ConsumerWatch

(CBS 5) You can actually save a lot of money by going green! It makes sense if you think about it- it's all about using less stuff, re-using things, and avoiding waste.

Here are some tips to show you how you can save money and the planet at the same time. We call it Lean and Green.

We've tried to include only ideas that will save money, without a huge initial
investment. Some tips will remind you of things your mom did, or your grandmother, but it doesn't mean you have to move back to the farm. Many of the new technologies now help us save water, energy and time. And being frugal and thrifty is IN!

Some of these ideas will work for you, and some won't, but hopefully this will help you find your own green path.

Lean and Green: it's a win-win!

Quick Links

• At Home
• In The Kitchen
• In The Bathroom
• In The Laundry Room
• At The Office
• In The Garden
• Shopping
• Transportation
• Share Your Tips

AT HOME:

YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT VINEGAR CAN DO
Vinegar is totally underrated. Try using it as a cleaner on your counters- it WORKS! It really cuts the grease, it's non-toxic, and it's CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP. Just plain old white vinegar, full strength, and a rag- the smell almost immediately disappears. You can use it to clean the stove, kitchen surfaces, the bathrooms, doors with smudgy fingerprints- and you won't have to spend money buying more expensive cleaners. Lean and green!

LESS TRASH, MORE CASH
We all know recycling is good for the earth, but you can save money too. For example, in Alameda County, if you can recycle more, you could reduce the size of your garbage can and save on your monthly bill. Waste Management says, if you could reduce your trash, and downsize from a 35 gallon garbage can, down to the smallest size of 20 gallons, you could save $6.75 a month! The way to do that, is to recycle more of your food wastes into your green recycling can, and recycle all your paper waste, cans, and bottles into your gray recycling bin. Waste Management says recycling one aluminum can, saves enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours.

 Watch Recycling Tips

BRIGHT IDEA!
If you change five old light bulbs over to compact fluorescents, you can save $90-150 a year! That's according to www.energyguide.com.

SHOPPING AROUND FOR LIGHT
Not all compact fluorescent light bulbs are created equal. The Environmental Working Group in Oakland has identified the long-lasting lines of CFLs, with the lowest toxic mercury contents. Check out their green lighting guide by visiting www.ewg.org.

FREE MONEY FOR CONSERVING
Who knew? PG&E gives a credit on your bill of up to 20% to customers who use less gas during the winter, compared with the average amount you've used the last three years.It's called a "Winter Gas Savings Credit"! It covers the time between January 1 through February 28. PG&E credits you 1%, if you use 1% less, 3% if you use 3% less, and if you call you save 10% or more you'll get a 20% credit on your bill!!!

HANKY PANKY
Consider using a handkerchief, instead of tissues. Over time, think of the paper you'd save, and you won't have to buy paper tissues.

PAPER IN YOUR COMPOST!
You can put paper towels, napkins, and coffee filters with the coffee right into the compost along with your fruit and vegetable waste. Rice, bread, or old noodles- foods like this that don't have grease, meat products, or salt in them can go in there. More on composting in our gardening section. You'll be recycling this "garbage", right in your own garden and getting free fertilizer in the process.

 Watch Compost Tips 
 Watch Tips On Composting

ANTI BACTERIAL SOAPS
Research is now showing that washing your hands well with soap and water is just as effective as using an anti-bacterial soap. And the Environmental Working Group in Oakland says the chemical Triclosan, found in many anti-bacterial products, is a hormone disrupter that is showing up in San Francisco Bay. There are safe ways to kill bacteria – one of the simplest is using good old fashioned rubbing alcohol. And it's CHEAP. Rubbing alcohol = lean and green!

OTHER HOMEMADE ANTI-BACTERIAL RECIPES:
Kill germs without killing the planet! Use good old rubbing alcohol, or here are some other recipes:

Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide:
A study at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University says vinegar and hydrogen peroxide (3%) is a safe way to get rid of salmonella, shigella and E.coli bacteria in the kitchen. Put undiluted white or apple cider vinegar in one spray bottle, and three-percent hydrogen peroxide in the other and spray one immediately after the other. You can use this on countertops, cutting boards and even fruits and vegetables.

All Purpose Disinfectant:
The Ecology Center in Berkeley provided this all purpose disinfectant:
Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar, ¼ teaspoon liquid castille soap, and 3 cups hot water.

SIMPLE WAYS TO WEATHER PROOF
Weather strip your windows and doors, and use caulking to seal around ducts, bypasses and any other openings in your walls. This will reduce drafts and air leaks. For more tips on saving energy, go to http://pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney/savingstips/.

PUTTING THE DAMPER ON YOUR HEATING BILL
A good thing to keep in mind when warming up your home is to close the damper when your fireplace is not in use. And if you're using your fireplace, turn your heater down.

POWER VAMPIRES
Did you know many home appliances use electricity even when they're turned off? Look out for those that leak the most power such as TVs and DVD players. Plug them into a power strip and turn off the power when you're not using them. It's lean and green!

DRAPES
During the winter, it seems like it takes a lot to keep the house warm. One thing that helps is to open drapes on sunny days and let the sun help your home get warm. Closing the drapes at night, helps keep the warmth in.

