Having lived in California and Seattle in th past I recycled everything that could be. Now I live in Florida, Tampa Bay .There is no such thing as recycling. I have asked at many communities and they have no bins in which to put anything in and no pick up or a place where one could take paper, cans, bottles etc.Shameful don't you think.

I am 72 and on a fixed income. I recently have tried to go "green" and have found many problems. Cost being one of the top. I found the soaps, especially hand soaps caused irritation and splits all over the creases of my hands and wrists. Some deodorant soaps had a bit of a sting to them, altho some worked fairly well. Underarm deodorants were another problem. Some just were not effective. In just a few hours, I offended myself. Washing machine soap doesn't seem to clean as well, nor does dishwasher soap clean as well. I tried green cosmetics, but they are not as good, especially lipstick. The one thing I like about green products is their non-toxic ingredients. But I wonder if this is what also makes them not as effective?? I also have found that I have to order most of the green products because the stores in my area don't stock very many. This can be difficult at times and expensive as well. I want to stay green, if possible, but I am very tempted to go back to my old standby products..I have had to go back to ivory soap bars and dove to get relief from my painful hands. I tried castile soap and it really stings even before it started causing painful splits. I have tried other soaps as well and I have noticed they all seem to have a type of glycerin derived from plants and wonder if that is the culprit??? Before my going green crusade, I did decide to do something I can share and that is I set my thermostat at 80 for my air conditioner and living in the AZ desert that is something to get used to,, but I have done it for several years and it works. I have tried organic foods, but only when I can afford them. The fruit except for strawberries is not as flavorful, especially apples. I wonder why that is?? I welcome any suggestions. Thanks!

LOOKING FOR A AFFORDABLE GREEN HOME CHECK OUT WWW.RONKINGHOMES.COM IF YOU ARE IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA. RON KING HOMES ARE LOCATED IN HERNANDO COUTY FL. THEY BUILD GREEN CUSTOM HOMES..

1 most important aspect of buying green is never taken into consideration!! where does it come from if bottled water from Fugi comes to the States then what about all the fuel to get it here?? Buy locally

A year ago I began using a new product from Fuel Freedom International called MPGCAPs and within 5 tanks of gas increased my mileage by 2 mpg-from 14 mpg to 16 mpg. That is a about a 15% improvement which is what the company states. Also by using the product I am eliminating 75% of the bad emissions my car produced, which seems to me to be the real value of the $3/tank I invest by saving $$.

I don't worry about shopping green at the grocery store because my eating habits are already slightly green AND my lifestyle is pretty green.

I don't eat a lot of meat--some days I have a little fish or chicken, but not daily. I don't eat a whole lot of animal products, period. I don't go for a lot of packaged food, either. I let last night's leftovers serve as workday lunches in reusable containers.

I don't buy a lot of "stuff", period. I don't allow myself enough spending money to do so. I put it into savings and investments instead. I reuse, recycle and repair. I make do.

I do participate in our garbage company's recycling program--they make it easy with free containers to set curbside every other week and free pickup.

I don't have air conditioning; I have a box fan. I don't have a dryer (I use a clothesline, and drying racks in winter). I don't have an electric dishwasher. I use drip watering systems in a lot of the garden. I don't have a car; I use the public transit system to commute. I use compact fluorescent light bulbs. The house is landscaped for maximum energy conservation, with deciduous trees and windbreaks. I turn the thermostat down in winter and snuggle under an afghan with the cat.

I only buy bottled water if I find myself very thirsty in a place where there's no other choice. At home, at work, and at restaurants, it's tap water, preferably with ice. I think I bought three bottles of water last year.

I'm not perfect, and I'm not the queen of energy conservation, but I don't do badly by cutting back on my overall consumption and cutting back on my spending. Cutting back on spending almost inherently reduces consumption.

Certainly, "goin' green" can be expensive for may consumers. Our company recognized this challenge and decided to do something about it by offering exceptional quality products at wholesale pricing.

