Welcome to Naked Sustainability Podcast. This bold podcast helps busy millennials navigate real-life sustainability with practical tips, no-nonsense advice, and a zero-fucks-given attitude, all through a transparent and authentic lens of living in the real world. Join Ginny for lively conversations, expert interviews, and hilarious anecdotes. From eco-fashion to zero-waste living, we’ll empower you to be an eco-warrior without compromising your badass lifestyle. Get ready to kick some eco-ass.
Buckle up for a candid conversation as we navigate the maze of sustainable living without breaking the bank.
Join us as we challenge common misconceptions, swap stories, and share practical hacks for embracing a more eco-friendly lifestyle on a budget. Whether you’re a seasoned minimalist or just dipping your toes into the world of sustainable living, this episode has something for everyone.
We’re all about cutting through the clutter (both literal and metaphorical!) and finding simple, realistic ways to live more sustainably. From DIY projects to thrift store treasures, we’re here to prove that being eco-conscious doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your savings.
So, grab your favorite reusable mug, cozy up, and let’s debunk this sustainability myths together!
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Table of Contents
Misconception of Sustainability and Cost
Hey, hey friends! Welcome back to the Naked Sustainability Podcast, where we discuss living our busy lives as sustainably as possible. It’s Ginny, and today we’re tackling the misconception that sustainability is always more expensive. It’s a common belief that going green means spending more money, and on some levels that is very true.
There are companies out there that are marketing their products at a more expensive price point simply because they are eco friendly products. These companies are playing that capitalism game and they’re just trying to make more money. There are also some companies and products out there that are still very new.
Factors Contributing to High Costs
They have innovative technology and they’re very expensive. This is seen most often in products with a level of technology in them, like solar panels or home battery backup systems, induction cooktops. Those are just a few examples. As more becomes known about these technologies and demand increases the production need, these technologies and products end up becoming cheaper on a consumer level down the road.
Cost Savings and Benefits of Sustainable Choices
But the reality for many of the everyday sustainable products that we use is often quite different. While some sustainable products may have a higher upfront cost, many eco friendly choices actually save you money eventually. For example, my reusable menstrual disc costs about 35, in the United States, which is very expensive when compared to a box of tampons for like 7 to 10.
But one box of tampons lasts maybe two periods and after about 10 months my reusable menstrual disc is actually saving me money. And there are all sorts of other items with a very similar story from energy efficient appliances that might cost a little bit more up front, but end up saving you money and um, uh, hot water heating costs or cooling your home costs down the road to reusable alternatives like a water bottle or your coffee to go cup.
Shopping for Durability and Sustainability
There are plenty of affordable options everywhere. The key is to shop for durability and sustainability. There have been multiple studies that have shown that embracing sustainability can lead to significant financial savings. By reducing your energy consumption, minimizing your waste, and opting for durable goods, you and your household can lower your utility bills, your water consumption bills, your grocery bills, and your overall home expenses.
With a vast majority of ego friendly and sustainable products, you’re actually investing in quality, durability, and longevity, whereas their traditional counterparts tend to be very cheaply made. and break pretty easily. So these eco friendly products that you are purchasing might require a larger initial investment, but the durability and longevity of these items often outweigh that initial cost.
Practical Tips for Affordable Sustainability
So how can you incorporate sustainability into your daily life without breaking the bank? I suggest starting out by making small gradual changes that align with your budget and your priorities. Look for budget friendly alternatives to disposable products that you use in your everyday life, such as reusable water bottles, cloth napkins instead of disposable ones, and do it yourself homemade cleaning solutions instead of buying the chemical laden ones from the store.
When shopping for groceries, choose locally sourced or produce that is in season, or bulk items to reduce your packaging waste and save yourself some money. I know I’ve talked about this a lot, but if you choose one thing that you want to transition to be more planet friendly, and then you research your options, and you make an informed decision, then you’ll have that sustainable product for a long time and you won’t have to worry about adding it to the landfill or purchasing it again for a while.