DON'T BE A DRIP
East Bay MUD says if a leak lost 100 drops per minute, it would waste 350 gallons per month. A faucet leaking a small stream can waste 2,000 to 2,700 gallons a month! And if it is a hot water faucet that is dripping, you could be paying more for water AND electricity or gas! Replacing worn washers in your faucets will usually stop leaks. Fix the drips and save cash.

FREE STUFF TO HELP YOU SAVE WATER
If you are an East Bay MUD customer, you can get free low flow showerheads, faucet aerators and other cool things that help you save water. Go to http://www.ebmud.com/drought/default.html or call 1-866-403-2683 to find out more.

MENDING IS GREEN
Learning to mend a little tear, sew on a button, or hem your pants can save a lot ot time, and help you wear your clothes a lot longer. Making clothes last is green and lean!

GREEN GIFT WRAP
Re-use paper to wrap your gifts. You can use brown paper bags (print side in), old calenders or magazines, old maps, or even newspaper. Sometimes, you can re-use wrapping paper, that isn't too badly damaged the first time around. Save ribbons to re-use. Often, you can iron out the creases and it looks like new. Or skip the ribbon, and use an old greeting card picture on the box to decorate it. Use your imagine, and you will save a lot of paper and money.



IN THE KITCHEN:

CLOTH NAPKINS
Consider investing in cloth napkins at home. It doesn't have to be a big fancy thing and once you get them, you won't have to buy paper napkins anymore. You can use the same cloth napkins over and over for years. It won't take long for the napkins to pay for themselves and you'll avoid using a lot of paper.

MORE VEGGIES!
You can save a lot of money if you eat less meat and it's easier on the planet too. It takes a lot of food and water to raise cattle and other livestock. Beans or tofu take less time, and fewer resources to produce and they're a lot cheaper than meat. You don't have to become a vegetarian- what if you ate beans once a week? Or, think of meat more as a condiment- using it in stir fry and casseroles. Go veggie- lean and green!

COWS + GAS= YIKES!
If you need your meat, consider eating chicken or pork, instead of beef. "Substituting chicken, pork or fish for beef could be the biggest decision you make to reduce your carbon footprint", according to research published by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The researcher, Nathan Pelletier at Dalhousie University in Canada, says producing cattle for beef is a bigger contributor to greenhouse gas production than transportation and says beef is the big contributor to global warming, not just because cattle are inefficient to raise, but because cows produce so much methane gas which contributes to global warming!
Some specifics: Pelletier's study showed that producing beef produces 10-20 times more greenhouse gas than producing poultry. Further, he says it takes 2 kilograms of feed to produce 1 kilogram of chicken; but it takes between 10- 20 kilograms of feed to produce a kilogram of beef.

 Watch Tips On Reducing Your Carbon Footprint 

RAG POWER!
Use your old dishtowels and cut up old bath towels to clean up in the kitchen and around the house. That way, won't have to buy paper towels. You'll save money that way- and recycling that old soft cloth really works. It's more absorbent! Stronger than paper! It's cleaning the way your grandmother did- with rags. You don't use paper, and you save money.

SAVING WATER:
A great way to save water in the kitchen, is by keeping a little bucket in the sink. When you rinse something, or even wash your hands, do it right over the bucket to save the water. Then, you can use that water for rinsing dishes, or watering plants, to run the garbage disposal. Saving water saves money.
 
 Watch Water Saving Tips

VEGGIES AND FRUITS
Rather than washing vegetables and fruits under a running faucet, wash them in a bowl, or in your salad spinner. Then save that water to use on your plants or rinsing the sink.

 Watch Water Saving Tips

COOKING TIPS TO SAVE MONEY AND ENERGY
These tips come from Janeed Antoine, a Bay Area greenie. She says:
-Cook multiple meals, especially in the oven, to use less energy. Freeze or share/swap extra meals. That saves cooking time and labor.
-Adapt recipes to microwave cooking, which uses less energy than the oven. Vegetables like potatoes and corn don't have to be boiled in lots of water and they cook faster. Use glass dishes and covers to cook healthier and faster.
-Pressure cookers cook more quickly than regular pots and use less energy. The new models are safer than grandma's too.

NICE COLD WATER
Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator, and pour yourself a cup when you're thirsty, rather than buying plastic bottles of water, or running water from the faucet. Saves water!

DISHWASHER SAAVY
Cut your electricity bill by one percent, by running the dishwasher when it's full and turning off the dry cycle. And try to run it in off-peak hours to save bucks. This tip from the California Energy Commission. For more tips on the Internet, go to www.ConsumerEnergyCenter.org

THERMOS = SAVE BUCKS
This tip comes from Janeen Antoine, a Bay Area greenie. After you boil water, she suggests using a thermos to store it, so it'll still be hot later. Same thing with coffee- after making it, store it in a thermos to keep it warm.
Save energy and BUCKS!

TAKE LEFTOVERS FOR LUNCH
You've paid for those leftovers in your refrigerator, so don't just think of it as food you didn't eat, think of it as MONEY. It only takes a few minutes to pack it up to take to work for lunch, and it costs a lot to buy lunch. Or eat it at home- but the point is- use your leftovers. Lean and green.

