Get Recession Ready! -- 7 Tips

George Monbiot wrote in the Guardian earlier this year that a recession might not be a bad thing, and that perhaps there can be too much growth. He also wondered if we all have enough cars and cellphones, and don't need to keep making them. Perhaps he should be careful what he wishes for.

It is true that in times of economic contraction, there is less fuel burned and less pollution created, as industries make less stuff and there are fewer trucks carrying it. Russia's air got dramatically cleaner after the fall of Communism and all the old factories closed.

It is also true that almost all of the things that we preach as being good for the planet are also good for getting recession-ready; use less stuff, lower your heating bills, reduce your use of electricity, make your own dinner -- all these things that make less carbon dioxide also save us money. Most of them make you healthier too. Here are a few ideas from Planet Green:

Get Your Car Recession Ready

The car is one of the biggest expenses people have, and one where the changes you make can have a big impact on the amount you spend, and the greenhouse gases you generate.

Of course, the best thing you can do is ditch your car completely, and we have a couple of alternatives for that.The biggest and most cost-effective thing you can do is Throw away the keys and live car-free. According to a 2004 American Automobile Association study, the average American spends $8,410 per year to own a vehicle. That's equal to $700 per month, and a lot of potential savings when you throw away your keys.

If you can't get rid of your car, perhaps you can find or start a car pool. Not only will you save on gas and transportation expenses, but you'll also reduce carbon emissions. Plus, you'll find plenty to gab about during stoplights and rush-hour jams, which you can turn into networking and socializing opportunities.

If you need a car occasionally but not every day for commuting, car sharing is a great option. Car-sharing services offer the opportunity to have ready access to wheels, without the hassles of paying for gas and insurance, and even finding parking. ::More in Planet Green

Tighten Your Belt in the Kitchen

Here are some tips:

1. Ditch prepared meals right now Consumers have been led to believe that they don't have the time to cook and it simply isn't true. You can have a healthy meal on the table within half an hour. Prepared meals have more fat, more sugar, more salt, more preservatives, and more garbage waste than anything you can cook yourself.

2. Plan ahead: Yes, this is going to take a bit of effort, but once you get going it will be easy. Make sure you have a well stocked pantry. Canned or dry legumes, rice, pasta, canned tomatoes should all be on hand to make quick, nutritious meals.

3. Plan your week: Take the time to work out a menu plan for the week. Most people grocery shop once a week and they toss things into their carts, without considering what they really need. If you know what you are going to eat, and you have the right ingredients, you'll be less likely to call for takeout, or head out to the fast food joint.

4. Cook more meatless meals: Meat will consistently be the most expensive food item in your grocery cart. The ready availability of other protein sources allows you to expand your food repertoire and have a healthier diet.

5. If you do use meat, use less: no one needs a 10-ounce steak. Cut back on the amount of meat that you cook and increase the amount of vegetables for each serving. ::More in Planet Green

Travel Locally

"If I am going to go looking for my heart's desire, I won't go any further than my own back yard," said Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Marcel Proust was of the same mind: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."

They both have a point-in times of financial insecurity, perhaps it is appropriate to explore our own backyards a little more carefully. Lea Woodward from Project Woodward has some suggestions:

1. Be a local tourist: Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, you probably have several tourist attractions nearby that you've never visited before. Make a list of all the tourist destinations in your area that you've always "meant to visit", and go check them out.

2. Explore new cultures in your hometown: Many of us live in multicultural cities or towns, so we don't even have to leave our comfort zone to experience a new culture. Try sampling a new cuisine you've never tried, or visiting immigrant-owned stores. Once you start chatting with the owners, you'll be surprised at how much you can learn. ::More in Planet Green

Follow Lloyd Alter on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lloydalter

Comments

[citizengoat]

Hi. Good post. I just want to add two things: Grow some of your own food if you can--in a yard garden, in a pea patch, in a pot. And, if you would bike except for the fact that you have to deal with daunting hills, say, get a motor for your bicycle. Electric bikes and attachable motors are coming down in price and in weight.

Sarah
http://progressivekid.com

[PatA]

It is 11:21 a.m. in central Texas and I am yet to turn the AC on. Is it hot in here? Yes. But, is that so hot that I can't be comfortable while doing chores? No. I have fans. A fan that has really helped me is face level in a kitchen cabinet and cools me while I do the dishes.
I am going to more drought resistant plants and am adding "garden art" to fill space in my yard.
Stuff is just that, stuff....We generally don't need half of what we get in a dollar store. I've decided to avoid the bargain stores, except for basics, and keep a list going AND not shop hungry. :-)
Tire pressure, folks!

[Corinth]

I’m curious at what point people will really start shaving off the top and get rid of their cable. I don’t expect it will be any time soon, but I’d like to think that at least some people will go ahead and do away with it. I would think that with the increased reliance on e-mails, online news, online information, and networks showing more and more of their shows online, that those with tight budgets who currently have both internet service and cable would drop cable and keep just the internet. Perhaps we will see a second blossoming of internet culture, genuine development this time rather then clumsy attempts at popularity contest and social networking. It also makes me curious about how lower television viewer ship will effect advertising, consumer spending habits, lowered library attendance – pretty much every aspect of American life. What will America become when it is no longer hooked on pop culture and reality television? I’d like to think that some lasting good could come from all this.

[ScooterLiddy]

We will soon have no choice. That is if we no longer have choice even now. Traveling locally is not such a bad thing. It is only different. I write this from Juneau, Alaska where I traveled from Colorado for a week-long vacation. Maybe in the near future such trips will not be practical. There is plenty to explore in Colorado.... even reachable by bicycle if need be....

[Sparky123]

It is already here.

[drkazmd65]

Sure enough Sparky123 - I am already doing many of the things in the article. And - I suspect a carpool will be the next on the list,...

Add in some respectible home gardening for some seasonal (at least) fresh produce and it gets better, and greener.

[repearwo]

The world you describe is the world I grew up in, a world long gone. THe one side effect to what you describe is the redistribution of wealth and labor. If people stop buying processed foods, a whole industry dies - with its jobs. That is true of all the changes talked about.

Maybe in all this someone will realize that one parent can stay home with the kids to plan and cook and raise the kids.

[wagadog]

Yah. Dads sure have a lot of catching up to do in that department, don't they?

[cktirumalai]

Between those who want to possess as much as possible and those who want to do with as little as possible there is a great gulf. A few begin by possessing a good deal and as life progresses begin discarding superfluous goods. Tolstoy was one of these.

[Sparky123]

Yes