Go Green Without Going Broke

Go (affordable) green!

When it comes to saving the planet or establishing a savings account, its not necessarily a catch-22.  These days, there are a lot of affordable decisions you can make that will lighten the load on the environment without leaving your wallet too empty.

Put aside your preconceptions that you need to be rolling in green in order to make a difference!  Today, you really can go green without going broke.

We’re going to group a number of actions you can take or investments you can make… all of which can add up to a pretty big difference.  Turns out there are a lot of little things you can do to save the planet.   Recession – be damned!

We’ve worked to bring you basic DIY tips for energy savings, and talked about our goals to go greener in 2010.  We can even be light-hearted with our readers on the topic.  In fact, some of our favorite posts include, “Why Not be a Lazy Environmentalist?” and “Grow a Pair for the Planet.”

Even though we have a great library of posts, its time to share some specific targets on the kind of difference you can make, depending on your level of investment.

But before we get started, we just have to recycle one of our favorite go green videos!

A lightbulb moment for those looking to save green

Yes Virginia, there are a lot of ways to reduce your energy consumption and see a difference in your monthly utility bills:

1.  Free (or Better)

• Turn off lights when you leave
• Program your thermostat during hours you aren’t at home, or overnight
• Unplug appliances not in use – including cell phone chargers and coffee makers!
• Pull drapes or blinds closed during the day
• Shut off water running when brushing teeth

2. Under $50

• Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LED light bulbs
• Buy a bus pass or tune up your bicycle for an eco-friendly commute
• Purchase and use stainless steel water bottles or travel mugs – shun paper and plastic varieties
• Buy (or make your own) environmentally-sensitive cleaning supplies

3.  $500 and Less

• Have a home energy audit performed (about $400) with EnergyStar.  This will give you information as to where to invest in weather-stripping, insulation and more.
• Plant your own garden or participate in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program
• Tune up your automobile
• Consider installing a Solatube.  You can bring in natural light and reduce the need flip the light switches.

Don’t click away just yet!  Yes… we are going to up the ante a bit with the $5000 or less category, but this is where you’ll get the most “green” bang for your buck.  Trust me – if you will be in your home for the next 3-5 years (or longer), you may want to consider investments at this level.

5.  $5000 or less

• Replace windows or doors- windows in particular can make a huge difference in energy costs (think about $3000 for 6 double-pane windows)
• Weatherize your home:  After you do an EnergyStar audit, you may need to consider weather stripping or insulation.  Prices range from $1200 to $5,000 up front, but you’ll see an immediate savings of 10-25% in heating and cooling bills
• Purchase new EnergyStar appliances.  Washer, dryers and refrigerators can save you 30% or more in electricity
• Consider a solar hot water heater system.  For between $2500-5,000 after tax credits and incentives, your water heating costs can drop by 70%.  That’s not a typo!

With spring just around the corner, thoughts are turning to remodeling and sprucing up.  Home improvement projects often include energy efficiency upgrades.

With tighter budgets this year, how do you plan to go green without going broke?