GETTING RID OF ANTS
Ever have a problem with ants? Try using baby powder to get rid of them- they just hate it- try it and watch what happens. First, vacuum them up (ok, that seems mean, but hey- it's you or them). Dust a little baby powder along their trail and be sure to follow it back to the points where they're entering your house. And this is CRUCIAL: use caulking to close up the cracks where they get in.

THE ANTS ARE STILL MAKING ME CRAZY
If baby powder, and caulking does not work, you can now buy traps to kill ants that use boric acid  mixed with a sweetener, instead of harsh pesticides. There is one called Liquid Ant Bait Killer sold by Gardens Alive! (you can find it online). The ants carry the bait back to the colony and after a few days- they're goners.

SAVINGS IN THE OVEN
Use the self-cleaning feature on your oven only when you really need to. A good idea is to start the self-cleaning cycle right after you have used the oven so you can use up the heat that's already inside. For more tips on saving energy, go to: http://pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney/savingstips/

DON'T WASH TWICE
If you have a relatively new dishwasher, don't waste water twice by prewashing your dishes by hand. Just put them in the dishwasher. They should come out clean. Save water, save money!

A FULL LOAD IS A GREEN LOAD
If you use a dishwasher, run it only when you have a full load. Scrape off food and avoid using extra water to rinse dishes before you load them in. Air dry instead of heat dry whenever possible. It'll wash away a good chunk of your power bill. Find more ways to save energy at http://pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney/savingstips/.

IF YOU WASH BY HAND
If you are washing dishes by hand, use a tub of hot soapy water. Fill a second tub for rinsing. Make sure your faucet has an aerator to reduce water flow. It will produce a stream that is just as good for washing dishes, hands, or fruits and veggies.

LITTLE LABELS = BIG PROBLEMS
Those little labels glued onto your fruit- like apples and bananas are gumming up the works at the water treatment plants! They may be tiny, but they are causing real problems, according to East Bay MUD. So, you can help us all save a lot of time, hence money, if you take them off and throw them in the garbage- don't let them go down the garbage disposal.

TOMATOES FOR THE YEAR!!
When your garden produces extra tomatoes, don't waste them! You can freeze them whole in tupperware and use them through the winter in soups and stews. Or you can can them, just like your grandmother did. Some boxes of canning jars at the grocery store have the instructions right on them so you can enjoy your tomatoes all year around.

CAN IT!
Canning is back in! You can save some of that good stuff from your garden for the winter months, and save money. Particularly with high acid foods like fruits, and tomatoes, the risk is low and you can can with a hot water bath- directions are right on the box of glass jars at the grocery stores.

CAN IT SAFELY!
One risk you may not know about – the lids that come with most commercial cans are coated with epoxy resins that often contain bisphenol-A (BPA), an industrial chemical classified as a hormone disruptor. These are troublesome chemicals linked to reproductive and developmental problems. If the canned food comes in contact with the lid, the chemical can leach in. Organic Gardening Magazine suggests getting BPA-free lids, for example lids made by a German company, "Weck". You can order online at weckcanning.com.

IN THE BATHROOM:

WATER SAVER:
If you're shaving, instead of letting the hot water run, fill the basin with hot water and rinse that way. You can save a lot of water and that means money.

RE-USING THOSE DISPOSABLE RAZORS
Before you throw away those disposable razors, try this. Save a bunch of them, and throw them into boiling water. The water washes off the soap residue and gunk, and you can use the razors again. Usually, the razor hasn't really been dulled, it's just clogged up with soap residue. Use the razors again and again and SAVE BUCKS.

GETTING THE LAST LITTLE BIT OUT OF THOSE TUBES AND BOTTLES
Waste not, want not. Before you throw out that tube of sunscreen, hair conditioner or another expensive product, get out some scissors, and cut the tube open on the bottom. Then you can squeeze the tube or bottle so you can get the rest of the stuff out of it. You'll be surprized how much more is in there. And remember- you paid for that!  This tip from the rangers at Redwood Regional Park in Oakland.

BEAUTY IN A BOTTLE AND CHEAP!
For the ladies- if you spend a fortune on moisturing creams, here's a way to stretch your money,and be green at the same time.
Try getting Jojoba oil at your health store or on the natural section of your grocery store.   It's natural and simple and is easily absorbed by your skin.. Use it as a moisturizer for the face or body, make-up remover or cleansing oil for your skin, lip balm for those chapped lips, to silk up the hair if added to conditioner. Last time we checked, a bottle only cost about $12 and lasts FOREVER.

TURN OFF THE FAUCET!
Water costs money. Turn off the faucet when you're brushing your teeth. A standard faucet uses an average of 2 gallons of water EVERY MINUTE! That's according to the state's official drought website. East Bay MUD says you can save 10 – 20 gallons a day just by turning off the faucet when you brush. For more ideas go to: http://www.water.ca.gov/drought/assist/save20 or http://www.ebmud.com/drought.

