The $9 bill!  

Did you know that about 10 cents in every dollar you spend pays for the packaging that you throw in the trash? That means that that $10 bill you are holding will only buy $9 worth of goods (including tax)! Not only that but you pay your city rates, no doubt, and quite a big proportion of that goes on collecting and disposing of your trash every week! You are paying twice (and more) for stuff you just throw away as soon as you have bought it!

"What good is that to me?" you say, "It's the manufacturers who decide on the packaging. There's not a lot I can do about it!"

I agree that it's not something that can be accomplished overnight but here are some things you can do (edited from MSN Shopping - http://shopping.msn.com/content/shp/?ctId=4161 )

1. Buy in Bulk — Size matters. When you buy the largest quantity of a product you can use, you help reduce the waste in packaging. About one third of America’s trash is just the packages all our stuff came in and about 10 cents of every dollar we spend goes to pay for the packaging we throw away. If you buy in bulk, you also save quite a bit on gas!

2. Buy recycled products — The more demand there is for products made from recycled materials, the more quality recycled products there will be. (Be aware, however, that some things actually cost more in energy to recycle than they cost to make new.) There is a lot that people can do to recycle things in their own home and to reduce the waste that has to be disposed of by someone else. If you have a garden - even a small one, a compost bin or a wormery is a very good idea for much kitchen and food waste.

3. Avoid single-use products — Disposable razors and cameras, plastic cups and plates — all good examples of the ways we enjoy convenience at the expense of the environment. All this stuff goes directly from the manufacturer to the landfill with only a brief stop at your home. Buy products that last (and don’t be afraid to do the dishes). Use cloth towels and napkins instead of the paper variety whenever possible and when you must use paper, make sure it’s made from 100% recycled material.

4. Use rechargeable batteries — Conventional batteries contain cadmium and mercury and must be treated as hazardous waste (did you know that, now, one battery in your trash makes the whole bin 'hazardous'. That means that all of it must be disposed of safely in land-fill!) Rechargeable batteries last longer, cost less to use and help keep toxins out of the waste stream.

5. Buy used or re-furbished products — Used books save trees and re-furbished electronics save you money. When you shop online auctions or buy used products at sites like Windows Live Expo, you’re doing your part to help minimize waste by maximizing use. Shop re-furbished products.

6. Buy low-flow showerheads — Using aerators in your faucets and installing low-flow showerheads can cut your family’s water bills by 50% while helping to conserve our water supply. Water may be plentiful where you live but in many parts of the States (and the rest of the world), water supply companies are struggling to keep up with the demand for clean dishes and clothes, green lawns and all the other things we use water for.

7. Buy energy-efficient appliances — When it’s time to replace a washer, dryer, refrigerator or any other household appliance, always look for the Energy Star label. It ensures that the product has met energy efficiency standards set by the EPA and Dept. of Energy. You’ll not only help reduce carbon emissions, but you’ll enjoy immediate savings on your power bill.


8. Buy compact fluorescent bulbs — This is one of the easiest things you can do to save energy and money. Compact fluorescent bulbs last ten times longer than the incandescent variety. Replacing three incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents saves $60 and 300 pounds of CO2 a year. Modern good quality ones actually give a better light, closer to daylight, than filament bulbs and don't suffer from flicker the way they used to.

9. Try organic and non-toxic alternatives to household chemicals and pesticides — According to the EPA, the average American home is 2-5 times more contaminated than the area just outside of it, mostly due to the presence and residues of household cleaners and pesticides. Americans currently use 80-million pounds of pesticides a year, most of which drains into streams or seeps into the water table.

10. Buy tires with a long lifespan or buy retreads — There are over 3-billion discarded tires in the U.S. with over 200-million more added each year. They pollute landfills, present a fire hazard and waste oil. When you shop for tires, look for the longest-wearing types you can find and keep them properly inflated to reduce wear and save gas. Retreading saves about 400-million gallons of oil each year.

Sometimes some of these things appear to be more expensive. If you have to spend another 10 cents in the dollar to be consciously green, though, remember that you would be throwing that dime away anyway if you couldn't care less!