Lightbulb Moment... Being "Green" Is Not...

We don't have TV, but a short while back I was waiting in a dentist office where HGTV was on. I don't know what show I saw, but it was one of those, get-your-house-ready-to-sell ones, and the theme was on making the house "green" to be more appealing to buyers.

The first thing the "style expert" did was to waltz through the front door, make shocked exclamations that the sellers were using the older style lightbulbs and order every lightbulb in the house to be thrown out and replaced with the new energy efficient kind.

I was floored.

I'm more motivated by frugality than environmentalism, though I have written before about how they go hand in hand. I could not believe the waste that was being promoted in the name of "being green". Yes, the new lightbulbs use less energy and save money. That's great. (They also contain mercury, and that is not great... I digress...) But how many lightbulbs do you think are in an average house? I just googled, 15-30. Why throw away 15-30 perfectly good lightbulbs? Think of the cost! Think of the waste!

Ever heard the saying, "haste makes waste"?

It's true.

To save money, try not to get in a big hurry. Make small changes over time. As the lightbulbs go out, replace them one by one with the newer energy efficient style if that is your desire.

This goes for many things. Unless dire health issues require a radical diet change, make adaptations slowly. Throwing out half of your pantry is expensive and wasteful. Donating unwanted food is better, but best of all, is to stop buying certain products as you run out of them.

Be frugal... be healthy... just don't be in such a hurry!