Going Green to Save Some Green

[chickypoo2468]

Just a reminder, you can post anything here that saves money, saves time, reduces chemicals in your life, reduces your intake of processed foods or boots your I sle of healthy foods, is something that you DIYd, or just makes your life easier.

So... Whatcha got?

[DVMmomma]

Bad lurker turning more active here so I apologize if this has already been brought up before but COCONUT OIL to replace all of the expensive things. Seriously. I cook with that ish, put it on DDs butt if needed, use it as face lotion (has seriously improved my complexion), put it in DD's pits/neck when she gets the funky milk rash in there (clears it up in 24h max), cuticle softener, main butt wipe spray ingredient, I could go on but I haven't finished my coffee.

[chickypoo2468]

I got a new boat bristle brush and I love it. It's one with the plastic bristles too so it grabs your hair instead of just smoothing it.

I think we gave up on diahwasher detergent. We ran out of washing soda and D bought some cascade. Our dishes and dishwasher have never looked better. Buzzkill.

[Stringy]

I have a gift card to amazon that I want to use to greenify our house. We have 4 snackbags from etsy/local shop that aren't great, and 1 set of cloth napkins but need more.

What should I buy? Recommend things! Can I just buy birdseye cotton and cut and straight hem the edges for more napkins or larger unpaper towels? Planetwise snack bags? What about something to replace the fact that we use paper plates way too much?

Help me shop! (I'll assume this will save green in the long run)

[Stringy]

Jan 22, 2015 9:30:17 GMT -5 chickypoo2468 said:

I got a new boat bristle brush and I love it. It's one with the plastic bristles too so it grabs your hair instead of just smoothing it.

I think we gave up on diahwasher detergent. We ran out of washing soda and D bought some cascade. Our dishes and dishwasher have never looked better. Buzzkill.

As I dumped cascade in ours the other day I wondered what you all use for that and regular dish soap. But, doesn't work?

[sasq09]

I went to make deodorant yesterday but I can't find arrowroot... I'm sure I has some but I have no idea where. And it snowed and i don't feel like going out in this mess so that project is off the table for now. I think today ill make some peppermint foaming hand soap!

[mimsy]

I just opened my 13.5# bag of baking soda. I needed to unclog my shower drain. So I made my own drain cleaner.

[mrslka]

Jan 22, 2015 9:34:52 GMT -5 Stringy said:

I have a gift card to amazon that I want to use to greenify our house. We have 4 snackbags from etsy/local shop that aren't great, and 1 set of cloth napkins but need more.

What should I buy? Recommend things! Can I just buy birdseye cotton and cut and straight hem the edges for more napkins or larger unpaper towels? Planetwise snack bags? What about something to replace the fact that we use paper plates way too much?

Help me shop! (I'll assume this will save green in the long run)

The napkins I made are flannel and Birdseye, I think just birdseye would make a nice weight for a napkin.

[mrslka]

Yesterday I made and froze 2 dozen pancakes, 2 hotdishes, and a batch of cookies. Tonight I am making meatballs and going to make a double batch to put half in the freezer also. I am hoping to have 20 meals in the freezer for quick use when baby girl arrives.

[DGM]

Stringy, this won't help you now, but I like the foodie reusable snack bags from mixedbags. I get some every year for my niece's dance fundraiser.

My new GGTSSG this week are trying out cloth wipes (thanks LBW) and finally figuring out to use our reusable iced tea pitcher for drinking water instead of the plastic one gallon bottles. Not new, but I also reuse plastic grocery store containers salads come in to bring food to potlucks. I feel pretty ungreen compared to all of you, but I'm trying to make more of an effort now!

ETA I brought up the potluck containers because I just signed up to bring Who is Pat cookies to a potluck

[DGM]

Jan 22, 2015 10:06:09 GMT -5 mimsy said:

I just opened my 13.5# bag of baking soda. I needed to unclog my shower drain. So I made my own drain cleaner.

Did you do vinegar with it? That's what we do and I like it so much better than the store bought drain cleaners.

[mimsy]

Yup.
in-lala-land.com/diy-unclog-a-shower-drain/

[awful]

mimsy that's my favorite for unclogging drains. I usually do all the drains even if there isn't a clog just to keep things fresh.

[TJ]

Jan 22, 2015 9:34:52 GMT -5 Stringy said:

I have a gift card to amazon that I want to use to greenify our house. We have 4 snackbags from etsy/local shop that aren't great, and 1 set of cloth napkins but need more.

What should I buy? Recommend things! Can I just buy birdseye cotton and cut and straight hem the edges for more napkins or larger unpaper towels? Planetwise snack bags? What about something to replace the fact that we use paper plates way too much?

Help me shop! (I'll assume this will save green in the long run)

I hate my PW snack bag.  The ones I like best are Itzy Ritzy.

[TJ]

I'm so not green this week month. I'm in survival mode and can't be green too. Although I'm eating grapefruits and tangerines from my tree in my yard, so that's green, right?

[chickypoo2468]

Hey have you guys heard the thing now that BS and vinegar as a cleaning team is useless bc they just cancel each other out? I don't know if the bubbles help break up drain grossness somehow, but I guess it's not actually forming a reaction that does anything.

