With gasoline costs soaring above $4.00 a gallon, there\’s never been a better reason to reduce our consumption at the pump. These ten tips offer the fastest, easiest ways you can save gas – and money. 1. Drive smart – Avoid quick starts and stops, use cruise control on the highway, and don\’t idle. 2. Drive the speed limit – Remember – every 5 mph you drive above 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas. 3. Drive less – Walk, bicycle, use a scooter or moped, combine trips, and telecommute. 4. Drive a more fuel-efficient car –... Read More

Buying clothes can consume a big chunk of your budget – especially if you have kids and teenagers. New clothes also take their toll on the planet, given how much water, pesticides and energy required to produce cotton, polyester and other fabrics (NOTE: 10% of all agricultural chemicals and 25% of insecticides in the U.S. are used to grow cotton. It takes almost 1/3 of a pound of chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) to grow enough cotton for just one t-shirt.) Meanwhile, “out of style” clothes can end up in the trash even though they still have a lot of life left in them. How... Read More

We read food labels to avoid trans fats, sugar, and salt. Why not read labels on the cleansers, personal care products, furniture, clothing, carpeting and home improvement goods we buy so we can shift our spending to those that best protect the planet? The Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS) rates building products, lighting, fabrics, apparel, textiles and flooring. Its SMART standard reflects a manufacturer’s success in reducing more than 1300 pollutants; in using renewable energy as well as post-consumer recycled or organic materials; and in reusing materials to save... Read More

When should you spend your money to protect the planet – and when should you keep it in your purse? Given the thousands of green products being introduced these days, and the vague marketing claims being used to sell them, you don\’t want to blow your budget just to keep up with the newest “eco,” “herbal,” or “biodegradable” fad – especially if the claim turns out to be more greenwashing than green. On the other hand, genuinely earth-friendly products do help minimize your environmental impact. Every organic cotton T-shirt you buy, for instance, helps reduce the use of toxic... Read More

One of the fastest, easiest, most effective ways to protect the environment is by shifting money in your household budget to eco-friendly goods and services. The more money you shift to green products, the more you encourage manufacturers to reduce pollution, save energy and water, use less packaging and protect natural areas. In fact, if a million women intentionally shift at least $1000 of their existing budget to environmentally-friendly products, we can have a noticeable ONE BILLION DOLLAR IMPACT in the marketplace. You can have the biggest impact by picking one commodity and shifting all... Read More

Does Memorial Day launch your summer barbecue season? Try these ideas for a barbecue Mother Nature herself would love. In the Market for a New Grill? Go solar. A solar stove cooks more slowly and won’t get you the grilled flavor you expect from the barby. But it can\’t be beat for a clean-cooking cookout. (Models start at less than $200.) Choose gas or electric. Most grills use either natural gas, propane, charcoal, or electricity. Of these options, charcoal causes the most trouble, emitting more carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and soot than any of the others. If you already use... Read More