Now, "goin' green can actually SAVE you" and your precious budget some green of your own!

Pick up your F R E E ebook and find out what you've been missin':

http://www.Greener4You.com

Wellness to You and Yours,

Deb L.
MiracleTrend@aol.com
Owner/www.Greener4You.com

"Have You Gone Green, Yet?"
http://GreenerForYou.com

In So.California we have a store (chain) that has organics and green products often cheaper than the grocery stores. (Trader Joe's). I save a ton of $$$.
I spend less and feel better (more energy, less indigestion) eating healthy. Their frozen meals are packaged without the unhealthy plastic containers! Did you know that organic fruits and vegitables contain much more vitamins than non-organic so you can eat less and get more out of it!
As for gasoline, I know my next car will be hybrid, but I can't afford one, yet, so I drive a car that gets good mileage(25-35mpg) and minimize my driving.
On the air conditioning: Here, in the high desert we use humidifying swamp coolers instead of air conditioning. They run on a very small amount of power and water-cool the air. The big one we purchased works great even in 110degree heat. Friends who bought smaller ones, say theirs doesn't make it in highest heat...alas, this would never work in a hot-humid climate like Florida.
I guess "Going Green" takes effort and is a state of mind.

Marjorie:
There are many soaps on the market that are "green" and will not cause your hands to split and crack - anything aloe vera based is great.(And how much are you washing your hands? Over washing and washing in too hot or too cold water will cause cracking and splitting) Follow up each handwashing with lotion and you should be fine. (make sure that it is lotion derived from natural sources and not tested on animals - please)
The nature of our "bioenginnered" world will make most "organic" fruit taste somewhat less sweet but also, as we age - our taste buds change and sweetness of foods is one of those things that changes! Most commerically grown fruit has been bioenginered to some point so that it grows larger, longer, sweeter and brighter than the way nature entended it too (many of these bio enginered foods reak havoc on our blood sugar) - as well - some "organic" fruit is picked before ripeness to ensure its "shelf life" is alittle longer so you may be getting a piece of immature fruit! Pesticides change the taste of anything they come in contact with and since the creation of them for mass commerical growers - our tastebuds have "adapted" to them. Going Green will seem "unfamiliar" or "strange tasting" for about the first 90 days or so.
I wish I could help out with the cost issue but until we, as communities, get together and return to such things as city co-ops, community owned and farmed gardens - the cost will be high and will continue to rise as big government jumps on the "organic" band wagon (and it already has to some extent). I personally, will hock something if need be, in order to ensure that my family is eating only the natural elements (seed bearing fruits and plants and all natural forms of chicken, beef, goat and bison) from this earth and our Higher Power. I have put in my own garden and have chickens. I would suggest planting your own garden and hiring some younger folks to come help you tend it but I'm not sure where you live or if this is an option for you. The money you spend on the help will be FAR LESS than the money you will spend at the store buying "organic" or "all natural" fruits and veggies. Wishing you success, long life and happiness!

I too am trying to go green on a budget. The one thing I won't skimp on is milk. Non-organic milk contains so much hormones. That and non-organic chicken are wrecking havoc on our young girls. My 4 year old daughter use to drink about 1 gallon every 2 days. When I read that the earlier estrogen is introduced into a girls body the higher chance of breast cancer I stopped regular milk cold turkey. Tell me (for those of you over 30), when you were growing up were girls shaped the way they are now? Occassionally you might see a over-developed girl but now a days it is common to see size 0 12 year olds with D cups. Coincidence?