[mimsy]

There is also salt in the version I use.

[awful]

Jan 22, 2015 11:07:18 GMT -5 chickypoo2468 said:

Hey have you guys heard the thing now that BS and vinegar as a cleaning team is useless bc they just cancel each other out? I don't know if the bubbles help break up drain grossness somehow, but I guess it's not actually forming a reaction that does anything.

Interesting.  I definitely don't rely on it for disinfecting but it's always done a great job of unclogging drains and "scrubbing" hard water deposits off stuff. 

[mimsy]

I use baking soda in my stainless pans to get cooked on gunkies off.

I sprinkle it on the bottom and simmer with water.

[unaveragejane]

Stringy I like Seventh Generation dish liquid for hand washing dishes. I haven't found anything with good EWG ratings that works well in the dishwasher, so I have resorted to Finish Power & Free tablets.

[sarenu]

Jan 22, 2015 11:19:02 GMT -5 unaveragejane said:

Stringy I like Seventh Generation dish liquid for hand washing dishes. I haven't found anything with good EWG ratings that works well in the dishwasher, so I have resorted to Finish Power & Free tablets.

I use the same hand washing dish soap.

I love the lavender mint.

I tried Honest company and didn't like it.

[Nik Pal]

Jan 22, 2015 11:10:25 GMT -5 awful said:

Jan 22, 2015 11:07:18 GMT -5 chickypoo2468 said:

Hey have you guys heard the thing now that BS and vinegar as a cleaning team is useless bc they just cancel each other out? I don't know if the bubbles help break up drain grossness somehow, but I guess it's not actually forming a reaction that does anything.

Interesting.  I definitely don't rely on it for disinfecting but it's always done a great job of unclogging drains and "scrubbing" hard water deposits off stuff. 

I used to use this to deodorize the disposal. But now we don't have one. Worked well though.

[katej11]

Hello! Took me a while to make the transition over here, and I'm still working on it, but here I am! Lurking in the past on the GGTSSG thread has helped motivate me to make changes around our house. I have started recycling, and it's amazing how much less garbage that we set out for the trash guys every week. I take the recyclables to a recycling dumpster in town so it does take a little more time to get everything around but it makes me feel better knowing that I'm doing my part. I have also made 3 wool dryer balls (technically 4, but one of them broke out of the pantyhose during prepping and exploded everywhere, so I tossed it). I am working on prepping the last one, but so far I love them and think they have definitely cut down on drying time. I want to do an experiment and time the dryer with and without the balls just to see how big of a difference it is.

Sorry for the novel. I've had some catching up to do and am excited I've finally be able to post in this thread!

[SAK]

I started refilling all of our gallon almond milk containers with water so we actually have a supply for when we lose power instead of scrambling last minute like we do.

We fill our propane tank once a year as our secondary heat source, and when they filled it yesterday it was $200 less than I was expecting. That's not really anything I did, but it still saved green.

I've also been wanted to clean out our Tupperware cupboard because it's a disaster. None of the lids are with the containers and they're shoved in every spce across our kitchen. Yesterday I went out and bought a new Pyrex set so that I can start tossing the kinkiest pieces and eventually switch everything to glass.

And yes, I know that the word "junkiest" autocorrected to "kinkiest" but I thought it was funny so I left it

[grumpycakes]

I just signed up for a library card in our new town and picked up the second season of Homeland and a few pictures books for DS. Normally I would just buy it on Amazon or sign up for Showtime, so it definitely saved me green. Plus they apparently have all kinds of programs in the children's room so I'm looking forward to checking that out as well. Thanks for the library inspiration, ovenrack!

[SAK]

Oh yeah! I dyed my hair so I saved some green from going to the salon. I probably did not choose the most eco-friendly box on the shelf, but damn if I'm not adorable as a brunette :-)

[mimsy]

I'm a fan of the henna blocks from LUSH. They color hair safely, and condition as well.

The only down side is how very long it takes to process. It's best left on overnight.

[sasq09]

You've reminded me that I need to clean my drains! Thanks mimsy

[scaggsed]

Jan 22, 2015 12:46:17 GMT -5 SAK said:

Oh yeah! I dyed my hair so I saved some green from going to the salon. I probably did not choose the most eco-friendly box on the shelf, but damn if I'm not adorable as a brunette :-)

I've almost always dyed my own hair (saving green) but over the last couple years I've switched to more unnatural colors so I've been using vegetable based dyes that don't require developer or have chemicals in them. If only I could cut my own hair now

Also, does anyone have any good ideas for freezer meals that last awhile and don't have ground beef? Or websites that have a good selection? I hate pinterest for recipes, they look pretty but never have reviews.

I've never really made anything to freeze but I think I need to start, what with my passenger getting closer to his due date.

[Deleted]

Jan 22, 2015 11:02:01 GMT -5 TJ said:

I'm so not green this week month. I'm in survival mode and can't be green too. Although I'm eating grapefruits and tangerines from my tree in my yard, so that's green, right?

I think the green ones are limes.