Green and Frugal -- Using Eco-Friendly Products

One key component of green living is using eco-friendly products. Today almost anything you want or need, can be found in a "green" version. Green or eco-friendly simply means the product is made in an environmentally friendly way. It could mean it's made of sustainable materials, such as bamboo flooring, or it keeps an existing material from being dumped into the landfill and gives it a new use, such as recycled glass countertops.

Eco-friendly products aren't just for major home remodeling. You can get eco-friendly bamboo laptops, belts made from recycled bicycle inner tubes and there are even shoes made from recycled quilts.

Whenever you're in the market to buy a product, you should look at how it's made. Ask yourself: "Is it manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner?" There are a couple of levels of eco-friendly products. One being the product itself is made from renewable or sustainable materials. The other is the method of manufacture and its effects on the environment. The best of both worlds is a product made from renewable materials and manufactured in an earth friendly manner.

You can take the concept of using eco-friendly products to any level. One example is; your grocery shopping can be made more eco-friendly by buying locally grown, organic produce and using recyclable bags you bring with you.

When renovating your home there are lots of great options. Everyone's heard of bamboo flooring, which is both beautiful and made from a renewable resource, but there are other types of flooring you can use as well. Cork flooring is also renewable and can be very beautiful. It's also warm and soft to the touch. Marmoleum is a type of flooring that's actually been around for some time which uses earth friendly manufacturing methods and has a great industrial or retro feel that fits nicely with today's styles.

Even your clothing can be eco-friendly. Choose items made from organic cotton, hemp and even bamboo. Big name manufacturers are now getting on the green bandwagon. Levi Strauss uses recycled zippers and buttons as well as organic cotton. Today's eco-friendly clothing can also be trendy, so while shopping pay attention to labels and try to help the environment while you're selecting your new wardrobe.

Things like cosmetics and cleaning products are also available in an eco-friendly version. Choose items made from organic materials which don't use toxic chemicals. Using these eco-friendly products will help the environment as well as your health, so it's worth while to seek them out.

Some of the best eco-friendly products also help conserve resources like water and electricity. Water conserving shower heads and faucets are a great choice as well as compact fluorescent bulbs, which lower electric consumption and help reduce the worldwide energy strain.

There's a large demand for eco-friendly products today and more and more choices are available everyday. Read product labels carefully to be sure products you consider buying really are eco-friendly and you'll know you're doing your part to keep the planet healthy.

Resources Box: The Green Living System gives you a more detailed report to help you begin living a green lifestyle. Visit Green Living System today to begin doing your part to save the earth.