Welcome to The Budget Ecoist, where we help you go green on a budget. Check out our tips for recycling and reusing everyday items, our reviews of eco-friendly products, and share your tips in our green forum.
Category: Eco-Friendly Tips
The Man Who Resuscitated the Electric Car
October 4, 2008
For those of you who wept openly during Who Killed the Electric Car? , you might find your salvation from an unlikely source. Shai Agassi and his new company, Better Place, are looking to completely reinvent the way the car industry works.You may not know that during the late 1800s and very early 1900s, the Electric Vehicle Company sold more cars than any one else in the U.S. It was supplanted by gasoline-powered vehicles, mainly because...
Biodegradable Houseware: Go Green
September 25, 2008
Wheatware's mission? "Save virgin forests and reduce oil dependency." They're ambitious goals for a company that sells flatware, hangers, drumsticks, golf tees and more sundry items but seeing as all their ordinary household items are made of wheat and biodegradable resin, Wheatware has a fighting chance. Purchase their flatware for a party instead of plastic forks that will remain buried in landfills forever. The forks, knives and spoons are...Traffic Fines for Idling Cars: Environment News
September 24, 2008
Leaving your car idling while dashing into Blockbuster to return some DVDs or waiting to pick up children from school has long been illegal in 15 states, but only now, according to one of our favorite green blogs, Treehugger, is the law being actively enforced. The law was designed to reduce emissions and oil pollutions, but cities like Denver are enforcing the law to reduce car thefts. Tickets can be up to $475. Watch out for signs at...How to Fly to Paris (or Pittsburgh) Without Destroying the Earth
September 21, 2008
Let's face it: Travel isn't the best way to minimize your carbon footprint, especially if you go by air. But that doesn't mean you've got to skip your vacation to save the world. It's possible to travel with a minimum of environmental impact.BEFORE YOU GO
* Book a direct flight. Landing and taking off again burn extra fuel.
* Use public transportation to get to the airport. (You'll save money on airport parking, too!)
* Skip the sample sizes....
Paint it Green: Eco-Friendly Home
September 18, 2008
About once a year, we get a jones to paint the living room, but we rarely follow through on my terra cotta-tinged dreams because, frankly, the smell of paint makes us want to vomit. And it's hard to justify picking up a gallon of something that, when it's tossed, can pollute 250,000 gallons of water.So you can imagine that our hearts' are beating a little faster thanks to the new crop of Green Seal paints that let you have your organic vegan...
Making Your Yard Eco-Friendly: Green Video
September 13, 2008
If you thought that avoiding harmful pesticides was all you can do to make your yard green, you've been wrong. And so have we. This video by Howcast enlightens us on how to transform your yard into an eco-friendly, carbon footprint-shrinking paradise just by using trees, flowers, and your coffee grounds (!). By making a few changes in your gardening habits, your house, lawn, and plants will benefit. And consequently, so will the environment....Leaky Sinks, Green Goods, and Bamboo Laptops: Web Round-Up
September 7, 2008
The Budget Ecoist links you to the best eco buzz from around the web:-- Green Daily lets us in on the little-known but logical fact that leaky sinks waste a lot of water in the long run. Berkeley, CA is instituting a program to catch leaks all across the city. Engineers are set to listen in on the pipes in the early morning, leading eventually to a conservation of water.
-- Great Green Goods introduces us to this beautiful business card...
Solar Sunrooves: Green News
September 6, 2008
Treehugger.com mentioned this neat innovation, and we pounced. Sunrise Solar recently introduced the creation of a solar sunroof for cars. The sunroof will create energy to charge the car's battery, plus help keep the car cool when parked in warm weather and keep it warm in cold weather. Instead of having sun-soaked leather seats when you come back, you'll have a juiced-up car battery. We're excited that corporations are realizing the need for...Reuse Two-Liter Bottles: Green Video
September 4, 2008
We've already shown you how to save water and money by leaving a plastic bottle in your toilet tank, but check out seven other ways to re-use your two-liter soda bottle. Don't throw the empty bottles from that Labor Day party you had into the recycling bin just yet -- most of these projects are for the outdoors, so get started before the weather gets cold. Combine your arts and crafts skills with your desire to recycle. The projects are easy and...Calcuating Your Carbon Footprint: Go Green
September 4, 2008
At The Budget Ecoist, we've given you a plethora of tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint. You may ask, though, what exactly is the carbon footprint and how do I know how large mine is in the first place? Well, simply put, your carbon footprint is the amount of tons of CO2 emissions per year that you and your household release through household energy, food, services, transportation, and overall lifestyle. Now that you know the definition,...Share-a-Bike: Go Green
September 1, 2008
Our friends at TreeHugger ran a story this week that warms the cockles of our urban-hardened heart. Last week Washington D.C. implemented the high-tech Smart Bike program for people who have already figured out it’s cheaper and more responsible to leave the car at home.For one dollar more than a 7-day Metrorail pass, you pay an annual fee of $40 for unlimited bike pickups. You do have to use the bike in three-hour increments, but you can turn...
