The Green Page

Green: help the environment, be frugal, and other benefits!

Avoid Antibacterials	Avoid Antibacterials	eco: kills more than you want, do not use frugal: do not buy your health: avoid opportunistic infections public health: less burden for wastewater treatment, or does not harm your septic tank; should reduce the number of antibacterial-resistant infections
Avoid Bottled Water	Avoid Bottled Water	eco: manufacturing the bottle uses 37x more water than it holds frugal: do not buy your health: quality is not regulated, and it's often municipal ("tap") water, so BYO when you can
Deodorant	I make Crunchy Betty's Homemade Deodorant (using arrowroot, generally no essential oils, and I apply Noxzema first before rubbing in this). The first weekend I tried it, my underarms burned. I ignored it for a few months; I've never had a reaction since then. This works better for me than any commercial product has!	eco: no harsh chemicals frugal: much cheaper your health: no harsh chemicals near your lymph nodes
Dishwasher Detergent (for dishwasher)	I have tried a number of variations, but my dishes always come out cloudy. I believe this is due to hard water, but if so, I haven't found the right level of water softener (like salt) to use. Overall, a dishwasher uses less water than hand washing dishes, so I still recommend it.	eco: use a lot less detergent (no more than half full); this works well for me frugal: use less
Laundry Detergent (for washing machine)	My homemade laundry detergent	eco: use less, less harsh frugal: costs less your health: no perfumes [note that "unscented" is an additive in most products but it's not perfume-free], no dyes, etc
Fabric Softener	I have tried homemade fabric softener, and my advice is not to use any fabric softener at all. Your towels will appreciate this! Now that I'm out of the habit, I don't miss it.	eco: do not use frugal: do not buy
Foaming Soap	Mix 1 part soft soap to 4-to-9 parts water (a drink mixer can help, but use it with only some of the water to reduce spillage), then put in a foaming soap dispenser (most of mine are re-use from Dollar Store). Without even trying, most people will appropriately use a lot less foaming soap than soft soap or bar soap, so you're using less soap that's more dilute.	eco: use less soap frugal: buy less your health: less soap is better for skin! public health: less burden for wastewater treatment, or less burden on your septic tank
Reusable Grocery Bags	I used to forget to bring my reusable grocery bags, but now I keep them in a bin in the trunk of my car so I have them when I need them!	eco: reusable public health: less waste
Reusable Leftover / Takeout Containers	I also keep a set of food storage containers in the same bin in the trunk of my car. I bring in that bag when I go to a restaurant, and I don't bring home styrofoam trash!	eco: reusable public health: less waste
Reusable Water Bottles	I used to forget to bring water bottles places, but now I also keep them in, yes, the same bin in the trunk of my car so I have some when I need them! (I also keep sunscreen and water-free hand sanitizer there.)	eco: reusable public health: less waste