Helping the environment and saving cash don’t always seem to go hand in hand. When I go shopping I tend to assume the organic, earth-friendly products are too expensive and aren’t worth the hole in my wallet.  Now that going green is spreading so quickly, though, prices are going down on organic products. Planet Green has come up with a great list of “7 Essential Green Beauty Items For Under $7” which finds some great steals. Check out Aubrey Organics’ orange shaving cream for $5.48  and Perfect Organics’ cute shea butter lip balms for just $3.99. Now that’s a way to go green without going broke!

Posted by Megan Friedman, All You Intern

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The highest quality water may not be that expensive bottled spring water after all. Not only are those disposable plastic bottles an environmental nightmare, a study conducted by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NDRC) revealed that one third of bottled water tested contained some level of contamination, while city tap water is subject to much more rigorous testing and purity standards. You’re better off drinking from the tap, and if you’re still worried about contaminants, you can buy a filter, such as Brita or Pur.

SEE ALSO: Go green for lunch 

Posted by Gillian Aldrich, Features Editor 

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Earth Day has come and gone, but don’t keep it in your rear-view window! Making the switch to eco-friendly products is a great thing to do for the environment, but it’s not always easy on your wallet. Celebrate Earth Day all year round (and on the cheap) with this reusable lunch tote, which you can pick up for 79 cents at Whole Foods. They’re sturdy, cute and made of 80% recycled materials to boot. And by bringing your lunch in tote with you to the office, you won’t only be helping the environment, you’ll also be saving cash!

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Find eco-friendly shoes
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Go green all around the house
Unclog your sing with ease

Posted by Jayna Maleri, Associate Food Editor

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Home Depot has launched a new site that helps you find tax credit-eligible products that can help you save on home energy costs. Under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009, you can earn tax credits of up to $1,500 maximum per homeowner on energy-saving products purchased from 1/1/09 through 12/31/10. So if you really do need new windows, a water heater or other home improvement items this year, make sure to buy eligible products. Check homedepot.com and energystar.gov for details.

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Keep the right tools on hand

Posted by Dwyer Paulsen, Associate Style Editor

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I’ve never felt very good about using paper towels in my house.  Every time one of my kids tips over a cup of juice I have visions in my head of all the trees that have to give their lives for juice spills all over America. Not to mention that the good ones are kind of expensive. In my efforts to green up our house, I picked up a pack of microfiber cleaning cloths the other day.

Maybe I’m the last to hear about these reusable cloths, but wow! You don’t even need to use cleaner or furniture polish with them. Microfiber cloths are made from very fine fibers that absorb dirt, grease and dust, and they don’t spill it back into the air (the higher the fiber count, the better they absorb). They’re also a perfect solution if anyone in your house has allergies to the chemicals in cleaning products. You just slightly dampen the cloths with hot water to clean almost everything in your home. They even clean windows without leaving streaks. They last for several years—just wash them in hot water.

I bought Method microfiber cloths, which makes different versions for wood, glass, granite and stainless steel. They’re just $5 each.

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Go green all around the house
Save the planet in style
Slash your electric bill
Unclog your sing with ease

Posted by Gillian Aldrich, Features Editor

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Take a baby step into earth-friendly fashion by trying out affordable “green” shoes this spring. Look for environmentally friendly fabrics like organic cotton, silk and hemp, as well as recycled rubber. You’ll be surprise how cute and easy on the wallet the choices can be. Here are some of my favorite picks:

Payless’ new green Zoe & Zac line—Tigerlilly Espadrille Wedge, $26.99

Weekend Chic—Simple Shoes’ Caramel silk sneakers, $60

An updated classic—Keds Willow lace up, $55

Share the wealth—Vegan Charcoal/Soft Blue Stripe TOMS, $49
(For every pair purchased a pair goes to a child in need of shoes):

Colorful sandals—Terrasoles Lobo, $54

Work worthy—Rocket Dog’s Eco-Luv Mellowmutt, $49

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Weatherproof your look
Find affordable plus-size clothes
Spot Old Navy discounts and coupons
Best budget mascaras, jeans and more

Posted by Althea Guss, Fashion Editor

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I’ve officially decided to never again settle for plastic bags at the grocery store. It’s about time I jump on this reusable bag movement. So, if I’m going to use the same bag over and over again, it had better be cute! Some of them can get pricey, in the $20-$40 range, but I scoured the net to find the most affordable (and most attractive!) totes. Which of these do you like the best?

Gorgeously Green ChicoBag, $5
The design comes from the book Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano. (Hint: If you already have a copy of this book, enter the first word on page 25 in the code field online and you get the bag for free!)

The Jute Bag, $19.99
It’s 100% biodegradable, and conveniently comes in a five-pack.

The Green Bag, $10
90210 star Jennie Garth teamed up with Green Works and designed this bag. Part of the proceeds go to The Sierra Club.

Flip & Tumble 24-7 Bag, $12
It comes in colors like raspberry and lime, and rolls up easily so you can just keep it in your handbag at all times.

Keen on Green Owl Tote, $1.50
Can the price of this polypropylene bag be beat?

Posted by Melissa Fiorenza, Associate Editor

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1. Don’t just turn off appliances when you’re done using them — unplug them, too. Idle appliances, whether it’s your hairdryer, computer or desk lamp, still pull electricity. The watts used are small, but every little bit adds up!

2. Start using compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which are up to eight times more energy efficient and last longer than regular bulbs.

3. For your next computer monitor, go for a flat panel screen. It requires nearly one third of the energy used by larger, bulkier screens.

4. Only run the dishwasher if it’s fully loaded. (If you need something cleaned right away, wash it in the sink.) After the wash cycle is done, if you have time to spare, let the dishes air dry—rather than using the heated drying cycle.

5. Remember to use cold water whenever possible: while showering, brushing your teeth, rinsing plates, doing laundry and so on.

Find more ideas on how to slash this bill and others here

What do you do to cut down on electric use?

By Melissa Fiorenza, Associate Editor

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I always try and bring my lunch to work each day. Not only does it save me lots of money every week, it also helps me eat healthier, too. Unfortunately though, as diligent as I try to be, when mid-day hunger strikes I’m always in the mood for anything BUT what I’ve brought. A slice of pizza from the shop downstairs? Yes, please! A burrito from our office’s cafeteria? Yum. So to keep myself on track, I decided to start eating the meal I packed on a vibrantly colored reusable plastic plate. It might sound silly but I found it’s really helped avoid being tempted to buy lunch. There’s just something about eating from a “real” plate (and not depressing Tupperware containers) that really lifts my mood. Not to mention, I feel like I’m doing my part in cutting down on unnecessary waste.

The plate I have comes as part of a set from Target, but many other stores, including Simply Smart Living sell them individually for just a few dollars a piece.

By Lindsay Benjamin, Assistant Editor

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It’s never a good time to have to replace a major appliance. Suddenly needing a new refrigerator will always put a crimp in your budget plans. But, if your appliances are old, they’re drawing way more power than newer models that are Energy Star approved. For example, an Energy Star qualified refrigerator will use about half as much energy as a model built before 1993, saving you around $65 a year. Plus, you’re conserving energy and helping the environment. Energy Star is not a commercial venture; it’s a joint program between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. According to their web site, with the help of Energy Star, Americans saved enough energy in 2007 to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars. Go to their web site to learn more about energy-efficient appliances, as well as possible tax credits you can earn by using Energy Star products.

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