Disposable razors are the ultimate throwaway. Two billion of them are sold and tossed every year in the U.S. alone, along with the paper and plastic packaging they come in. So shifting your spending to one of the many green and ultimately money-saving options is something of a no-brainer.

What to look for when you shop:

Rechargeable electric razor. Rechargeables can be expensive to purchase initially, but their long life usually warrants the up-front cash outlay. If you recharge them using a solar charger, you reduce the amount of energy they use considerably. Unlike other models, the Braun Pulsonic Shaver contains no cadmium, lead or mercury in its components. Its Smart Plug technology has earned it an Energy Star rating for energy efficiency from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. NOTE: Though an electric razor does use electricity, it reduces the amount of trash you toss since you don’t discard empty shaving cream cans or soap boxes every few weeks.

A straight razor uses no energy other than your own, but be careful! Keep a box of band aids at the ready. You can reduce scratches by sharpening your razor on a stone like this one. In place of shaving cream, many men use a shaving brush and soap they can lather in a dish or jar, for a very low cost, low-tech approach. (NOTE: You probably can’t take the straight razor on an airplane. If you travel a lot, you will still need an electric razor or a reusable razor with disposable blades. If you use a reusable razor but disposable blades, consider a “razor saver.” This little gadget sharpens blades so you can extend their life from the normal 5-10 shaves per blade to 130!

If you absolutely must use a disposable, choose one like Recycline. The handle is made from recycled plastic and can be recycled in any community that allows recycling for #5 plastics.

Shaving cream can be green, too! These options contain organic, fragrance-free ingredients.

Get more eco-friendly personal care tips here.

Babies deserve the best when it comes to the food they eat, the toys they play with, the soaps and shampoos they use, and the clothing they wear. Their immature organs and immune systems make them more susceptible to the impacts chemicals can have on development, learning, and overall health, so child safety should be your Number One priority in the ‘green’ baby shower gift department. Besides, shifting your spending to green baby products is a great way to set a trend for children’s purchases throughout their lives.

How about these kid-safe options?

Food. Organic baby food minimizes baby’s exposure to pesticide residues while providing extra helpings of vitamins and minerals. Give the DIY-parent a small blender or food processor, a set of reusable glass jars with lids, and a link to the Wholesome Baby Food website for homemade grub baby will love. For organic parents with no time to cook, Earth Best’s First Foods Gift Pack offers a nice introduction.

Toys. Recent revelations that toys made in China contain hazardous chemicals rightly worry many parents. None of us would willingly expose our kids to lead or kerosene, yet those are some of the toxins that have turned up in toys as common as Thomas the Tank Engine and Dora the Explorer. Start babies off right with the ones made from organic cotton, recycled wood and lead-free paints.

Soaps and Shampoos. Babies and toddlers don’t need much powder, body lotion, perfume, moisturizer, or baby wash, though a little ointment to help prevent diaper rash is always appreciated. A mild shampoo sans synthetic fragrance and phthalates comes in handy, too. In the past, I’ve filled a reusable shopping bag with fragrance-free organic and plant-based body wash and shampoo formulated especially for babies, along with an organic cotton towel and a safe rubber ducky.

Clothing. Conventionally-made baby clothes may be treated with a surprising array of toxic chemicals, including fire retardants and formaldehyde. A healthier alternative? T-shirts, socks, shirts and sweaters made from organic cotton and bamboo. You’ll find a lot of options if you search “organic baby clothes” on the Web. If you’d rather browse the racks, try the organic options at Target and Wal-Mart.

When it comes to shifting your spending to greener goods, don’t forget the animals in your life. Because they live lower to the ground, they might be even more susceptible to toxic substances than people are. And often their food and toys sacrifice natural ingredients in favor of less healthy alternatives. Fortunately, whether you’ve recently added a new four-legged member to your family, or just want to treat your existing pet right, there are plenty of affordable, environmentally friendly products and supplies to keep your furry friends happy and give you another way to use your consumer clout to protect the planet.

Start with the fun stuff: toys! Don’t spend a fortune on plush new chew toys your dog’s powerful jaws could demolish in a few days. Shop yard sales and thrift stores for used rubber dolls or balls and stuffed animals that pooch will enjoy just as much as if they were brand new. When you do buy new, choose toys like those from West Paw’s Zogoflex line that are tough, pliable, non-toxic and designed to be recyclable. An added bonus: they’re dishwasher safe.

