Crunchy on a Budget
Frugal.
It's not a word many of us associate with an increasingly natural lifestyle. Stroll through the aisles of your natural food store, or price organic bedding online, and you may suffer from a sticker shock utterly resistant to most natural methods of health promotion!
But it doesn't always have to be that way! Put that bottle of Rescue Remedy back in the cabinet and take a deep, relaxing breath, because there are some simple, inexpensive things you can do that make a powerful impact on the global scene.
1) Start an organic garden. Engage your children, enlist their help, and make gardening a fun summer pastime! You may not be able to grow all of your own food; in fact, you may live in an apartment and struggle to grow a potted tomato plant on your balcony. However, few things inspire respect for nature like participating as a co-creator in the bringing forth of a crop, no matter how big or small. Learning what the plants take to grow, what kinds of protection they need, and how to wage (cruelty-free) battle with the local critters— all of these activities help connect us with Mother Earth, with the natural order, and with how fragile our ecosystems can be. After a few months of gardening, you may find yourself more sensitive to other environmental issues, wondering how the other foods you eat have been raised, and more respectful of small contributions towards the massive task of keeping nature intact.
2) Visit your local farmers' market. In season, farmers' markets can provide you fresh, local produce at wonderful prices. Ask about organics, too, as many local farmers use organic practices, or are in the process of becoming established as organic. Sometimes, I ask about whether or not the produce is organic simply to add my voice to those raised in support of organic agriculture. That said, local non-organics are usually better, tastier, and gentler on the environment (and the local market economy) than non-local non-organics. Think about it— distance from farm to selling destination, fuel used in transport, packaging that may or may not be environmentally-friendly, days spent in refrigeration while traveling many miles, and special treatments (waxing, coloring, or more) to keep the produce looking fresh and tasty even after the age and flavor-altering refrigeration of long transports? Avoiding these things adds up to a healthier you as well as a healthier environment, even before you factor in the often unkind agricultural practices of big, factory style farms.
3) Buy second hand. Remember that last coffeemaker you bought? You brought your box home and opened it only to find 2 more small boxes, 7 plastic bags, and 6 large styrofoam chunks nested snugly inside, protecting your purchase but increasing your trash output. By buying second hand, you would have reduced not only the packaging trash, but the waste that would have occurred from someone else discarding their unwanted item! In crunchier cities and neighborhoods, you may find some steals at garage sales or community yard sales. In less crunchy areas, you might do better to focus your search. Check out craigslist (www.craigslist.org), Freecycle (www.freecycle.org), or find out if a local newspaper offers free online classifieds (many do).
Don't just get your things second-hand, but offer them, as well! There's probably some other crunchy person out there who would feel so blessed to find your old dehydrator, juicer, or baby sling listed online. This is a great way reduce packaging waste and discarded items, and also a great way to save money on some of your crunchy buys, like cloth diapers, baby carriers, books, kitchen appliances, gardening equipment, freezing and canning supplies, and more!
4) Cut down on your gas consumption. Walk or ride your bike for short trips. Not only is the fresh air nice and the scenery (usually) better, but feeling the sun on your face and the breeze in your hair is good for the spirits, and fosters greater connection with nature. Trade the SUV for a car with lower gas mileage, if possible, and when you do drive, group your outings. Much of North and South Carolina is rural, and many of us have to drive "into town" to get groceries, clothes, or have appointments. Pick one or two days a week to be your driving days, and group your shopping and appointments near each other on those days to make efficient use of your mileage. Not sure what to do on those other days each week? Read, garden, spend time with family or friends, or do any number of other things that help you foster a sense of simplicity and peace in your life.
Use public transportation, when possible. Without question, it is true that most cities in North and South Carolina do not have the efficient public transit systems found in many of the larger American cities. That said, some cities do have public transportation, and as more people begin to support and use those options, they will expand and grow to meet consumer demand. The single biggest deterrent I've heard over and over again as a reason people don't use public transportation (other than lack of efficiency, which is addressed above)— it's not "cool." "People who can't afford cars use the bus." Not only is this way of thinking juvenile, offensive, classist, potentially racist, and utterly untrue, it's hurting our environment and slowing the development of efficient public transit systems in our cities! If you live in a city that offers a public transit system, even a limited one, give it a try one day in the coming week for one of your errands. Don't expect the immediate results of having your own car to go when, where, and how you want; instead, bring a good book for the ride, or better yet, have a conversation with someone!
5) Make your home your haven. De-clutter, organize, and make simple changes that add a peaceful touch to your home. This could be something as complex as house-wide spring cleaning or installing a storage closet organization system, or as simple as lighting a fragrant candle (even when you don't have company) or hanging some sheer fabric over the windows. You might wonder how adding a little Martha Stewart to your Al Gore can improve your commitments to frugality or crunchiness, but hear me out. First off, if you're organized, you're less likely to buy things you don't need. One of my favorite online frugality resources (www.cindysporch.net) regularly admonishes me to "shop at home first." Have you ever thought you were out of something, gone to buy it, and come home to put away your shiny, new item only to discover that you have two of them in the back of your closet? Shop at home first! Second, having a home that is a peaceful refuge lessens the urge to get out and go somewhere—anywhere! If your home is somewhere to flee to (rather than flee from), you'll save on gas money as well as money spent on recreation and dining out by cultivating hobbies around the house and in your neighborhood.
Third, some people find that an orderly, peaceful home contributes to an overall sense of well-being and emotional orderliness, and that it decreases their stress levels and levels of depression or anxiety. Many of us do things we know we shouldn't, such as eat less healthy or shop excessively, when we're feeling down; we all live in a culture that encourages us to beat our blues through purchasing the latest, greatest things! By making our home environment desirable, peaceful, and pleasant, we can foster better mental and emotional health, which can in turn strengthen our resolve to live by our beliefs. Remember, having a home haven doesn't require having a huge house or fancy things— it just requires being creative in the home you're in. It also doesn't require having a spotless house, cleaning all the tile with a toothbrush! Pick two or three areas that, when disordered, stress you out the most, and resolve to keep them organized and tidy.
There are, as you can imagine, thousands of things each of us could do to help the environment, keep our peace, or improve our health. For many of us, though, looking at that list of thousands feels overwhelming, particularly when many of the options seem so expensive or out of reach for someone living on a modest income. The trick is to get creative, to find new ways of doing old things, and to implement simple, inexpensive practices in your life that bring you closer and closer to living your ideals. Each of us has room for improvement; all of us have a responsibility to try.
Article reproduced with permission by Crunchy Carolina