BUCKETS OF SAVINGS
During the drought, every gallon of water counts. When you're warming up the shower, turn the hot water on first by itself, to get it to the shower.
Put a bucket in your shower to catch the water while it heats up. You can save up to a couple of gallons that way to use in your yard.

TOILET LEAKS DRAIN YOUR CHECKBOOK!
East Bay MUD points out that leaks can use up to 30% of your water use in the house- and it says toilets are the worst culprits! A running toilet can waste two gallons of water per minute! A silent leak in a toilet could use up to 7,000 gallons of water in a month! Often the problem is that the parts in the tank just get old and wear out- for example, the flapper valves stop sealing effectively. To see a video on how to fix toilet leaks, go to www.ebmud.com and look for it's Drought Help Center.

SINGING IN THE SHOWER
Make it a really short song. To really save water, take a military shower. Rinse off, then turn off the water. Soap up, then turn the shower and rinse off. Watch your water bill drop.

SOAP
Buy bars of soap instead of bottles of liquid hand soap. That way, you're not paying for water, but more importantly, you avoid buying a plastic bottle.

BEAUTY IN A BOTTLE AND CHEAP!
Jojoba oil has it going on, all the way down the beauty aisle. Natural and simple. Use it as a moisturizer for the face or body, make-up remover or cleansing oil for your skin, lip balm for those chapped lips, to silk up the hair if added to conditioner.  Find it in health food stores and the natural sections of grocery stores.

FRESHEN THE AIR
Instead of buying chemical air fresheners, open the window. Or if you're in a closed bathroom, try lighting a match. People joke about it, but it works.

ROUGHING IT ON THE TOILET
Save trees, by using toilet tissue made with recycled paper. To make soft, fluffy, luxury toilet tissue, paper companies have to use virgin trees, sometimes even old growth forests. Tissue from recycled paper doesn't have that same plush feel. Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Fund are beginning a campaign to get people to stop using luxury toilet tissues and save trees. Allen Hershkowitz, the Senior Scientist for the Natural Resources Defense Fund asserts "No forest of any kind should be used to make toilet paper. Toilet paper made from trees should be phased out in the same way we're phasing out the use of incandescent light bulbs.
Seventh Generation, one of the first companies to use post consumer recycled paper in it's products, states on it's packaging: "if every household in u.s. replaced a 4 pack of 400 sheet virgin fiber bathroom tissue, with 100% recycled paper, we would save 1,450,000 trees, and 523 million gallons of water.

PLUGGED DRAINS
Some of the most toxic chemicals people use in their homes are for unplugging drains. Just read the warnings on the label about the ingredients, and then think about those chemicals going down the drain. Water treatment plants don't stop every toxic, and some end up in San Francisco Bay. Before you use chemicals on a sink, try using the plunger first to loosen up the gunk in the pipes. If that doesn't work, try using a "snake", a tool which you can rent from some city's tool libraries for free. If it's sink drain, sometimes you can clear it, by unscrewing the drain stopper, and cleaning out the opening of the drain with old toothbrush.

MORE RECIPES FOR NON-TOXIC CLEANERS:
Make your own non-toxic household cleaning products. You'll save money, protect your family's health and because water treatment plants fail to treat many toxic chemicals that wash down the drain, you'll be reducing Bay pollution! These recipes from Save the Bay, and to find out more about how to protect and restore the bay go to www.saveSFbay.org.

FOR CLEANING DRAINS:
Some of the most toxic cleaners Americans use are for cleaning drains. Here's a recipe from Save the Bay that is non toxic: ½ cup baking soda, 1 cup white vinegar, 4 c boiling water- pour baking soda into drain and add vinegar- then add boiling water after baking soda is mostly done fizzing.

FOR CLEANING TOILETS:
You can use vinegar to clean the toilet. Or, here's a non-toxic cleaner from Save the Bay in Oakland: One cup Borax, let sit overnight, scrub with a non-toxic cleaner like 7th gen cleaner or Dr. Bronner's.

SOFT SCRUB BATHROOM CLEANER:
Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough eco-friendly liquid detergent to create a frosting-like texture. Use a sponge to wash the surface. Rinse. Learn more about how to protect and restore the Bay at www.saveSFbay.org.

YOUR OWN NON TOXIC HOUSECLEANING KIT:
Here are more do-it-yourself  cleaners that are cheap, healthy and  environmentally friendly. All you need to have to make all these cleaners are:  borax, baking soda, white vinegar and lemon juice. These tips and more can be found at http://www.SustainLane.com/

All purpose cleaner - Add 4 T baking soda to 1 quart warm water in a bucket. You can also try just baking soda on a damp sponge. It is slightly gritty and works well on a stove top.

Glass Cleaner - Mix 1 T white vinegar or lemon juice and 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray on a cloth or wad of newspaper to use.

Rug deodorizer - Sprinkle baking soda directly on rug, wait 15 minutes and vacuum.

Pet urine stain remover - Mix a solution of 1/2 water and 1/2 white vinegar. Soak into stained area and work into stain with a brush. Let dry.

Fabric softener - Add 1/4 cup of baking soda or white vinegar to wash cycle.

