I can’t help noticing that many of the better ideas for minimizing our carbon footprint can also save us money.  With the economy the way it is, there’s never been a better time to go green.

The strange thing is that with all this talk about global warming, we seem to be getting less concerned about it rather than more so.  Perhaps there’s just enough uncertainty over how much damage we’re actually doing to make it easier to just keep doing it.  I’m guilty of this myself; I think we’re all becoming immune to the hype.  We can’t trust the “experts” because we know from experience that their findings often conform to their own agenda. 

But when it comes down to it, just how much damage are we entitled to do anyhow?  How serious does the situation have to be for us to take action?  Do we really have the right to do any harm to the earth, no matter how small it might seem? Do our rights of ownership extend that far?  In order to take this matter seriously, do we actually have to see the onslaught of global warming first hand (we are seeing some indications of it already, but apparently they’re not drastic enough)?  Must we always wait for a life and death disaster before we deal with a problem?

I think another big deterrent for many of us is that the most publicized suggestions for going green are so far outside of our abilities that it discourages us.  New heating systems are terribly expensive, while creating our own energy with solar panels or windmills is just too overwhelming for those of us without a science degree.  Most of us don’t have the money to just go out and buy a new energy efficient car, and we’d be uncertain about how to go about it if we did.

The truth is, there are a number of simple things we all can start doing right this minute to save large amounts of energy, and they don’t cost a cent.  In fact, if you start doing them today you’ll start saving money today.  And these tips have other benefits too, just see for yourself…

 Savings tip #1:  PUSH IT

 As spring approaches, there are three things on every woman’s mind (although not necessarily in this order); the economy, the environment and getting in shape for the summer.  You can make huge headway with all three by digging around in your garage and pulling out your old push lawn mower.

Did you know that power mowers leave more bad emissions than cars do?  It’s true.  The EPA reports that gas-powered lawn mowers produce5 percent of our nation’s air pollution! Various other reports make a host of other claims, but according to the most conservative estimate I could find, one gas mower emits the same amount of pollutants as at least eight cars running for the same amount of time (some sources put it much higher).  There are more frightening statistics about the various carcinogens you breath in while using these power mowers, all of which I found rather difficult to understand, but the bottom line is that gas powered yard equipment is extremely high on the list of environmental offenders.  And yet people are still using them!

If you were to start out your spring yard work using only non-powered tools you would immediately make a dent in the pollutants being released into our atmosphere.  In addition, you would save money on gas, oil and repairs on your power tools.  Furthermore, mowing the lawn the old fashioned way will get your heart rate up while toning your entire body.  It’s actually a great workout.  And as a final note, I could not help thinking that this would be a great way to impress a husband or boyfriend, if you were so inclined.  Remember, men are often most motivated by acts of labor. That’s how they show love to you (although you’d probably rather they do it in a much more romantic way), and therefore it’s what affects them most.  I can imagine how surprised and delighted my own fiancé would be if he came home and found the lawn mowed (this is something he and his friends moan and groan about all summer long). I’m certain it would not go unappreciated.

With all these potential benefits, why not give the push mower a try?  

 Savings tip #2:  HOLD THE BEEF

Did you know that cows produce methane while they digest their food?  I guess I would be gassy too if I ate grass all day.  But I was shocked to learn that our meat industry in this country produces about130 times the amount of waste as us humans! The Center for Science claims that the methane produced by the beef industry has the same global warming effect as 33 million automobiles.  Whether these numbers are scientifically accurate or not (as always, my search for facts was thwarted by the many differing opinions out there), it is undisputed that raising cattle for food pollutes the environment to one staggering degree or another.

We have other incentives for cutting back on beef as well.  Everybody knows that red meat has been linked to higher cholesterol and heart disease, but did you know that it could also increase your chances of getting colorectal cancer or even lung cancer by up to 25%?  That’s what researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute are saying.  Furthermore, red meat is considerably more expensive than white meat and most types of fish, so cutting back will produce instant savings to your budget.  And once again, with summer (and bathing-suit weather) right around the corner, the lower fat intake could mean the difference between going to that pool party or staying home.  And lastly, assuming you replace the red meat with more nutritious alternatives like fish or vegetables, you’ll start to feel more lithe and energetic, which will make it easier for you to get out there and mow the lawn.

Savings Tip #3:  GIVE UP YOUR SPACE

Since our biggest energy consumption is through housing, it stands to reason that we could minimize it by cutting down on the amount of house we use.  There are many ways to do this. It could be as simple as turning off the heating or cooling vents in one room and closing the door. If you’re not using the room, why use energy to warm or cool it?

If you have more than just a room or two going to waste, perhaps you could consider an even more radical way to save money and energy. You may have a family member or friend who could use a room for rent. I realize that the very idea of this is appalling to many Americans  – it would mean having to put up with someone else, or worse yet, sharing our personal possession with others. But this idea of combining living quarters is not considered the least bit unusual in other countries. In fact it’s quite the norm. And I happen to know from experience that the benefits of it can far outweigh the disadvantages. People have so many unique qualities to contribute to a household, and if everyone is doing their fair share it can truly enhance everyone’s life, as well as saving money and a lot of energy.  You could eliminate one house’s worth of emissions.

If you’re building a new home, this is particularly important to think about.  How much space do we really need?  People are still building incredibly large homes for only a few people. Some statistics say houses being built today are on average 45 percent larger than homes built a generation ago, in spite of the fact that families are now much smaller.  I just don’t understand it.  What right do any of us have to burn more than our share of energy when it means we’ll be sending more and more pollutants into the atmosphere?

