5 Ways To Go Green On A Budget

This post is underwritten by iHerb, which is cool, because it means you get $5 off your first order when you shop through this link.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that being more earth-friendly necessarily has to mean spending a lot of money (what’s up with that anyway?).

There are a lot of things you can do to be more green that doesn’t cost a lot – in fact, a lot of frugal practices are green by their very nature!

Here’s a short list of ways you can be more green on a tight budget:

1. Reuse plastic containers – especially zip-top bags! So many times, all we’ve used those bags for is storing vegetables in the refrigerator for a few days, so why not rinse them out and use them again?! It’ll save you more money and cut down on waste.

2. Use less laundry detergent. It’s crazy, but this really works! You can cut the amount of detergent you use in half, and you won’t see a difference. Why? Because the main job of laundry detergent is to break the surface tension of the water, which allows the water to penetrate the laundry and lift dirt out, so once again, you save money and cut down on environmental impact. (Or get soap nuts! I’m so excited about mine – you can read about them below!)

3. Walk or ride a bike when you can. We humans, well, we just feel better when we get out and move around a little bit, so why not combine our need for exercise with chores? Whenever you can walk to the post office or bike to the corner store, do it! I know it takes some time to get the kids’ shoes on and get them on their bikes, but it’s good for them too, and so worth it!

4. Water houseplants and a small garden with grown water. Save the water you use to boil pasta or vegetables to water your plants! You’ll be giving them extra nutrients as well as saving on your water bill! How’s that for making gardening even greener?

5. Switch to fluorescent lightbulbs. You’ll save money on your electric bill, AND you won’t have to buy lightbulbs as often, which saves both the green in your wallet and, well, the metaphorical green.

But we all know that saving isn’t all there is to go green.

This post is underwritten by iHerb in honor of Earth Day coming up later this month. Why? Because iHerb is pretty serious about their earth-friendly products, and part of going green is purchasing products that won’t harm the earth, and that, as often as possible, are made from recycled materials.

I love iHerb’s reasonable prices almost as much as their massive selection of earth-friendly products, including household products and bath and beauty products that contain biodegradable ingredients. Most of these products also come in eco-friendly packaging.

But even better is their eco-friendly initiatives, which go hand in hand with helping charitable causes, particularly those helping children living in poverty receive an education.

When you shop with iHerb, you’re part of a global solution. iHerb uses 100% post-consumer recycled paper for 90% of its shipping boxes. Their bubble wrap is 40% recyclable, and they recycle virtually all packing materials received from manufacturers. All in the interest of a healthier, more sustainable planet!

iHerb was gracious enough to give me a shopping spree to try out their website, so you wanna see my haul? Of all the 35,000 products which iHerb sells in 160 countries, these are the ones I chose.

First off, I should mention that iHerb is a Google-trusted store, which gave me free protection on my order, and they provide customer service in ten different languages. Pretty cool.

So let’s unpack the box!

So a little more detail on the products, because we both know I’m not good at video. 😉

If Your Care Household Gloves

I’m one of those crazies who doesn’t have a dishwasher, and I wear gloves when I wash dishes to keep my hands, and especially my nails, from drying out.

These are nice thick gloves, and unlike my previous pair, they don’t try to fall off my hands the whole time I’m washing, which is SO nice!

And, of course, the kicker is that they’re made from 100% fair-trade rubber and renewable sources.

NaturOli Soap Nuts Hand-Sort Select Soap Nuts

A few years ago, soap nuts got kind of popular in the crunchy community, and as crazy as they sound, I sooooo wanted to try them. But at the time, I couldn’t afford squat, so it never happened, and I kind of forgot, but when I saw these, I was ecstatic!

Soap nuts are berries native to India and Nepal that contain a natural saponin, which is a natural detergent. The soap nut shell absorbs water and releases the saponins, which circulate as a natural surfactant in the wash water, freeing dirt, grime, and oils from clothing.

While homemade and other eco-friendly laundry detergents are great, soap nuts are the only truly non-toxic and sustainable laundry option that I’ve ever seen. After soap nuts lose their saponin power, they can be composted, making them a waste-free solution.

I hope to do a review of them once I get a chance to try them out because how cool are these?

Organic laundry is in my sites!

Cacao Nibs and Coconut Palm Sugar

If you know me, you know I can’t shop without picking up some chocolate, but in my defense, I *am* working on making my indulgences healthier. 😉

Cacao nibs are a great way to make treats chocolatey while keeping them healthy, and so is coconut palm sugar. These Now Foods raw cacao nibs are also organic.

Not to mention Wholesome Sweeteners Inc. is committed to organic and eco-friendly agriculture.

And yeah, I totally splurged on the Endangered Species chocolate, but man, is it good!

Endangered Species Chocolate is Fair Trade Certified and sourced from Fair Trade producers.  10% of their net profits go towards rainforest and wildlife conservation.

Ecover Stain Remover

I have a hard time finding a stain remover that is both effective and easy on my kids’ skin, so I have high hopes for this one. Ecover is made with renewable, plant-based and mineral ingredients. I love the built-in brush!

Kiss My Face Shampoo, Conditioner, and Detangler

Using healthy skin and hair products on my kids has always been important to me. In fact, for the first two years for each of them, I used only goat milk soap on their hair.

Unfortunately, as Hadassah’s hair has gotten longer and is still incredibly fine, it’s been harder and harder to keep detangled, so I’ve had to start rinsing her hair with conditioner and using detangled between baths.

Kiss My Face is paraben-free, and made from sustainable, plant-based products, and are super affordable.

If you know me, you know that I don’t obsess about what I buy, but I do try to buy eco-friendly, sustainable, and organic when I can, especially when it comes to things that come into contact with my kids!

That’s my haul!

My experience with iHerb has been amazing – there are so many reasons to love this company!

If you want to shop through iHerb, go through this link to get $5 off of your first order.

P.S. This post was underwritten by iHerb, all opinions are my own.