Drain cleaner - First remove all hair and other built-up particles. Add 1/2 C. of baking soda followed by 1/2 C. of vinegar; cover and wait a few minutes. Follow with some boiling water.

Toilet bowl cleaner - Scrub with a paste of borax and lemon juice. Let sit as long as possible (2 hours is ideal). This removes stains and makes your toilet bowl fresh.


IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM:

RETRO SOLAR POWER
Did you know that among your appliances, your clothes dryer is the second biggest user of energy next to your refrigerator. It costs about $85 a year to run it, according to the California Energy Commission. So here's an idea: remember how your grandmother used to dry the laundry? You can get fold up racks… or put up and old fashioned clothes line and use solar power to dry your clothes outside. You'll save on your electricity bill and your clothes smell so good.

COLD IS BOLD
If you wash your clothes with cold water, you can save a lot of money. 80- 90% of the energy used in a conventional top-load washer, goes to heat the water. Most regular clothes are just fine washed with cold water and you can buy clothes detergent designed for washing in cold water, and those detergents use chemicals that are easier on the environment as well. Lean and green- and still clean! For more go to: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/laundry.html.

CLEAN, LEAN AND GREEN
Do all of your clothes need to be washed after one wearing? Are there some you can wear one more time, or touch up with an iron to get another wearing before putting in the wash?

FULLER IS CHEAPER
Use energy wisely when washing clothes by doing full loads. Why use energy when you don't really need to? Get the most out of your laundry time by doing only full loads of clothes in the washer and dryer.

CLEAN IS GREEN
Give your clothes dryer a hand by cleaning the lint trap after every use, and check the dryer vent for any clogging. It'll work better and use energy more efficiently.

DRY CLEAN THE NON TOXIC WAY
Dry Cleaners in California are converting over to more earth friendly methods, that do not use toxic chemicals. These green cleaners are available now, and when you walk into them, there is no chemical smell!  The cost at these cleaners is comparable. The California Air Resources Board will begin to phase out the use of the toxic solvent perchloroethylene in 2011, banning dry cleaners from buying machines that rely on it. State health experts say causes a variety of cancers. The state's 3,400 dry cleaners who now use it must get rid of machines that are 15 years or older are first in line to get rid of them.



SKIP THE PLASTIC AT THE DRY CLEANERS
Do you really need all those plastic bags covering your clothes? You can bring your own bag, or some cleaners will recycle the plastic. Or skip the bag entirely.

RECYCLE YOUR HANGERS
When you go to the dry cleaners, consider taking your old metal hangers back so they can be re-used. A lot of cleaners are happy to get them.

PAPER RECYCLING
Try printing on both sides of the paper.

JUNK THE JUNK MAIL
Make it stop!!!! Can you imagine the paper that would save- not to mention your time and time is MONEY? Go to Directmail.com, National Do Not Mail Registry and request that they remove your name from all 3rd class mailing lists. That's www.DirectMail.com/Junk_Mail.

SAVE PAPER SAVE TREES
Set your printer so it prints on both sides of one sheet. That can cut your paper use in half. Write shopping lists on old envelopes or paper that's used on one side. Do that, and you'll never have to buy little paper pads again. Lean and Green.

LAPTOP SAVINGS
Laptops use less electricity than desktops. Here are the numbers from Energy Star: if you have an Energy Star office pc, it'll use 141 kWh a year, while an Energy Star laptop will only use 37 kWh a year. For more go to: : http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/downloads/meetings/Consumer_Electronics_Light_Fixtures.pdf.

A SLEEPING COMPUTER IS A CHEAPER COMPUTER
Consumer Reports did a test showing that putting your computer to sleep for 12 hours everyday, would save about 576 pounds of CO2 a year. Shutting it down though, save the most energy. Saving energy saves money.

PAPER TRAIL
Use old paper that has been used on one side again, again in your printer, to print on the other side. That way, it gets used one more time before recycling, and you don't have to buy as much paper.

CLEAN THAT DESK!
If you work in an area that other people use and you worry about germs, you can disinfect just using good old rubbing alcohol, and an old cloth. It's very cheap, and non-toxic. And if you use a cloth, you avoid using the paper in those commercially sold wipes. Save money, and non toxic!

SHRED AND PACK
If you use a shredder, shredded paper makes great packing material for the holidays. Green and lean!

TAKE A MUG TO WORK
Think of the paper cups you'd save, if you use a mug at work. While you're at it, what about taking a metal fork and plate to work for eating your lunch. You'd avoid using even more paper and plastic. Lean and Green at work!

PAYING BILLS ONLINE
If you pay bills online, you save paper and time. And you can get a lot of financial reports sent to you online, rather than getting those thick packages of documents in the mail. Think of the paper that would save!

LEAN AND GREEN IN THE MAIL
You don't need a lot of fancy, bubble-wrap,insulated packaging to send unbreakable things like books. That just wastes money and resources!  You can wrap books in old grocery bags and tape them using strong mailing tape. Put a label on it and you're good to go. Lean and green.