Also, check out West Paw’s inexpensive Eco Bones, which are made of 85 percent re-  engineered recycled IntelliLoft fibers that offer Fido astrong, squeaky and eco-friendly way to exercise his jaws while saving you money on the real bones you might otherwise buy every week.

Hemp Collars and Leashes. Hemp is a natural fiber that has been grown for the last 12,000 years in a variety of climate and soils without pesticides and herbicides. Hemp fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent, and more mildew-resistant than cotton; they’re hypoallergenic, 100 percent biodegradable, odor resistant and anti-bacterial, too.

• Earthdog offers a variety of hemp collars and leashes.
• Planet Dog’s hemp collar is adjustable, and its cozy leash comes with a fleece-lined handle.
• The Good Dog Company Hemp Canvas Collars also come in a variety of colors, styles and sizes.

Eco-Friendly and Comfortable Dog Beds. Dogs sleep at least 12 hours a day if not more, so ensuring they have the best bed possible is a must (and will keep them off the couch!). Beds made from natural materials such as recycled cotton, feathers, wool or kapok fiber offer a healthy ‘green’ alternative to the synthetics found in many conventional pooch pads.

• West Paw Design utilizes eco-friendly materials such as reclaimed cotton, organic cotton, eco fabric and stuffing made with IntelliLoft recycled fibers, recyclable Zogoflex, and recycled fabric that can be used again and again without falling apart.
• Big Shrimpy Planet-Friendly Beds are stuffed with Smartfill, a 100 percent pre-consumer recycled    polyester fiber. The zip-off bed cover and the fill can be washed and dried in your machines at home.

What if it’s chow time?

Pet owners often find that organic and natural ingredients improve their animal’s digestive system while keeping coats shiny and healthy. You can determine what organic food best suits your dog by taking Organic Pet Digest’s Healthy Label Test. Most food coops and many grocery stores carry Newman’s Own Organic Pet Food as well as other organic lines.

Of course, all this is for naught if you don’t keep your home healthy. Pet are just as susceptible to indoor air pollution as people – maybe more so, since they spend so much time on the ground, where they can inhale fumes from floor cleaners and pick up dirt that’s tracked in from outside. Use nontoxic cleansers on carpeting and furniture; both you and your pet will benefit.

Finally, don’t despair over the two banes of any dog owner’s existence: fleas, and poop. Natural flea treatments, along with links to biodegradable poop bags, will help you make your best four-footed friend Mother Nature’s friend, too. (Of course, you could do what I do, and flush my dog’s doo down the toilet. Try it sometime. It’s not nearly as gross as it sounds.)

The Big Green Purse One in a Million campaign encourages people to shift $1,000 of their household budget to greener products and services. Thus far, almost 6,000 people have made the shift. One of those is Nancy, an Episcopal priest and practicing psychologist who lives in central New York state.  I was amazed to learn how Nancy has shifted so much she actually saved more than $10,000 without feeling deprived. Here’s her story.

What inspired you to make so many “green” changes in your life? My doctoral studies were in MindBody medicine and holistic healing…which led directly to my first change: become a vegetarian(1991)—which reversed bone loss. In the intervening years I continued to study, teach courses, and give lectures and workshops on holistic healing and spirituality. My studies and workshop presentations expanded in 2005 after I learned about the known health risks associated with land fills at a meeting of the local chapter for the League of Women Voters. The local land fill had expanded despite opposition and was (and is again) asking to expand.

Troubled by the evidence, I began reading about recycling, which led me to studies about plastics, cleaning agents, bath and body care, cosmetics, and, surprisingly, food safety and how they affected human health and the environment.  The readily available evidence was, and remains, shocking and deeply distressing.  I believe that all of us need to be more conscious of the factors which affect our health and over which we can chose to  have control, with our voices,  pocket book, and votes. As a person living with a life-long disability I felt that, based on this new learning, I had a responsibility to act on it by making conscious choices about my life and health as I move toward retirement and continued aging! That led to my second change: I became a vegan, eating only organic foods at home, and have reaped more health benefits than I imagined possible. No more antibiotics and hormones I didn’t chose, need or want; no more insecticides and pesticides bred into Genetically Engineered foods—as  far as I can determine and choose; reading labels to avoid corn derivatives and high fructose.