There are lots of ways to go green:
1) Buy locally
2) organic wines ....you dont sacrifice in price, packaging, taste variety
3) organic sheets and towels available now in lower priced stores such as Wal-Mart and J.C. Penney;s
4) energy efficient light bulbs may cost mre but they last longer
5) There are toxin free house cleaners now....Melaleuca, Young Living essential oils, Method , etc.
5) Hybrid cars run from 22K to 35K ....same as regular cars
7) grocery stores now carrying organic produce like rger, Wal-Mart, Publix.....the more demand, then price will go down...but not all are expensive like I buy organic soy mil...I think price is fine.
8)Chicken tht has no hormones or additive available everywhere.....so is wild caught salmon
9) people don't have to gorge themselves.....eat smaller portions but btter food.
10) water filters for sinks, fridges and showers everywhere and not expensive.
11) How about people also exercise more......you only have one body.
There is more but I have to go and teach yoga now.

I am SO SICK of this "Go Green" crap. Stop PREACHING at me about going GREEN! Who cares? Why has this become like some kind of weird cult? What is the point? I love the outdoors, don't litter, and conserve things, but simply because conserving saves money. I care about the environment, but within REASON. Far too many people in this modern world have become absurd alarmists. Chicken Littles!

Conserve water? Why? It friggin' FALLS FROM THE SKY!!! Come on people. Wake up, grow up... whatever you need to do. There is NO REAL EVIDENCE that any "global warming" is caused by humans. All of the computer models indicating long term disasters from global warming are just that: WORST CASE SCENARIO COMPUTER MODELS. Hell, forcasters can't even tell us what the weather is going to be 10 days from now, let alone 50 to 100 years from now. Get your heads out of your butts!

Environmentalism is nothing but a socialism/communism front.

Going green can be as simple as getting an energy star rated dish washer. The average load of hand washed dishes can use over 20 gallons of water! Compare that to only 7 gallons of water in a dish washer. Most people think that hand washing your dishes saves water but really it is the opposite!

Some great ideas here, we should all make an effort to adapt some. I've got to comment on the hormones in milk. Even if a dairy farmer uses the growth hormone to make his cow produce more milk, there is no way that it ever gets in the milk!! You have milk processers trying to start this story that it is in there so they can raise the price of their "hormone-free" milk and people will buy it. And because the public isn't aware of the fact, they believe it. Buy organic if you like, I have nothing against that, but if it is because there are hormones in "regular" milk, that just isn't so. It is just another scare tactic and minipulation of unspecting consumers by business to increase profit.

Looking to "Go Green" at an affordable cost? Look no further than GNLD's 100% biodegradable formulas which are 100% compatible with the earth! These cleaning products are so versatile that you can replace many, if not all, of your highly toxic specialty cleaners. Just to name a few...you can clean your entire home; wash clothes, vehicles, pets, dishes, hands, even your fruits and vegetables. They come highly concentrated, so you USE LESS, BUY LESS, SAVE MORE --and-- clean even more effectively! For more information, go to www.gnld.net/helenjones.

Go Green and save a LIFE ~~ yours, your children's, and our future generation. See GNLD's 100% biodegradable Home Care products. Just click on: http://www.gnld.net/helenjones (Go to "Your Vitality" then the "Home Care" section.)

Our company Green Clean Pros Inc. provides eco-friendly property cleaning and restoration services, all of or service use either green products or we restore surface such as roofs which extend the life of the existing surface up to 15 years. Our main goal is to keep as much property related materials from going to the landfills prematurely
www.greencleanpros.com

There are less expensive alternatives when choosing to "go green". It took us a little research, but here's a company that uses natural ingredients, ships to your door, has a bath and body line, home care line, pharmacy line and cosmetic line as well. It's a 20+ year old company with a proven track record
www.haveahealthierplace.com

One of the great products that is energy efficient and actually works is the Solatube Daylighting System. You can check them out at lightSObright.com They have the governments energy star rating and qualify for a tax credit through the end of '07. Solatube also has a solar powered attic fan that pulls the heat from the attic from sun-up untill sun-down and doesn't use any electricity.

I found a company that sells directly from the manufacturer. They are environmentally safe, very cost effective and safe for your home. I have taken all the toxic chemicals out of my home and created a safe environmental for my family - it's a wonderful feeling!!