Environmentally Friendly Economy?

folded_dollarsWhen I think about many of the things that our family is now doing to be more eco-active, I’m reminded of so many things that my mom did when I was growing up. She would save and reuse plastic bags and foil. We’d use jelly jars for drinking glasses and shop yard sales and flea markets for good bargains. We hung our clothes outside to dry after wash, even in the winter (in Massachusetts!). I come from a very large family, so money was very tight. Most of what we did, we did out of necessity, without thinking much about the impact on the earth. Today my family does many of those things because they fit philosophically, though more so, they are having economic benefits as well.

It seems we’ve come full circle, having gone from practical, to eco-chic and trendy, to downright practical again, because of tough economic times. In our family, we’ve been driving less and consolidating errands during the week. And, we’ve been shopping less in general and are more conscious about what we purchase when we do (really need vs really want; long lasting vs short-term fix), to name a few.

Your turn:

  • Has the failing economy had an impact on your earth-friendly practices?
  • Which came first for you: saving money or helping the earth?
  • What new things are you doing to save money that have the added benefit of helping the earth?
  • Will you continue these practices once the economy rebounds? (And it will!!!)

Filed Under: ConsumerismReduce-Reuse-Recycle

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