IN THE GARDEN:

ORGANIC GARDENING
There are so many chemicals we can't avoid. But in your own yard, you can create a toxic-free oasis. Gardening without harsh pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers makes your yard safer for children, pets and other creatures that live in your neighborhood. And you can grow your own organic food. One place to find classes on natural gardening is www.BayFriendly.org.
The basic idea behind organic gardening is to enrich your soil, adding natural, organic matter to make it rich and fluffy. The healthier the soil, the healthier the plants; and the healthier the plants and the more able they are to resist disease and insect damage.

 Watch Organic Gardening Tips

CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS WARM THE GLOBE:
One of the key components of chemical fertilizers is Nitrogen, which contributes to global warming. And as the chemical leaches into our waters it creates other problems.  Using compost or organic fertilizers will minimize your carbon footprint and keep our water ways clean. Scientific American on 3/2009 reports: "Scientists have long known that the reactive nitrogen in fertilizers leaching from agricultural fields (as well as those smaller amounts exiting tailpipes and smokestacks) wreak havoc as they cascade through the air and rivers. Rogue nutrients often spur harmful algal blooms as they flow into the ocean, and hundreds of estuaries around the world suffer from so-called seasonal dead zones as a result. "

TOMATOES:  AMERICA'S FAVORITE GARDEN PLANT
If you're growing your own garden to save money, tomatoes are a must and easy to grow in the warm parts of the Bay Area.  A one single plant can produce a lot of tomatoes.  The plant will need at least 6 hours of  full sun.  Plant it with lots of compost; they are heavy feeders, so keep feeding it compost through the season.  Cherry tomatoes are the easiest.  And if you're a beginner, try Sun Gold!

COMPOSTING
Composting is most basic recycling you can do in your own yard: turning your garbage into something wonderful and then, reaping the benefits. It doesn't have to be a big, intimidating science project. You can compost vegetable and fruit peels, old rice or bread, and even paper- like brown paper bags or paper towels. And it turns into free fertilizer for your garden. Most communities now have either municipal composting where you throw your food wastes into your green garbage, or coamposting lessons. Lots of cities now offer either low cost or free composting containers.
 
CAFFEINE IN YOUR COMPOST!
Some coffee shops will give you their old coffee grounds for your compost.  It's free fertilizer!

 Watch Composting Tips
 Watch Tips On Composting

FREE LESSONS ON COMPOSTING
They're all over the bay area. Here are some of the links:
For information on home and municipal composting, you can go to www.Stopwaste.org.

Alameda County
For lessons and workshops on "Bay-Friendly Gardening", check out www.BayFriendly.org or call 510-444-SOIL. This spring, there will be a tour of backyard orchards and kitchen gardens, gardens with drought tolerant planting, and workshops on building healthy soil, going native, worm composting, and more.

Southbay
A series of free workshops to teach residents "Bay-Friendly Gardening" starts Saturday and continues through the fall in several locations in Santa Clara County.There are three broad topics: Bay-Friendly Gardening Basics, an overview of design and maintenance considerations; Gardening from the Ground Up, focusing on healthy soil; and Gardening to Manage Pests Naturally, on controlling pests without the use of pesticides. Registration is required. Details: (408) 918-4640, or go to www.reducewaste.org for a list of workshop dates and locations.

MULCHING: IT'S A WIN WIN WIN
Mulch is one of the best ways to save water, but it also keeps down the weeds, and if you use an organic mulch, it will slowly break down and feed your soil too! So, it's a win-win-win You can often get wood chips for free from tree trimmers when they happen to be working in your neighborhood… Just ask them to dump it in your driveway or yard and you can use the chips for mulch around your perennials as a groundcover. One note, woodchips make a great mulch around perennials but they're not the best for vegetables. They take a long to break down, and draw some nitrogen as they do. Their lasting quality makes them great as a groundcover but less appropriate for your veggie plot, where you want the soil nice and fluffy. Use grass clippings, leaves or other organic matter for your veggies- basically stuff that breaks down faster than woodchips.

 Watch Gardening Water Saving Tips

GRASS CLIPPINGS = FREE FERTILIZER AND MULCH!
If you mow your lawn.. you can do a couple of things with grass clippings that'll end up saving you money. You can just leave them on the lawn, and the clippings will break down and basically fertilize the lawn. Or, you can use the clippings for a mulch in your garden- spreading it around your plants. It dries to a lovely golden brown and makes the garden look neat and tidy. The clippings keep the weeds down, saves water, and slowly breaks down and feeds your plants. Just make sure you don't use any chemicals on our lawn.

GROW YOUR OWN
Growing your own produce is one of the most satisfying ways to save money and get healthier, better tasting food. There is no taste like a fresh tomato from your garden, or peas in the spring. You can grow some things like herbs in containers on your deck, even if you don't have a yard. Much more on this topic to come, but consider this for cool months here in the bay area. Now is the time to plant cool weather crops like lettuce and peas. You can plant lettuce in containers as well as in the garden.

 Watch Tips On Growing Your Own Food
 Watch Tips On Growing Your Own Meyer Lemons
 Watch Tips On Planting Cool Weather Crops
 Watch Herb Growing Tips

APHID-SHMAPHID
People make a big deal out of aphids but they are often the easiest pest to get rid of in your garden. First just try a strong spray from your hose to wash them off. They can't get back up on the bushes! But if you're not able to get them all using water, you can make a solution using a tiny bit of dishwashing liquid (not detergent- just good old soap) in water, and spraying your plants with that. That tiny bit of dishwashing soap will kill the aphids.

