The Nest

What's Your Favorite Green Bargain?

Posted Friday, July 25, 2008 6:54 PM

It’s all about saving dollars these days, at least according to the TV anchors and NPR hosts, who seem to be talking about the all-time high prices of gas and food every time I tune into the news. Even though the headlines are dire, it actually can be good news for the planet, depending on how we all react to financial strain. Driving less, using less energy at home, buying fewer silly things we don’t need—these actions benefit both the environment and our bottom lines.  Already GM is reportedly thinking about selling or shutting down its Hummer brand, since few people want a hulking ride these days, and Toyota can’t produce Priuses fast enough.
    I just checked out the book Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth (and Get Rich Trying) by pop financial guru David Bach, and although some of his tips are common knowledge to the eco-obsessed among you, the book would be a great primer for people who are just starting to go green.  Here are a few stats he cites on how saving the planet can save you money:

Each CFL bulb you install saves you $45 over the life of the bulb
You can save $39 a year if you switch to recycled TP
You can save $2250 per year if you brown bag your lunch instead of buying take out every day

Although it seems to be conventional wisdom that green products cost more, this often isn’t the case (as with Bach’s toilet paper example—I’ve never noticed that recycled TP costs less, but I’m sure he checked his facts).  I thought I would share one of my favorite eco-friendly bargains in hopes that you will reveal some of yours to me.  For years I’ve been using Whole Foods generic brand conditioner (the official name is 365 Everyday Value).  It costs just $3.50 or so (or maybe it’s gone up to $4 recently?) for a huge 32 ounce bottle, and contains no parabens or artificial fragrances, and the bottle is made of 50% recycled plastic. (My obsessive-ness on these matters compels me to add that it does contain an ingredient called PEG-40, which the Organic Consumers Union recommends you avoid because it can create a carcinogenic by-product called 1,4-Dioxane, but because conditioner only sits on hair for a few minutes and isn’t rubbed into the skin I’ve decided not to worry about it in this case).  Anyway, I love that something so cheap can also be effective and green.  And I feel so smugly low-maintenance when I pass by all the tiny bottles of $15 conditioner to pick up a massive generic brand bottle that costs just a few bucks.

What great green bargains have you discovered?  Do you have any unique tricks for living green and saving it at the same time?