Dear Mother Nature: Is there a way to save money?
It makes sense that sustainability can be defined and practiced in many ways because the Earth is so vast and complex.
While I think anything that promotes healthy ecosystems, happy people, is sustainable, it is still a broad concept. There are many companies and trends that have made sustainability more mainstream. Unfortunately, most of these products and trends can’t be fully supported by most people. There are other ways that being sustainable can save us money. Here are some examples.
1. Your power bill will be reduced if you become friends with your thermostat
I’m sure Dear Mother Nature readers are well-versed in energy efficiency. Here is where it pays off! About half of a household’s energy bill is spent heating and cooling their homes. While there is much debate over exact savings, you can save money if your thermostat is sustainable.
It is better to sleep in colder temperatures if you have a basic programmable thermostat or a manual thermostat. You can also turn your heater and A/C off or down when you are away from the house. You will be able to control the temperature in your home more efficiently with a smart thermostat. This will increase your savings. It’s worth taking advantage of fans and clothing layers.
2. Buying less means less spending
Although this seems obvious, it is a good reminder. We can shop online and in a variety of physical stores to get almost any product we need. We can easily get carried away by this luxury and end up throwing our purchases away.
This can be a sign that a top that looked great in the store is not worn at home. However, it can also mean that food can become unworn. According to the North American United Nations Environment Program (NAUNEP), 30-40% American food is left unattended. This means that each person wastes approximately 20 pounds of food per month. Ouch!
It might be worth looking at our spending habits and analyzing what we really need. If we find that we could save money by having a more conservative budget, Mother Nature will be thankful. Fast fashion, which is often mass-produced and cheap, often comes from child labor or other forms of human exploitation.
3. Be conscientious
This last tip is deliberately vague as it can be applied to any situation. The essence of this article is to be aware of what resources you are using. Money, like electricity, is a resource. Avoid wasting water and lights by turning off the water and lights when you’re not using them. Be kind to yourself, and remember that it doesn’t matter how hard we try.
Gabby Barber, a sustainability and conservation specialist, wrote Dear Mother Nature. If you have a question about sustainability and environmental stewardship you would like answered in Dear Mother Nature, please send it to [email protected]. For more tips and knowledge about sustainability, visit sustainability.okstate.edu or follow the Oklahoma State University Sustainability Office on all social media platforms @OSUGreen.
