This week we’re looking (in part) at the money side of green. Yesterday I gave my thoughts on whether or not green products are worth the extra cost. Today we’ll start looking at why the cost of green is a major misconception.
Green to me is worth the cost and I’ll just go ahead and put it out there that I also don’t think green products are unattainable – even on a slim budget. Almost anyone can afford green products over conventional with some planning and strategy.

Where I’m coming from: Just so you don’t think I’m spouting total bunk about anyone …read more

I can’t remember what grade I was in when first allowed to use an ink pen in school, but I remember being so happy about it. All grown up! I think it was the seventh grade, and I’m sure there weren’t any pens made of corn around then.
Whether you’re choosing a pen or pencil for the office or school, there are some green options out there you may not have considered, like recycled rubber tires and denim.
Biodegradable Corn Pen
Breaks down within 12 months of being thrown away. Looks like plastic, but it’s made from corn. $1.99 from grassroots environmental products

Wheely …read more

Insulated lunch bags aren’t for everyone. Maybe you’d prefer to carry insulated containers in your bag if something needs to stay cold.
If you’re looking for an organic cotton version of the standard brown paper bag, these come close with a little added flair.

Wildly Organic from I’m Organic. Other designs available. 100% certified organic cotton, Fair Labor. $17

Organic Lunch Bag from Hero Bags. Made in USA. Personalize with name area on back. Certified organic. $24.95

100% Certified Organic Cotton Lunch Sack from EcoBags. $7
Do you prefer uninsulated lunch bags?
Images via I’m Organic, Hero Bags and EcoBags.
Click here to learn about all the …read more

My modem busted three days ago. Sadness. I’ve been offline, and had plenty of time to think, let me tell you. Seriously though, I missed being online, it felt odd to go three days sans email and blogs.
Anyhow, I’ve got a nice new modem, and to celebrate my return to the lovely online world of blogs and more, I figured we’d look at some green computer tips.

Like anything else, only buy what you need. You can be excessive about computers, just like a house or car. I’m online all the time for work, so I do have a little bit …read more

Our month-long June theme was the hefty topic of reusable shopping bags. We blogged and blogged bags, and yet there’s so much more we could have blogged. Bags are a big deal. We’ll likely revisit this feature at some point. If you missed any bag goodness, here’s a round-up of all things reusable bags…
The BYOB challenge:

The challenge kicks off
First BYOB challenge update
BYOB Challenge Update!!!
CHANGE: A Summer Surprise Contest
Reusable Bag Challenge Update – How Did Your Entire Month Go?

Reusable bag basics and overcoming issues:

How Many Reusable Bags Do You Need?
Overcoming Reusable Bag Shyness
Pros and Cons of String Market Bags
Reusable …read more

As you may know, we’re running our Summer Scrub Down Contest, so I’ve been currently doing some product reviews. When I got the package of soap from Manor Hall Soap Company, everything looked great; except for this:
Lavender & Rose Facial Toner

Actually, it looked good (cute packaging) but neither my son or I liked how it smelled. AT ALL. However, roses are not my deal. I like to look at them, love their smell in real life, but add rose scent to a body care item, and it usually flips me out. I’ve never liked rose scented body anything. So how …read more

Bag month has been a little hectic. Too bad, because there’s just oh so many bags to see. In any case, I’m going to try and fit in a few more bags before we kick off out cool July theme.
I saw these bags originally at Eco Friendly Driver, and fell in love, because Hil had posted the light olive green darling carry bag – I’m a sucker for light olive green bags. I wanted to post it here, forgot, and then one of the store owners emailed me with some info.
Stephanie, co-business owner of Olive Smart notes the following about …read more

Inexpensive is relative; one person’s inexpensive is another person’s not so much. However, for the sake of this post, I’m naming right around $10 and under as a decent inexpensive bag. Yeah you can get store brand non-washable bags for 99 cents, but I’m more on the fence of folks buying a decent washable set. One, you can wash them. Two, they hold up better (in my experience). Three; and I’ve noted this before, but research shows that not everyone recycles those store brand bags.
So some inexpensive choices:

[Biome Lifestyle’s reusable bag – £6.00 – only downside is that this one …read more

Today we’re going to look at three types of bags – Dream bags, mid-level cost bags, and less expensive (or best deal) bags. I’m not showing expensive bags unless they’re dreamy, because non-dreamy expensive bags aren’t fun, just lame.
BUT it is fun to see some crazy cool bags once in a while; so let’s start there. Next up look for mid-cost bag options.
Dream bag uses: Dream bags are not typical all-purpose grocery bags. In my opinion, you should have a normal collection of basic well-priced reusable grocery bags, and then one or two nice dreamy bags for everything else. The …read more

Check out these adorable reusable lunch sacks – just one more option for cutting your bag use. I’m thinking you could even make these bigger and work out some sort of handle. A crafty sewer (read not me) could do that. The only downside is that you can’t machine wash these, but wiping down is perfectly ok.

Snag the directions right here.
Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in June 2008[images via Martha Stewart]