Save The Planet - Save Money Too!

Easy Ways To co-friendly Living Cut back on using the car. Walking will keep you fit, save you money and save all those poisons getting into the atmosphere. Use public transport when you have to travel and share supermarket and school runs. Buy foods loose whenever possible, dried goods as well as fruit and vegetables. Not only is this usually a much cheaper option than branded goods, it saves on all that unnecessary packaging. Always choose the refillable, reusable container over the disposable, throwaway one. Use shopping bags or baskets when you go to the store so that you can say no thank you to plastic carrier bags.

Reuse plastic bags you do receive for bin liners, food wrapping etc.

Use eco-friendly washing powder and cleaning products or make your own from the recipes at http://www3.pei.sympatico.ca/galavoie/ENVIRO.HTM

Save energy. Turn your heating down and wear warmer clothes or layers when necessary. Turn down the hot water thermostat, turn off lights and TV’s when no one is using them, use energy efficient light bulbs.

Insulating your home will quickly pay for itself in lower heating bills. Find out about grants in your area towards installing new or thicker insulation.

Use waste paper and packaging for crafts and play activities. Make wonderful gift trays, bowls and decorative plates from papier mache or make handmade paper cards from office waste paper. Kids love making toys and models from packaging if you start them off and show them how to join bits together with glue, slots or string.

Locate and support your local recycling projects. Be a good neighbour and encourage the recycling habit by collecting other people's saved newspapers, textiles, glass bottles etc. while you are going there anyway.

Clothes or linens no longer fit for their original purpose can be torn up and used for cleaning rags. You will be surprised at how useful an old fashioned rag bag can be.

Try not to buy plastic, it accounts for a large amount of landfill waste. If you must buy plastic containers look for those with a label 1 or 2. These are much easier to recycle than those numbered 3 to 7. Then use them to store food instead of using foil and plastic wraps.

Buy a reusable coffee filter or at least use the unbleac