SNAILS
The most efficient way to kill snails is to go out with a flashlight at night, and stomp on them. In one night, you will be able to kill more slugs than poisonous slug baits will kill in days. Okay, you may be grossed out at first, but remember, if you use commercial slug baits you could endanger pets, other animals, and you will kill the worms (which are very good for your soil), and other beneficial microbes in your soil. An alternative to using chemicals:  try beer traps!  Just set the beer out in shallow containers.  The slugs are attracted to the brew, climb in and drown.

WEEDING:
One way to get rid of those weeds in the cracks.. pour boiling water on them. you don't need herbicides that way, so you save money. And the planet. Lean and green. If you're really having a problem with persistent weed, here's another way to stop it without using chemicals.  Put down wet newspaper so it hugs the ground.  Then put mulch over it.  The plant will not be able to get through the newspaper and the paper eventually breaks down organically.

DRY ZONE, NOT SO DRY ZONE
One of the big mistakes even professional landscapers make, is mixing together plants that need a lot of water, with plants that don't. That means when you water, you may be watering some plants too much, or others not enough. This advice from East Bay MUD- Use separate irrigation stations to water plants grouped together according to their high, medium, or low water needs- dry with dry, less dry with less dry. They call this hydro-zones. That way, you can get the correct amount of water to each group of plants.
Find out more at www.ebmud.com.

GO NATIVE
California has some beautiful, colorful plants that grow wild with no care. If you are thinking of putting some plants in, consider native plants. As a general rule, they take less water, and take very little care. A lot of them thrive in the hot, dry weather and get upset if you fertilize them, or water them too much! And you're also creating habitat for our native birds and insects. Its a great way to save water, and money. Go native and be lean and green. There are even nurseries that stock only natives, like the non-profit, Natives Now! In Tilden East Bay Regional Park, in Berkeley. Find out more at www.nativesnow.org.

 Watch Native Planting Tips
RAIN BARRELS: FREE WATER FROM THE SKY:
Cut your water bill and help the planet! Rain barrels collect rain water that would normally just run down the storm drain! With increasing climate changes, reusing rain water is a great way to cut your water consumption, according to Tom Kelly, Director with KyotoUSA, a non-profit in Berkeley.   He has four brimming barrels of his own, and was going to order more 60-gallon barrels for himself, when he asked friends if they wanted to order some as well. "Boy, were we surprised at the response," he says. "The orders just kept rolling in."  He ordered dozens from the Great American Rain Barrel Company. While the rain is free, the barrels are cost about $100 each, but Kelly says they are well worth it. He points out they save water, reduce the amount of storm water that often overwhelms our drainage systems and he points out, "they "raise everyone's consciousness about how precious water is." The problem of water going down the drain and into the bay is no small problem. Whenever there is a big storm, urban sewer systems get overwhelmed, and often, raw sewage flows into the bay. Tom's wife Jane Kelly says, there's more.  She says, "in L.A., roofs collect a lot of nitrogen from contaminants in the air. The more densely populated and smoggier the area, the more they collect. When it rains, nitrogen-spiked water races off the roof and spills into the street. Collecting rainwater from roofs in barrels keeps the excess nitrogen from entering our coastal waters where it feeds algae blooms that result in oxygen-deprived dead zones where nothing lives but worms and jellyfish!" There are many online companies that sell rain barrels, and much larger cisterns as well, that can hold hundreds of gallons of water.

LEAVE THE LEAVES
When you rake up leaves - don't throw them out! Use them for compost, or mulch. Either put them into a pile in the yard to build a little on-site compost pile, and over time, they'll break down into a beautiful, crumbly humus to add to your soil. Or, you can scatter them in your planting areas for mulch. It's free and you'll see how it will begin to benefit your garden- think of the way the forest floor looks. it is never bare and hard, it's always covered with leaves that slowly break down and feed the soil. You'll begin to think of leaves as something valuable, rather than garbage.

COMPOST SAVES WATER TOO!
Using compost in your garden does more than fertilize your plants. Adding more organic matter to your soil, can actually double it's ability to hold water. So, when you water the garden, the soil will actually be able to store more of it. You've probably seen gardens where the soil is raked clean and it's as hard as concrete. When you pour water on it,  a lot of it just rolls off. The more organic matter, the more "tilth" or texture the soil has, and the water can be absorbed. 

A FIRE HAZARD THAT GROWS AND  BLOOMS
One of the worst fire hazards in the Bay Area is the invasive plant, French Broom. Ask any firefighter- they'll tell you it burns like a firetorch.You see it all over with it's bright yellow flowers in the spring.  It's easiest pulling small plants in the winter and spring, when the ground is wet. In late spring, pull before the seeds ripen and explode all over your yard.  In a lot of cities like in Oakland, you can rent a tool for free at the tool libraries, called a Weedwrench, that helps you get the root out. If the plant is just too beg to pull, you can saw it down, and strip the bark around the trunk, to kill the bush.