Savings Tip #4:  A REAL TURN OFF

You can’t imagine how much energy we could save by simply turning off those things we’re not using.  And not just turning them off, but unplugging them too. Computers, chargers and all the other things we leave plugged in continue to draw from our energy source, even while we sleep. Most of us already have the power surge plugs (you know, the long strips with all the outlets). Simply plug all of your unpluggables into one of these strips, and then turn it off or unplug it each night. Once you get in the habit it’s easy.  This is also a safety tip, because although it’s uncommon, it’s not unheard of for items left plugged in to start fires.

And while we’re on the subject, a couple of other good energy saving tips for around the house are to decrease the temperature on your hot water heater, and during the day, open the shades or curtains instead of using lights. None of this is difficult, and yet it will save you money while considerably lowering the amount of pollutants you leave behind.

Savings Tip # 5:  RE-RECYCLE

Most of us are already recycling our trash, but what I’m thinking about here is a more personal kind of recycling, or more specifically, using stuff that’s already here.

There are so many ways we can save through recycling.  Shopping flea markets and yard sales is a fun and entertaining way to save money and energy.  Everything being sold at a flea market, whether it’s new or old, has already had an impact on our environment. It’s already here and therefore needs to be made use of. And it’s cheap. Yard sales, meanwhile, offer previously used items that can be quite unique.  Many of the more expensive catalogs offer items that are “distressed” to look like older stuff, but they don’t have half the charm of the things you could find at a yard sale.  Some of the most interesting pieces I’ve seen always seem to have their own “story” of how they were discovered at a sale on the side of the road and treated to a little tlc.  Suddenly they resemble something like a work of art.  Beauty (and usefulness) is in the eye of the beholder.  So look around you.

As a side note to this, we could all save a lot of energy by simply taking better care of the things we have - and teaching our children to do the same. There’s something to be said for appreciating what we have. We discard things too readily in this country, even in our poorer areas. Computer and gaming technology seems to demand this (I wonder why), creating an environment where equipment is obsolete in less time than it takes to finish making the last installment on it. 

Savings Tip # 6:  MOVE AWAY FROM THE PUMP

We must cut back on our gas consumption. Depending on where you live, you might be able to take the bus, ride a bike, or even walk. All these are good alternatives on a nice day or when we’re not in a hurry. They can really help all of us get in shape too!

But on the more practical side, I really love the idea of carpooling. Especially for “stay-at-home” moms who spend their entire days taxiing their children everywhere.  These kids are busier than the most successful Hollywood agents, with sports and lessons and school events and social affairs. The last time I attended a soccer game I was surprised how many parents were there. I’m sure there were three times the parents than soccer players. Carpooling is an excellent way to make friends while saving money and the planet.  And incidentally, if you can find someone to carpool back and forth to work with, you’ll qualify for added savings on your taxes.

This is something we’ve all been talking about for a long time. With what's going on in the world it’s now time to actually do it. With a little extra planning and awareness, all of us could start now to cut back on our gas use. A great way to start is to set a goal for yourself. Simply compute the average amount of gas you use each month, cut it by 10% or so, and you’ve got your goal for next month.  Once you become more aware of what you’re using, you’ll find lots of very easy ways to cut back.

Savings Tip #7:  HAVE A PARTY

When we think of relaxing or having a good time these days, we generally think of going out.  “I deserve a night out,” we say.  And going out can be lots of fun.  And expensive.

Have you noticed that people don’t seem to invite people over to dinner that much any more?  We just aren’t as social as we used to be.  There are lots of plausible reasons for this.  We’re all working more hours, parents are more involved in their children’s lives than ever, and thanks to all the talk shows, we don’t trust each other anymore.  I too was hosting fewer and fewer dinner parties until recently, when I fell in with just the right (or wrong, depending on how you look at it) crowd.  Suddenly dinner parties became a multi weekly thing.  And I couldn’t help noticing that, even though we were hosting most of the dinners, we are saving money!  Going out to eat, especially if you have wine or alcohol with your meal, can be quite expensive.  We’re saving energy by cooking for a larger group too, because instead of everyone cooking their meals individually there’s only the preparation for one large meal.  Our guests generally bring something to contribute to the meal, and they return the invitation as well, so we get our night out in the end.  It all works out really well and it’s FUN.

Savings Tip #8:  TAKE A STAND

It's discouraging how relatively sedate most people are over this topic of the environment. We get fired up over men, politics, the economy, religion and a number of other things depending on our experiences in life, but we’ve yet to get truly upset about global warming yet. Why? Well, I think its because we haven’t really suffered the consequences of it yet. Unlike politics, which hurt us today, we don’t see global warming as an immediate threat. It will be our descendents who argue vehemently about what is to be done with the problems we are leaving behind.

I really believe that individuals like you and me taking a stand now could have an enormous effect later. As we discover new ways to become more environmentally responsible, why not share them with others?  Peer pressure has always been a huge motivator, as all successful marketing executives know. We need to talk about global warming. Forward emails about it (or newsletters like this one) to as many people as you can.

There’s political significance here too.  As one of the most powerful nations, can we really afford to allow greed and laziness to become our national anthem? This matter of environment is a case in point. Much less developed countries are more globally conscious than we are.  By all rights we should be theleader in the crusade to fight global warming but we are in fact the worst offenders.  And I hate to point this out ladies, but as American women we hugely represent the consumer, because we do more shopping than anyone else (some statistics say women make up to 80% of the buying decisions in the home). We buy the lion’s share of food, health and beauty products, clothing, shoes, household products and so forth. This gives us an enormous power to impose standards on industry through our spending. The things that stimulate us to buy will be the things the industry does.

You might say that we are ultimately the ones to decide whether underage children in China will work in sweatshops or not.

When it comes right down to it, if there is abuse to the earth or its inhabitants in the course of industry, we are the oppressors, not the industries themselves. The industries are merely adapting to what we’ve communicated to them is most important to us, their biggest consumer.