Green Daily

The claim: Green products (household cleansers, organic foods, furniture and clothes made of safer materials) are more expensive than their non-green counterparts, and not worth the extra money.

What you might hear this person say: "I can't afford that!" "$120 for a t-shirt?!" "What, do I look like I'm made of money?!" and, my personal favorite: "I could get four of these at Wal-Mart for the same price."

Is there any legitimacy to this claim? Yes, Virginia, green products often do cost more than non-green products. Some are over the top (most of us can't afford pricey organic cotton slacks or sleek name-brand organic couches), but many are very comparable in price to the products you already use.

Take the first step: Wearing "green clothing" and eating "green food" doesn't have to mean $100 bamboo t-shirts and $12 organic avacados. Instead, look for ways to buy used clothes and furniture, or purchase your produce at a farmer's market rather than a supermarket (the food has most likely traveled a shorter distance and wasn't treated with pesticides). Or, don't buy certain products at all - just make them yourself, like these simple cleaning products. Here are some basics to get you started.

What's more, the money you can save if you insulate your home, decrease your heat/AC usage, and take shorter showers will outweigh the few extra bucks you spend each month on greener products.