While most people love the idea of being more environmentally friendly, many feel that to take steps towards becoming more earth-conscious would hurt them financially. And although some environmentally friendly measures can get expensive, especially when it involves needing to build new infrastructures, there are plenty of things you can do within your home or business that can help the environment while also having a positive impact on your pocketbook.
To show you what some of these options are, here are three ways you can be more environmentally friendly while saving money.
Get Some Reusable Water Bottles
Every person needs water to survive. But what every person doesn’t need is a new, plastic, disposable water bottle to open every time they get thirsty. Not only is this wasteful, but the amount of garbage plastic water bottles produce creates a big problem for the natural world.
Rather than relying so heavily on plastic water bottles that you use once, Jessica Booth, a contributor to Insider.com, suggests that you invest in a few reusable water bottles. Especially since basically everyone in the developed world has immediate access to clean, fresh water from the tap, there’s no reason to be buying and using disposable water bottles anymore.
Buy Produce From Farmers Markets
One category in every person’s budget is food. And while you might think that you’re saving the most money each month by shopping the sales at grocery stores, Nicole Spector, a contributor to NBCNews, shares that you can save money and help the environment by getting your produce at farmer’s markets.
By shopping for your produce locally, you’ll cut down on transportation that adds pollution to the world around you. And by stopping at the farmer’s market right as it’s closing, you can usually get even steeper discounts from farmers who don’t want to head home with any leftover product.
Limit How Much Your Drive Your Car
Owning a car can be very expensive. In addition to these costs, driving your car also creates more pollution in the world around you.
To address both of these issues, Steve Gillman, a contributor to The Penny Hoarder, suggests that you find ways to limit how much you drive your car. By taking public transit, walking, or riding a bike, you can help do your part for the planet while also saving money in the process. And because all of these options are going to be less expensive than owning and operating a car, you’ll be able to save money while you’re saving the planet. It also helps to reduce car crashes with less cars on the road!
If you’re wanting to live a more environment conscious lifestyle without having to sacrifice too much money, consider using the tips mentioned above to see how this can be accomplished.