THE HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN THAT KEEPS GIVING
After Halloween, give that jack-o-lantern another job. Put it in your garden, and over the winter, it'll decompose and feed your soil. Usually by spring, all that's left is the stem. It's a good way to show your kids how composting works.


SHOPPING:

WATER PLEASE, HOLD THE BOTTLE
Did you know, every plastic bottle takes about a half cup of petroleum to produce! That information comes from a study by scientists at the Pacific Institute, in Oakland.
You can save a lot of money by getting a steel or aluminum water bottle, and re-using it, rather than buying those plastic bottles of water. And at work, just use a glass, or mug!

BYOB BAGS
Bringing cloth bags when you're shopping is the best way to save paper and plastic. If you leave a couple in your car, it makes it easier to remember.
According to the National Geographic Green Guide, Americans use an estimated 100 billion plastic bags a year, which consumes 12 million barrels of oil. Many of the bags end up along our highways and in the bay. Only a tiny percentage are actually recycled. Those plastic bags are not biodegradable like paper. Instead, they break down into tiny bits of plastic that pollute our soil and waters. And guess where a lot of it ends up? Far offshore from San Francisco, tons of that plastic muck has collected in a floating toxic stew, that scientists call "the Great Pacific Garbage Patch". It weighs about 3 and a half million tons, is about twice the size of Texas. "The patch has been growing, along with ocean debris worldwide, tenfold every decade since the 1950s", Chris Parry, public education program manager with the California Coastal Commission, told the San Francisco Chronicle. To read more of Justin Berton's article, go to: http://www.sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/19/SS6JS8RH0.DTL&hw=pacific+patch&sn=001&sc=1000.

KEEP FORGETTING THE CLOTH BAG?
Here's a tip from contributor, Janeen Antoine. Keep extra cloth bags in your car for shopping. A small foldable bag in your purse, is good for unexpected purchases.

PACKAGING = TRASH
Buy items with less packaging- its easier on the planet, and you're not paying for the packaging.

FREE TOOLS!
Do-it-yourself home projects can save you money, and if you live in certain cities, you don't even have to buy the tools.  Some cities in the Bay Area have tool lending libraries!  Oakland's offers more than 3,000 pieces of hardware for home and garden.  Borrowing is free for Oakland residents, but like a regular library, if you return late, you'll face a fine.
Check out Sue Kwon's story:
Oakland Tool Library A Savior For Do-It-Yourselfers
Here's a list of Bay Area tool lending libraries:
-Oakland Temescal Tool Lending Library
-Berkeley Tool Lending Library
-San Francisco Tool Lending Center
-Silicon Valley Power Tool Lending Library
-Santa Rosa Tool Library

THRIFTY IS NIFTY
Buying used materials is green and thrifty. You can get quality clothes from consignment stores, furniture on Craigslist, and Ebay, and the Bay Area has amazing salvage yards to get building materials. Here's a link to the Ecology Center in Berkeley, to find places where you can get high quality building items for large projects and small: 
http://ecologycenter.org/directory/results.php?sFAQ=salvage%20yards

BEST DRESSED ON THE CHEAP
Consider buying some of your clothes at thrift stores or consignment stores. You can sometimes find designer labels and barely worn outfits and save a ton of money. And you're recycling! See Sue Kwon's story on Riding Out the Recession in style- http://cbs5.com/video/?id=46945@kpix.dayport.com.

DO YOU REALLY NEED THE EXTRA NAPKINS?
The savings on this are more for the planet and the restaurant owners, but here's the question: when you go to any kind of fast food restaurant, or to a take out place, how many napkins do you take? Often people take extras, and just throw out the rest. If you only take what you need, you'll save a lot of paper, and the restaurants will save a little too.

HOLD THE SALT AND KETCHUP
When you get take-out, ask yourself if you really need all the extra condiments- the soy sauce, mustard, ketchup and other items that the clerk automatically throws in. Only take what you need, rather than taking all of it and then either stuffing it in a drawer, or throwing it out. Lean means Green.
 


TRANSPORTATION:

THINK BEFORE YOU GO!
Get the most out of your driving trips by combining several errands such as grocery shopping, going to the post office or pharmacy, and going to work. It'll save a lot of gas and that means money.

DRIVE SMART
If you have more than one vehicle, drive the more fuel-efficient model when you have a choice. You can also increase efficiency if you rid your car of unnecessary weight- all that junk in your trunk!

SLOW DOWN FOR SAVINGS
When you're driving on the freeways, drive smarter and safer! Keep a steady speed using your cruise control device. For most cars, 55 miles per hour is the most fuel efficient highway speed. It's lean and green!

DON'T TIRE OUT YOUR TIRES
To save gas, keep your tires properly inflated. If your tires are low on air, it can cost you big bucks at the gas pump.

CHANGE YOUR AIR FILTER
To save gas, don't forget to change your air filter. If the filter is dirty, it blocks air from the engine and makes it work harder, so it wastes gas.



SHARE YOUR TIPS WITH US:
Do you have a tip that you've used, that saves money and the planet? Send it to us! E-mail leanandgreen@cbs5.com.

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