Tips for ‘going green’ on a budget

It seems like the message of "going green" is becoming more prevalent, especially this month as people everywhere celebrate Earth Day. Many parents are interested in being more environmentally friendly and teaching their kids how to do so as well, but they don’t know how to or simply can’t imagine spending more money for organic or all-natural products.

Living by the simple mantra of "reduce, reuse and recycle" is enough for some people, but there are many other ways fathers and mothers can make their families greener, without breaking their budgets.

Among the tips offered by Robyn Harding, who wrote a book called "Mom, Will This Chicken Give Me Man Boobs? My Confused, Guilt-Ridden and Stressful Struggle to Raise a Green Family" is to unplug appliances when you’re not using them.

Harding told blogger Meredith Lopez on The Huffington Post that baking soda and vinegar are great, chemical-free alternatives to expensive "green" cleaning products.

Dads can chose whether or not to spend extra money on organic produce by checking out The Shoppers’ Guide to Pesticides at FoodNews.org, which provides a list of which fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide residue.

Harding says parents shouldn’t stress-out about being green. "Saving the world is important, saving our sanity is critical!" she told Lopez. "We all need to be conscious of how we’re treating the planet, and we can all make green choices that fit within our lifestyle and our budget."