All of this learning, alongside continued growth and new learning in my spirituality and prayer life, led me to my third change: a decision to become conscious and present to the world and nature around me, as well as to family, friends, and neighbors. All of life breathes the same air, is exposed to the same water, and shares the consequences of toxins in the land fill. The very least I could do was to avoid adding toxic, disposable, meaningless stuff or organic garbage, leading to my fourth change: changing my patterns of consumption, understanding the what and why of every purchase. Suddenly you see the stuff that clutters home, office, car and life.  Stuff that wastes financial resources and generally obscures the meaning or purpose of one’s life. De-cluttering is a lesson in letting go and led to my fifth change, saving money as my shopping habits changed.

Are your choices for you alone or for a household? I live alone but children and grandchildren visit often. They know the routine — I have posted a list of what items go in the paper basket, the compost pail, the small garbage basket, the shredder and the recycling can (in kitchen). The cleaning woman, handy man, and lawn person know what does where in garage containers each week.

What was harder than you thought? Eating out with NO dairy products. My experience has been that the majority of  restaurants, chefs, and cooks in small cities are not well-informed or prepared to serve vegetarians and vegans.

What was easier? The absolute easiest thing was simply adding each new change as I came to it and then living into it.  I have a savings account for my ‘annual savings,’ which I use for life-giving organic foods, addressing needs (recreation, retreat, play) instead of wants, and enjoying a healthier and more purposeful life!

What’s next? These changes are part of a spiritual journey that I hope will continue to evolve and deepen.  I hope my example or words will save at least one person and one child from the toxic effects known to exist in our environment, water, food, and products we consume or purchase in blind faith.  My greatest hope is that in the near future, Americans will take to the streets and demand accountability of corporations and government agencies for safe food and water, and non-toxic, renewable and sustainable products.   If we dream GREEN, we will become GREEN!

Here’s how Nancy saved almost $10,000  by going green.

Feeling inspired?  Take the One in a Million challenge yourself. Get started here.

The Precautionary Principle was hammered out at the historic Wisconsin Wingspread conference in 1998 by scientists, researchers, and citizens. The principle is grounded in the simple belief that we should not wait to protect ourselves or the environment until we have absolute proof that certain products or activities can cause us harm.

To the contrary, the principle declares: “When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken, even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.”

Industries use scientific uncertainty as a way to avoid cleaning up their act. Companies often magnify the importance of uncertainty to persuade citizens, legislators, and regulators that they, too, should delay action. Think how much farther along we’d be at solving the climate change crisis if the energy industry hadn’t fought every proposed carbon dioxide regulation with the cry, “There’s not enough proof that CO2 causes global warming!”

At the same time, budget crunches and competing priorities mean that important studies that could document environmental impacts often are shunted aside. Ironically, the longer we wait to address a problem, the greater the costs become – to the environment, to our health, and to the economy.

The Precautionary Principle has four tenets.

1) We — consumers, governments, manufacturers — have a duty to respond to early warnings. We must act before harm occurs, not after the fact.

We don’t wait for our child to get hit by a car to tell her to look both ways when crossing the street. People shouldn’t need to contract cancer or asthma to get access to safe ingredients, or for companies to remove products like Bisphenol-A from baby bottles or control the air pollution coming out of cars.

2) Consumers should not bear the “burden of proof.” Under our current system, you and I and, essentially, our environment, have to prove that we’ve been harmed before the government is willing to intercede on our behalf and before industry is willing to change the way it does business.  Under the Precautionary Principle, manufacturers would need to demonstrate safety.

Can this approach work for industry? It’s taken hold in Europe. Starting with chemicals already known to cause cancer and birth defects, cosmetics companies are being required to reformulate their products to contain safer ingredients. Here in the U.S., the nonprofit Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is urging manufacturers to follow suit. Putting the burden of proof not on you and me but on producers should become the law of the land.

3) It is our responsibility to explore alternatives to toxic substances and activities. What good does it do us to know, or even suspect, something will harm us if we don’t choose a safer alternative? Increasingly, we have real choice in the marketplace: more organic foods, more fuel-efficient vehicles, more recycled products, less plastic, less stuff overall. When we opt for the most environmenally friendly products and services available, we provide powerful incentives to manufacturers to shape up.

4) The Precautionary Principle requires democratic participation. Companies should not be allowed to decide our fate in their corporate board rooms. It’s up to us to provide guidance as well as accountability by participating in public hearings, writing letters to companies, voting on ballot initiatives, electing responsive public officials, and, of course, using our Big Green Purse in the marketplace to favor products that offer us the healthiest, safest options.

Indeed, in the complicated world in which we live, our first line of defense is the way we spend our money — or choose to keep it in our pockets. Government and industry may not practice the Precautionary Principle. There’s no reason why we can’t. In fact, there’s every reason why we should.