MNN - Mother Nature Network

Jennie: EcoSense for Living.  Everyday ways to save the environment and save money at the same time. 

Jennie: You might already know Clark Howard as a national consumer advocate and protector of your money.  But we’re here today to talk with Clark about his overall green philosophy.  So, is it possible to save money and the environment at the same time?

Clark:  No question.  My big thing is, I want you to save green and be green at the same time, ‘cause you can do both.  People look at it – if you're gonna do something for the environment, you're really gonna cost yourself money but feel good about it.  Hmm-mm.  If you do it right, you're gonna save money and feel good about it.

Jennie:  So we’re gonna start in the kitchen.  What are some of your big money and environment saving tips in here?

Clark:  Well, a perfect example is right here.  One of the ways that I like to save money is, I use my appliances till they’re ready to die.  And, once they croak, I replace them with the most energy-efficient one I can buy.  This is an example.  When this dishwasher died, I replaced it with an Energy Star one--

--which meant that I was saving on both water and on energy.  And everything I buy, I do the same thing.  As an example, most people wouldn't think about this.  This television is an Energy Star television, because TVs are draculas.  Even while this TV is off, it’s still using energy.  So if you get an Energy Star unit, you're not paying to use it when it’s not in use.  And here’s another example:  I despise bottled water.  Bottled water is the biggest waste of money.  But did you know that bottled water is an environmental disaster?  Because bottled water, you have enormous energy costs in bottling it, transporting it, delivering it, taking it home.  So here’s my solution – ‘cause I’d be happy drinking tap water.  My wife – not so much.  We compromised and got this filtration system.  I take tap water, put it right in this baby, it filters it –

- and she has the equivalent of bottled water for a fraction of the cost and without harming the environment.