Is it Necessary to Go “Zero-to-Green” in 6.2 Seconds?

Mark and I moved into our home on a sweltering hot August day nearly six years ago. We started early in the morning and didn’t stop until the last box wasn’t just inside our house, but unpacked. Looking back, we must have been crazy. But it was our first house (it still is!) and we were too excited to be exhausted.

We’re bringing that same enthusiasm and drive to our green conversion but, because it can cost a lot of green to go green, we’re not exactly moving at the same break-neck pace. My inclination is to hurry-up-and-go-green and, all things considered, I’d rather be quick about it because it’s the right thing to do for the earth and our health. But I’m trying to see the bright green side of taking it slow and—in the process—I’m finding that making careful and conscious green choices, over time, is quite satisfying.

Here’s an example. Back in December, I interviewed Christine Chamberlain, the owner of The Clean Bedroom (http://www.thecleanbedroom.com/) for a magazine article and was shocked to learn how unhealthy the average bed is, with an off-gassing mattress, pesticide-laden sheets, and toxic pillows. No wonder I was tossing and turning at night!

Immediately after the interview, I wanted to go to Christine’s website and buy an organic mattress, organic sheets, and organic pillows. But it just wasn’t in the financial cards. A few months later, we had saved enough to buy an organic wool mattress topper from The Clean Bedroom—a green mattress was our first choice but, for the money, the topper offers protection from off-gassing and dust musts, so it made more financial sense. Then, a few weeks later, we found organic sheets on super clearance at TJ Maxx (http://www.tjx.com/). And, just last week, the organic wool pillows from Natura (http://www.naturaworld.com/) I blogged earlier about seeing at Target (http://www.target.com/) went on super clearance as well. It might have taken seven months, but I got my green bed . . . and without spending a lot of green.

Is a green bed really better? Instead of an answer, I have a challenge for you: Why don't you sleep on it—literally—and get back to me.

Question of the blog: You can't always wait for an item to go on sale . . . With that in mind, what's been your biggest green splurge?

Interested in Green Bargain Shopping Tips?

Please allow me to introduce myself: I am the bargain shopper and, recently, have become the green bargain shopper as well. There is something immensely gratifying about finding a great deal on a great green product. There is also something immensely gratifying about passing along these “finds” to others.

Target (http://www.target.com/) is my go-to for bargains and, in a recent blog, I revealed the exceptional Method (http://www.methodhome.com/) and Flor (http://www.flor.com/) deals I found there. I returned to Target this week and found additional green bargain shopping deals:

· Natura (http://www.naturaworld.com/) pillows. For around $40/each, these good-for-you and good-for-the-earth pillows are a steal.

· Burt’s Bees (http://www.burtsbees.com/) products. We all know and love Burt and his bees and their wide range of natural lotions and potions. When I was in the store earlier this week, they all happened to be on sale.

If you don’t live near a Target store, check out the eco friendly page on their site (http://www.target.com/b/?node=357202011&ref=sc_iw_l_2_2) with all kinds of products to reduce, reuse, recycle (from recycled dinnerware to solar powered items to Energy Star appliances) . . . bamboo, hemp, and jute products (from rugs to yoga gear to pet supplies) . . . organic products (from bedding to apparel to toys) . . . natural beauty products (from Avalon Alba to Juice Organics to Jason) . . . and pre-owned products (from iPods to TVs to videos).

Switching stores, I've also found that many TJX stores (http://www.tjx.com/) like TJ Maxx and HomeGoods carry well-made and well-priced organic goods. I just stocked up on organic towels at TJ Maxx—and all on super clearance, of course.

In an ideal world, we’d all support our local stores—especially health food stores—and we’d ignore the giant retailers. But every dollar counts in an economy like this. My suggestion is to shop green at Target and TJX (and all others that carry green products) while also spending as much green as you can at your local stores . . . even the green bargain shopper pays retail once in a while when I know my money is helping my local economy.

Question of the blog: Where do you find your best green bargains?

Are You a Green Bargain Shopper?

Yesterday, Mark and I needed sunscreen and dashed into our local Target (www.target.com) to pick up a fresh supply. While there, we couldn’t resist participating in what we call “perimeter patrol.” Any of you who regularly shop at Target know all the sale items are generally displayed at the end of each aisle, around the perimeter of the store.

During our hunt for green bargains, we found lots of Method (www.method.com) products on sale. We’ve been using Method’s eco-conscious soaps and lotions for some time now and we’re always happy to see its products on sale. We were even happier, however, to find another product on sale: Flor (www.flor.com) carpet tiles. Flor is a great product that lets you be creative with carpet tiles you can mix and match and use in any pattern you desire.

And here’s the green part: Flor tiles are made in the USA, most face constructions are nylon or natural fibers like hemp or wool, and backings are a composite, made up of some recycled materials. They also have the lowest VOC (new carpet smell) in the industry . . . and they are recyclable.

All this and they were on sale at Target. Actually, they were on super clearance. Each box of six tiles normally retails for $59.99 and we bought four boxes for $7.49 each. So much for green costing lots of green.

I’ll end this with a shopping tip from me to you. The Flor boxes were actually marked $41.95, but one box had a sticker that said $7.49. Since Target has all those scanners around that tell you the price of an object when you scan its barcode, we took all the boxes over and found they were all $7.49. Not wanting to be greedy, we put half the boxes back on the shelf--even though we really wanted them all (hey, I believe in Karma!). Before we walked away, I noticed a woman came over, looked at the tiles, saw the $41.95 price tag, and put a box in her cart. “You know,” I said to her, “They actually ring up for $7.49. You should get all of them.” And she did.

Question of the blog: What’s your favorite green bargain shopping story?

Is “Mint Green” Still “Green”?

I was just shopping at Target (www.target.com) and noticed a woman at the check-out buying a massive amount of green cleaning products. I was really impressed. In an earlier post, I mentioned how I’ve switched over almost exclusively to green cleaning products because the conventional products tend to be toxic.

Anyway, back to the woman buying all the green cleaning products—she left with a cart-full of plastic bags! She’s what I call “mint green”—a pale version of truly green living. Her actions made me wonder: Does she care about the environment in general or just her own personal environment?

This reminded me of a time in college where I had a shock at the grocery store. One of my favorite classes was called “Environmental Philosophy” and we spent each class debating about what was and was not good and bad for the environment. My professor was articulate and passionate in his arguments for green living. And then, one day, I saw him leaving the grocery store with a cart-full of plastic bags. I realized he talked the great green talk, but he didn’t walk the walk. I was crushed, but he did teach me a great lesson.

The woman at Target? Well, she just reminded me that the green movement still has a ways to go.

Question of the blog: Is being “mint green” enough of a green commitment?