center/a. /li/ulullistrongShoes:/stronga href=http://www.soles4souls.org/index.htmlSoles4Souls/a collects gently worn shoes and distributes them to the needy. Drop off your old shoes at a a href=http://www.soles4souls.org/about/locations.cginearby donation location/a or a href=http://www.soles4souls.org/about/shipping.htmlmail/a them to one of its distribution centers. An added incentive: Get 10% off a new pair of a href=http://www.soles4souls.org/news/2009/04-20/timberland-and-soles4souls-launch-nationwide-shoe-donation-programTimberland footwear/a when you drop off a pair of gently used shoes at one of its stores. If your athletic shoes are too worn out to donate, then Nike will recycle them into a material that’s used in sports surfaces, playgrounds, and new products. Click a href=http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/get-involved/individual-shoe-recyclinghere/a for Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe drop-off locations and a mail in address. /li/ulullistrongWomen’s work clothes:/stronga href=http://www.dressforsuccess.org/whatwedo.aspxDress for Success/a helps disadvantaged women get jobs by providing professional clothing, career development workshops, and a support network. Donate your suits, blouses, and other work clothes and shoes that are clean and in good shape. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing an outfit to a job interview, then don’t donate it. Click a href=http://www.dressforsuccess.org/supportdfs_donate_clothing.aspxhere/a for more details on what to give.  /li/ulullistrongWedding Dress/strong: Each year thousands of new and used wedding gowns are donated to a href=http://www.makingmemories.org/about_us.htmlBrides Against Breast Cancer/a. The organization sells them to brides at discounted prices and uses the proceeds to benefit women with metastatic breast cancer and their families. I can’t think of a better use for a gown that’s just collecting dust at the back of a closet. /li/ulullistrong/strongstrongProm Dresses: /stronga href=http://www.donatemydress.org/index.htmlDonateMyDress.org/a helps girls donate special occasion dresses to those who can’t afford them. Click a href=http://www.donatemydress.org/donate.htmlhere/a for a list of drop-off locations. /li/ulullistrongBooks/strong: Ask your local library, school, or hospital if they can use books you no longer need. Otherwise, consider sending them to the a href=http://glpinc.org/Web_pages/Book%20Donation%20Guidelines.htmGlobal Literacy Project/a, which distributes books to communities, libraries, and schools around the world. There are also several websites that are dedicated to helping you a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/daily_green_cheapskate/17/a-greener-and-cheaper-way-to-read-books-no-not-the-kindle.htmlswap old books/a into new reading material. /li/ulullistrongElectronics:/strong The a href=http://www.cristina.org/donate.htmlNational Cristina Foundation/a will find a charity, school, or public agency that needs your old computer, laptop, printer, peripherals, or software. Turn your old cell phone into prepaid calling cards that make it possible for overseas soldiers to call home by mailing it to a href=http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/shippingLabel_generic.htmlCell Phones for Soldiers/a.  Here’s a a href=http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/cell-phone-recycling.htmlist of other ways/a you can put your old cell phone to good use. Click here for a a href=http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htmlist of stores and manufacturers/a that will recycle electronics or search a href=http://earth911.com/electronics/Earth911′s extensive database/a to find out what your local options are. /li/ulp /ppThere’s always the option of turning your trash into your own treasure. Try a href=http://www.ebay.com/eBay/a, a href=http://www.craigslist.org/about/sitesCraigslist/a, having a garage sale or selling items to your local consignment shop. /ppWhat if you can’t find a buyer or a place to donate? Give unwanted items away for free to someone who lives nearby. Click a href=http://green.yahoo.com/earth-day/find-a-group.htmlhere/a to find your local reuse group. /pp         /pemEnvironmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green’s users. Send Lori a a href=http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/green/forms/consciousconsumerblog.htmlquestion or suggestion/a for potential use in a future column. Her book,/em Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life emis available on a href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Green%2C%20Greener%2C%20Greenest%3A%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Making%20Eco-Smart%20Choices%20a%20Part%20of%20Your%20Life:3005209514;_ylt=AsLkIJyzfMD4G3Gl2OYYt_gbFt0A?clink=dmps/lori_bongiorno/ctx=mid:1,pid:3005209514,pdid:1,pos:1,spc:14489115,date:20081009,srch:kw,x:Yahoo! Shopping/a and a href=http://www.amazon.com/Green-Greener-Greenest-Practical-Eco-Smart/dp/0399534032/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8s=booksqid=1228865081sr=8-1Amazon.com/a./em