Maybe you start with a reusable water bottle or your own to go coffee cup, a menstrual disc, reusable paper towels, choose one of them. This eco mindful method is the exact method that I use in my life. Still, because not everything we own is eco friendly yet. We’re, you can’t just transition a whole life one day and be like, Bam, we’re done.
Personal Approach to Sustainable Living
It’s, it’s a process. It’s, it can be expensive if you try to do it all at once, which is why I recommend doing one thing. And eventually you’ll get there to the point where everything is relatively eco friendly. And this is the method that I use to teach my clients. As they embark on their sustainability journeys, I teach them to choose one thing.
Maybe it’s something you use every day that’s like a very big part of your life. One thing, change it, work with it, love it, and then, when you’re ready, choose another thing, research it, buy it, love it, and then suddenly, this stacks, it has a compounding effect on your life. One of the most budget friendly and beginner friendly ways to embrace sustainability is by getting creative with do it yourself projects and thrift store finds.
Creative Solutions and Thrift Store Finds
Repurpose secondhand clothing into new fashion pieces that speak to your style and your heart. You can upcycle used furniture and home decor to make it your own. A little bit of paint can go a long ways and can perform wonderful things. And explore DIY alternatives to store bought goods. Like, your own tomato sauce is so much freaking better than store bought, I swear.
Thrift stores are treasure troves of affordable preloved items that can be given a new lease on life with just a little bit of imagination and elbow grease. And for many of us who are trying to adult in this world, thrifting is a great way to get furniture for your new home or apartment, or change out your clothing style for your new job that finally feels like you’ve hit real adult status.
Upcycling our Cabinets with Paint
When we moved into our home 8 years ago, I hated the ugly dark wood cabinets in our tiny fucking kitchen. But I 100 percent could not afford new cabinets, even second hand cabinets that maybe were in better condition, so I painted our very old cabinets and I gave them a facelift. This simple DIY solution has worked.
And it has worked well to this day, and most of our kitchen cabinets that I ended up painting will be reused in our pantry now that our kitchen renovation is on its way. I love the circular nature of how we can take something that wasn’t ours, make it ours, maybe with paint in your kitchen for your cabinets, and then I’d move it to a different area of our home when we end up having to upgrade it.
So, some of our cabinets are actually too damaged to be reused, but we were able to reuse almost every single one of our upper cabinets in our pantry. And that makes me really excited.
Sustainable Investing
Beyond individual lifestyle choices and products that we can purchase, sustainable investing actually offers opportunities for financial growth and stability. By supporting companies that prioritize environmental and social responsibilities, you can align your portfolio with their values while potentially earning competitive returns. We’re talking the stock market here. From green energy initiatives to socially responsible funds, there are a variety of options available for those looking to make a positive impact with their money.
I’ll confess that this is something I haven’t done yet, but it is on my to do list. eventually when I have time to research and make the right choice. Right now my 401k is in my individual retirement accounts and everything I have in the stock market or whatever and all of that mumbo money gumbo stuff that I don’t really understand.
They’re in the standard stocks that have achieved consistent growth over time, the ones that, you know, make this much annualized I don’t know any of it, but they’re in those. I actually don’t know what companies I’m supporting, I don’t know their ethics, their environmental desires, I don’t know any of that.
And for the moment, that’s okay. I’m focusing on my life right now and getting things that I can tangibly touch and deal with every day to be more sustainable, and then I will look to moving my managed money funds or whatever to companies that align with my beliefs and goals. I intend to transition my money over to these more ethical and sustainable funds, but because the stock market is so complicated and I don’t understand all of it, it requires a little bit more research.
And we always want to make sure we’re doing research to make those informed decisions. For now, I make my sustainability stance and my preferences for purchases known with my purchasing power, with my wallet. And I try not to purchase from companies whose ethical, social, environmental, and sometimes even political goals, might not align with my own. If I’m purchasing from companies where I believe in their mission, their growth style, what they believe in, what they’re teaching the world, what they’re doing, then I’m making a big enough difference for me right now.
The Power of Collective Action
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of collective action in driving down the cost of sustainability. For example, as more and more people adopted rooftop solar panels, the cost was able to come down significantly. For larger home investments like solar energy or geothermal heat pumps or heat pump technology to cool your home, get involved in local initiatives.
