Eco-Friendly Tips to Save Cash

1. Eat less meat

Meat isn’t cheap, and it’s not great for the environment, either. Seventy percent of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed to raise cows, and meat production results in more carbon emissions than any other protein. We’re not telling you to go completely vegan (unless that’s your bag), but learning to cook a few choice vegetarian meals will save money, add variety to your palate, and give the planet a helping hand.

2. Grow your own food

It’s nowhere near as complicated or time-consuming as it sounds, and it’ll eliminate the Sasquatch-sized carbon footprint of all those refrigerated trucks and planes importing berries from South America. Cherry tomatoes, salad greens, and green beans are the best foods to grow if saving money is the goal. For those of us who don’t have a garden, simply growing herbs on a windowsill can save hundreds in the long run.

3. Start a compost pile

A compost heap will save money on fertilizers, maintain soil health, and keep all those food scraps from rotting in a dump and belching methane (a greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere. It takes up to 18 years for a corn cob to decompose in a landfill, but only a couple of months in a compost pile. Plus, compost can be used to grow new food, making it the ultimate recycler—now that’s eco-friendly!

4. End food waste

Forty percent of food in America gets thrown away—that means 40 percent of all the greenhouse gases released by agriculture, food transport, and food decomposing in landfills simply doesn’t have to exist. A lot of the waste takes place in supermarkets and restaurants, but you can help out and save money by only buying what you need (think two carrots instead of a bag), saving or freezing leftovers, and repurposing scraps. Check out this article for more easy tips!

5. Install a low flow showerhead

Jerry and Kramer aren’t big fans, but we’ve come a long way since Seinfeld. Going with the (low) flow is an easy way to use 25 to 60 percent less water in the shower, which means big savings on the water bill. Most showerheads are adjustable, so it’s easy to use the low flow setting when lathering up and a high flow when it’s time to rinse. Most of them cost about five dollars—talk about a no-brainer!

6. Cover your pool when it’s not in use

Not only will it keep the water from evaporating and prevent the need for refills, but the pool will stay cleaner, require fewer chemicals, and reduce the need to run pumps and filters—all of which can save water and energy.

7. Change that light bulb

How many environmentalists does it take to change a light bulb? We’re not sure either, but we know they’d be replacing it with a CFL, or “compact fluorescent light.” Like most eco-friendly gadgets, they’re more expensive up front (about five dollars a bulb), but they use a quarter of the energy and last 10 times longer—so the steeper cost will more than pay for itself. With lighting comprising 13 percent of the standard energy bill, it’s worth the change.

8. Think about solar

People are so serious about solar energy these days that the US government now offers tax credits to homeowners who install some panels to supplement their energy expenditure. It’s not a bad deal, but for those unwilling to take the risk that the initial cost will pay off, some companies, like SunRun, SolarCity, and Roof Diagnostics, are willing to take that risk for you. If you’re in a state that they work in (and your roof gets enough sun), they’ll set everything up themselves free of charge, and shave at least 10 percent off the electricity bill by doing so.

9. Buy energy-efficient appliances

Look for Energy Star Appliances, which cost a bit more money to buy initially, but are more durable, more environmentally friendly, and will save cash on utility bills. An Energy Star clothes washer, for instance, uses 50 percent less energy and 50 percent less water than standard washers, which means big savings… over time. You’re patient, right?