If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard someone remark how expensive adopting green living practices is, I could probably quit my 9 to 5. While green living is more of a lifestyle than simple habits, when you implement eco-friendly practices into your daily life, you’re likely to find they are neither costly nor disruptive to you and your family.

Live Green

It seems such an egregious misconception about green living stems from the fact that many people who want to transition to a more eco-friendly lifestyle just don’t know where to start. While some of the most publicized and seemingly popular environmentally-conscious changes are admittedly expensive for most of us (think purchasing a brand new Prius) there are simple and highly effective ways to live green without breaking the bank. Perhaps we can offer three you may not have thought of…

• Reduce Junk Mail – Did you know investing just 20 minutes of your time can significantly reduce the amount of junk mail you receive? For just $1, you can sign up with the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service, which can make it easier for your to control the amount of advertising mail you receive (the association estimates it will stop 75% of all national mailings). Cancel catalogs by contacting the customer service department and join the “Do Not Mail” campaign.

• Ditch the Commercial Cleaners – Common household items clean and disinfect just as effectively as most commercial cleaners without the toxins. Use baking soda to clean sinks and faucets and vinegar to remove hard water stains. Club soda can work wonders on carpet stains and lemon juice cleans glass. Check out these 25 non-toxic, homemade cleaning tips!

• Waste Less Food – Sounds obvious right? But reducing your family’s food waste is one of the best and easiest things you can do for the environment. Purchase fresh food only if you plan on using it within the next week and avoid buying in bulk. Even better, get the most out of your food scraps by composting.  Learn how to here!