Motion-Powered Phone Charger: Go Green
August 31, 2008
We've all heard about solar , wind and water energy, but have you ever heard of motion creating enough electricity to charge a phone? Well, now you have -- M2E (motion to energy--not very creative) Power is a company that formed last year to reach this milestone in green energy, and they've done it, according to cnet.com. There is a lithium ion battery, coils, and magnets inside the charger. When the device moves, an electromagnetic field forms...Windmill Power Plan Proposed: Green News
August 28, 2008
Although he has only 18 months left in his term, the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, has proposed an ambitious wind power plan to create energy for the city. His plan would include placing wind turbines on the city's bridges and skyscrapers, according to the New York Times. We would be excited about this proposal even if some of us didn't live in New York. This proposal is a promising step into a greener future, and hopefully a...Homemade Beauty Products: Go Green
August 27, 2008
Everyone knows the old cucumbers on the eyes to reduce puffiness trick. But we'll bet you've got the ingredients in your cupboards to do a whole spa treatment from home! Try out these recipes:1. Make your own astringent: Start with an empty bottle (tip: use the astringent you have and when you run out, reuse the bottle to make your own). Fill the bottle about 60-70% with water. Fill the bottle the remainder of the way with apple cider or...
Buying in Bulk: Go Green
August 26, 2008
Buying bulk is fun. You heard us, F-U-N. Of course it is environmentally responsible and budget-savvy as well, otherwise why would we be discussing it in the first place? How many times have you walked down that bulk aisle, past all those little goodies just beckoning you to grab a scoop? (Confessions: how many times have you snuck a chocolate-covered pretzel?) DO NOT put your dirty hand into that bulk bin! For shame! Psst...just pull out...Glass Jars: Recycle This
August 26, 2008
Glass jars offer a great opportunity to recycle. Nothing excites us more than finishing a jar of jelly, a pint of pasta sauce, or a jar of salsa. When the jar is cleaned out, the fun is ready to begin! YEEHAW!Why the love of glass jars? Storage, of course. Why buy a piggy bank when you use a jar of pickles (minus the pickles, of course)? Why buy granola in a pastic bag, exposing yourself to possible pests in your cupboards, when you can buy...
Loving Your Laundry: Go Green
August 25, 2008
We’ve touted the benefits of homemade cleaning supplies before and promoted new gizmos that cut down on your laundry carbon footprint. But Susie J gets a lot more pleasure out of her time in the laundry room than we ever have -- and she thinks you will be a “laundry day is the best day of the week” convert if you follow her thirteen steps to eco-friendly, non-toxic, all natural laundry bliss. We think we can pull off some, but not all, of these...Web Round-Up: Food Edition
August 24, 2008
The Budget Ecoist links you to the best food eco buzz from around the web:When the tomato harvest gets out of hand, the tough get canning (and drying and freezing, too) via Grist - Wondering what to do with that plethora of tomatoes? Can em, freeze em, dry em!
A Nutrition Guide for the Pregnant Vegetarian via Ecosalon - It's not easy being a pregnant vegetarian. This post will help.
Tara's Organic Ice Cream: Their Trash Can is Empty! via...
From China with Love: Go Green
August 20, 2008
The environment and China are locked in a symbiotic relationship, one we will all be involved in and be accountable for, to generations to come.The Olympics (way to go, Michael Phelps!) have highlighted something most people already know: the development of China in such a short period of time is having a profound effect on the environment. Could it be that this is the beginning of seeing Olympians walking around with masks to protect them...
DIY Earth-Friendly Wedding Invites: Green Video
August 19, 2008
For all those Eco Brides out there . . . learn how to make unique earth-friendly wedding invitations that only look expensive.
