Your Health & Wellness Question

[miss220trina]

Does anyone use enviromental products for thier home, health and wellness? Is it worth becoming interested in finding out more info?

[alissatucci]

Speaking of that...it reminded me of something i've been thinking about...

all these ads in magazines about certain companies "going green" and having environmentally friendly products...anybody ever notice how much more EXPENSIVE it is to be environmentally friendly?  I know that it's not ALL like that...but from what I've seen...everytime I see something made out of recycled products (clothing, etc), it's WAY more money than I'd ever be able to afford on just one piece of clothing, etc....   Like a "green" t-shirt...I'd get it, but it costs $40! (just an example)...I've seen some things that cost over $100....and the regular comparable product would be $20....just makes it hard to be as Green as one might like...

[MystedMoon]

Same concept goes for eating healthier. Salad mixes, lettuce, veggies, organic, etc., cost way more b/c it's healthier. And they want America to slim down?? If we, the consumer could afford it, sure. But for some, it's cheaper to eat what you're not suppose to eat! Sad to say, but so very true.
 

[alissatucci]

That's funny Mysted because I just got home from grocery shopping and I was thinking the EXACT same thing as it relates to this topic!  I've been trying to eat healthier since March and the food is so much more expensive.  Especially anything sugar free!  I was looking at cookies for my kids, and you could either get a HUGE package of chocolate marshmellow cookies for 94 cents....or a really small package of plain cookies for $3.00.

Makes it hard. 

No wonder it's so easy for celebrities to be skinny and environmentally conscious.

[MakinMonkeys07]

I'm new to FC, but I have been on the "green" bandwagon for some time now.  The best thing you can do to become green and to save money is to buy LOCAL.  Shipping is probably one of the most expensive things companies pass on to the consumer by adding it to the price of the item, so buying local drastically reduces that expense.  Plus, it helps reduce carbon emissions resulting from that transportation. 

EXAMPLE 1 - Be greener AND healthier...
Buy your produce at your local ranch/farmers market instead of the grocery store.  You can often find organically grown food cheaper than the chemical laden products at your grocery store.  For instance, I can pay 0.89 per green bell pepper at Walmart (not organic), or I can get organic bell peppers 4 for $1.00 at my ranch market.  Not only is it healthy AND less expensive...the bonus is in supporting your local farmer, their family, and your community.

EXAMPLE 2 - Find ways to go one step beyond the current trend...
Forget incandescents and CFLs (compact flourescent lightbulbs) and switch to LED bulbs.  LEDs screw into your existing light fixtures, so you don't need special lighting to use them.  Yes, your initial investment will be higher ($10-50 per bulb depending on brightness), but they will more than pay for themselves over the long term.  LEDs are becoming widely used commercially, but are just beginning in the residential market, so I believe their price will come down over time.
The Benefits to LEDs...
1) The average LED bulb will last for some 50,000 hours - about 7-10 years.  How many regular bulbs do you think you might buy over 7-10 years???  This alone could pay for most of the initial cost of a LED.
2) LEDs use about 80-90% less electricity than incandescents.  A LED bulb equivelent to a 60-watt incandescent uses only about 7 watts of power.  Imagine the effect on your electric bill?  If #1 above didn't cover the initial cost...this definitely will! 
3) LED bulbs give off ZERO heat.  That's right...ZERO!  Your A/C or swamp cooler will not have to compensate for the heat given off by all the lighting in your home, further reducing your electric bill.
4) Best of all, LEDs can be fun!!  LEDs come in a variety of colors.  You can get all the various shades of white that you're already used to, but you can also get black lights (the no heat factor really pays off here), solid colors, or bulbs that cycle through many colors (like you see in clocks or kid's toys).

These are just a couple ideas, but there are many "green" deals to be had out there.  Sometimes it will cost more up front, other times not.  The bottom line is that all of us should be doing everything we can do, within our means.  Take on one or two things at a time, then add to it over time.  It's the little things that add up into something huge...and WE ALL CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

 

[MystedMoon]

I'm new to FC, but I have been on the "green" bandwagon for some time now.  The best thing you can do to become green and to save money is to buy LOCAL.  Shipping is probably one of the most expensive things companies pass on to the consumer by adding it to the price of the item, so buying local drastically reduces that expense.  Plus, it helps reduce carbon emissions resulting from that transportation. 

EXAMPLE 1 - Be greener AND healthier...
Buy your produce at your local ranch/farmers market instead of the grocery store.  You can often find organically grown food cheaper than the chemical laden products at your grocery store.  For instance, I can pay 0.89 per green bell pepper at Walmart (not organic), or I can get organic bell peppers 4 for $1.00 at my ranch market.  Not only is it healthy AND less expensive...the bonus is in supporting your local farmer, their family, and your community.

EXAMPLE 2 - Find ways to go one step beyond the current trend...
Forget incandescents and CFLs (compact flourescent lightbulbs) and switch to LED bulbs.  LEDs screw into your existing light fixtures, so you don't need special lighting to use them.  Yes, your initial investment will be higher ($10-50 per bulb depending on brightness), but they will more than pay for themselves over the long term.  LEDs are becoming widely used commercially, but are just beginning in the residential market, so I believe their price will come down over time.
The Benefits to LEDs...
1) The average LED bulb will last for some 50,000 hours - about 7-10 years.  How many regular bulbs do you think you might buy over 7-10 years???  This alone could pay for most of the initial cost of a LED.
2) LEDs use about 80-90% less electricity than incandescents.  A LED bulb equivelent to a 60-watt incandescent uses only about 7 watts of power.  Imagine the effect on your electric bill?  If #1 above didn't cover the initial cost...this definitely will! 
3) LED bulbs give off ZERO heat.  That's right...ZERO!  Your A/C or swamp cooler will not have to compensate for the heat given off by all the lighting in your home, further reducing your electric bill.
4) Best of all, LEDs can be fun!!  LEDs come in a variety of colors.  You can get all the various shades of white that you're already used to, but you can also get black lights (the no heat factor really pays off here), solid colors, or bulbs that cycle through many colors (like you see in clocks or kid's toys).

These are just a couple ideas, but there are many "green" deals to be had out there.  Sometimes it will cost more up front, other times not.  The bottom line is that all of us should be doing everything we can do, within our means.  Take on one or two things at a time, then add to it over time.  It's the little things that add up into something huge...and WE ALL CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

 

Great advice! 
And I agree, I use those higher priced light bulbs. But in the long run, they not only burn longer using less electricity, your savings on average is in the hundreds, per year, on your electric bill!

[miss220trina]

Great Info guys, anyone else has any good tips and techniques