Advocate for policy changes in your town or community or even with your neighbors. And participate in community swaps, yard sales, sharing economies, those kind of things. Someone’s trash might be your treasure. Your trash might be someone else’s treasure. You never know. By coming together as a community, we can make sustainability more accessible and affordable for everyone involved.
Challenges and Barriers to Sustainability on a Budget
Of course, there are challenges and barriers to adopting sustainable practices on a budget. Limited access to resources, sometimes larger upfront costs, and competing priorities in our busy lives can make it difficult to prioritize sustainability. Not to mention the complicated greenwashing bullshit we have to wade through.
We live in a time where ads are everywhere. There are ads on ads on ads on a single 30 second video we’re trying to watch. And maybe not on the podcast that you’re listening to right now, but I’m sure there are ads on other podcasts you listen to. And it doesn’t stop there. We live in a world where it’s always a money grab for these companies, and that’s it.
The huge revenue that they boasted last year and the huge profits that they reported last year aren’t okay with them. They need to grow more. They need more money. They need, you know, to make They need more money, right? It’s never enough just to have 30 million, they need to have like 10 percent growth above that for their stockholders and their share prices and stuff like that.
And so, marketing is how they do that. And it’s annoying, and it’s gross, and we’ve just kind of learned to live with it. But that means, all of it, sounds the same. The good, eco-friendly, amazing products might have the greatest messaging in the world. And then the cheap, non-eco-friendly, petroleum-based products know how to market their non Earth friendly product to people who want to be more sustainable.
And so we have to wade through all of that fucking bullshit. to find the actual products that are good for our planet. By taking small steps and focusing on areas where you personally can make the most impact, one choice at a time, you can gradually transition to a more sustainable lifestyle within your means.
The EcoMindful Method to Budget Sustainability
There is no wrong way to be more sustainable. What works for me might not work for you. Or maybe you made an eco friendly swap, or transitioned to something that you thought would be more eco friendly, only to find that it wasn’t so good for the planet down the road. That’s okay! You’re learning. We all are.
I once bought a compostable, biodegradable, all natural loofah sponge to do the dishes with. I was so excited. I grew up using dishcloths, but the boyfriend really preferred sponges, and in an effort to make him feel welcome into the home as we merged our households, and maybe to make doing dishes easier for him, I wanted to try to transition to sponges myself.
Since I wasn’t a fan of the bacteria ecosystems that sponges housed, I went on an eco friendly and healthy research binge and I found the coolest motherfucking sponges made from plants: Luffa plants. And they were so fantastic that I planted my own luffa plants the next year so that I could make my own sponges.
The problem though is that it’s been about three or four years since I bought these initial compostable all natural luffa sponges. and they haven’t broken down at all in my compost bin yet. The boyfriend literally throws the entire sponge, not even half a sponge, part of a sponge, a little piece of a sponge.
The boyfriend throws an entire sponge at me every time he finds it when he’s turning the compost pile. Suffice it to say, those sponges that I bought are probably not compostable or even all that ego friendly. But they set me on the right path and I’m really glad that I started growing my own sponges because luffas are one of my favorite plants to grow and they have that use case in my life that makes me so happy.
Final Thoughts on Sustainability on a Budget
Before we wrap up, I want to hear from you. Have you found creative ways to live sustainably on a budget? Share your tips, success stories, and questions with us by sending an email to ginny.raynexo@nakedsustainability.com. The link is in the show notes if you need it. Your feedback and experiences may be featured on future episodes, and I’m really excited to share everything with you guys.
That’s all for today’s episode. I hope you’ve gained some valuable insight into how sustainability can be both affordable and accessible. You just need to know where to look and how to get started. Remember, every single small step towards a more sustainable lifestyle makes a difference. No matter what your budget or where you’re at in life.
As always, thank you for listening. If you’ve enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, please share it with a friend. Feel free to reach out at NakedSustainability.com. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and join us next week as we explore more badass ways to care for the planet while living this busy millennial life.
Until next time.
