Many people think that being eco-friendly means spending a lot of extra money on green products like cleaning products, organic foods, and energy efficient appliances. Fortunately, even for the budget conscious, there are ways to be green that cost very little money, and they can even end up saving you some extra money. You can make your own cleaning products with household components, grow your own food, and alter some of your lifestyle.

Go green by starting with a green thumb. Planting a garden and growing your own vegetables is an excellent way to be green. Growing your own food is actually more healthful because the vegetables and fruits will have more nutrients than those that are store bought. You can also eliminate the additive of pesticides on your food with nets and beetle traps. Depending on the time of year, fruits and vegetables may have to travel thousands of miles from where they are grown to reach a grocery store where you live, so you are also helping to reduce your own carbon footprint.

Carpooling with friends and colleagues will further reduce your carbon footprint by removing one car from the road. If carpooling isn’t an option, try using public transportation or bicycling to keep your car off the road. In urban areas especially, carbon emissions from vehicles are the leading cause of air pollution. Public transportation removes several cars from the streets at once as several people can ride a single bus or train. Biking and walking is an excellent way to stay in shape in addition to reducing pollution. All of these methods will also save you money on gasoline purchases.

Making your own cleaning products is not nearly as difficult as it may sound. You can make a general all-purpose cleaner by mixing a quarter cup of rubbing alcohol, one teaspoon of dish soap, and 3 cups of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and you can easily clean your countertops the green way. To clean glass, mix one and a half cups of vinegar with one and a half cups of water, and pour into a spray bottle. For stainless steel, mix two tablespoons of baking soda, a half cup of vinegar, and two cups of water together. Finally, when you’re looking for products to purchase such as furniture or clothing, consider buying second hand. Even if the product you intend to purchase isn’t exactly green, purchasing it used means the product is being recycled and a new one does not need to be made in its place, conserving materials and energy.