What's your favorite saving hack that also helps the environment?

[2moretrees]

I mentioned in another thread that I thought that green and finances have a lot in common, but the two sides don't support each other enough. What are some of your saving hacks (I guess that is what people are calling them these days from what I've been reading) that you do to save money and also help the environment at the same time?

The big one I have been doing lately is drying my clothes on a clothesline instead of the dryer. We changed our bulbs to cfls last year. What are some of the things that you do that help your budget and the earth at the same time. I want to implement more if I can.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

One of my favorite things is composting. I even have neighbors bring me their grass clippings instead of putting them in the yard waste dumptser. I get free mulch and fertilizer for the garden and then the fruit and vegetables that result. The yard waste would not have gone to a landfill from the dumpsters, but it would have been carted around by diesel powered trucks, tumbled and turned by diesel machines, and then people would have driven to the city compost facility in their gas powered cars and trucks to pick up the finished product. Just giving it to me saves all that, but it really would be even better if more people gardened and used their own grass clippings in their own gardens.

Oh, I get lots of leaves in the fall from neighbors, too. Don't tell 'em, but the truth is that I'd be willing to come rake their yards for the leaves.

[scfr]

This could be a long list, but I'll just try to pick a few.

I've just started using Jeffrey's nifty tip of putting a clean dry towel in the dryer with my wet clothes to cut down on drying time. (It works. Thanks, Jeffrey!)

I don't automatically follow "suggested amounts" on any products (for example laundry detergent) ... instead I experiment to find the minimum amount needed to get the job done.

I reuse things as much as possible (use my grocery bags as trash bags and newspaper bags as doggie clean-up bags; wash out my baggies, etc) and also squeeze as much out of a product as I possibly can (cut open sunscreen or lotion bottles to scrape out any residue, squeeze a tube of toothpaste until it begs for mercy, etc).

Keep the AC at 80 in the summer ... Take quick, coolish-water showers ... Turn off and unplug things ... Consolidate trips to cut down on driving ...

Oh, goodness. I could go on and on. Some of the "new" tips for helping the environment are things that frugalites have been doing for years and years ... which is not to say that we can't still learn.

[gamecock43]

I turn off my lights when leaving a room. Unplug things not in use. Pretty basic.

I also enjoy outdoor entertainment. Going for walks, hiking- that does not hurt the environment and is free.

[Cassandra]

I keep just about everything unplugged when not in use (exceptions are fridge, alarm clock, and microwave).

The AC is never set below 74 and heat is never set above 68.

I have cloth towels instead of paper towels.

I don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets- instead I toss a tennis ball in the dryer. Softens the fabrics wonderfully!

I no longer use disposable pads/tampons- I use reusable menstrual products instead.

ETA: I also just bought a bike that I've been riding everywhere- has dramatically cut down the amount of gas I use!

[Caoineag]

Don't own a car, use cfls, don't buy processed food and make things from scratch (I have already seen the effect on my health in the short term, I imagine the long term would also save money on health expenses), unplug things, AC never below 80, usually at 82, heat and ac off most of the year, don't use the dryer just hang dry everything, etc.

[djabloel]

I completely stopped using disposable plates, cups, sppons and forks. Instead i use real plates, coffee mugs, etc. Saves a lot of money and it is pro-green.

[feh]

I bike to work when the weather allows. I've filled my gas tank once over the last 11 weeks.