Simple, inexpensive choices for new year

<p>As the economy has sputtered, going green for the holiday and the New Year doesn't mean you have to spend whatever fortune you might have left.</p><p>In fact, according to a number of local experts, there are plenty of ways to save green by going green.</p><p>One product worth embracing between now and Dec. 24 is light-emitting diode, or LED, lights to string around the Christmas tree. These lights, sold everywhere from Target and Lowe's to Brookstone, use 80 to 90 percent less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs and can last up to 20,000 hours. What's more, the light itself mimics the soft, yellowy glow projected by traditional bulbs.</p><p>Orion Walker, outside events coordinator for the Solar Living Institute in Hopland, said these lights are just one small way consumers can help the environment.</p><p>"They are a tiny bit more expensive than regular lights, but the savings on the environment is immeasurable," said Walker. He noted that these more efficient lights generally cost about $20 for a 30- to 40-foot string. "It's amazing how a seemingly little decision can go a long way."</p><p>Another of Walker's recommendations for saving green by going green this holiday season: giving second-hand gifts.</p><p>No, Walker didn't dare suggest that you regift the heart-shaped Le Creuset cast-iron cookware that cousin Michael gave you for Hanukkah. Instead, he recommended shopping at second-hand clothes and furniture stores to reduce the carbon footprint created by manufacturing something hot off the factory line.</p><p>"When you consider all of the resources that go into buying a brand-new shirt, it's pretty significant," he said. "Of course used clothes are cheaper, too."</p><p>Other experts shared different ideas to incorporate as resolutions for 2009. Paul Frey, co-owner of Frey Vineyards, an organic and biodynamic winery in Redwood Valley, said one technique he has used to save money and make his farm more "green" is composting - something anyone can do simply by separating biodegradable organic matter from the trash.</p><p>Through this process, Frey said he basically "creates his own fertilizer," and cuts down on the amount of space in the local landfill his trash takes up. He added that average customers can purchase composting kits for as little as $20 or $30 at the local hardware store.</p><p>"Is this something most people have probably heard about before? Of course it is," Frey said. "But you've heard about it for a reason - it's easy, it's inexpensive, and it actually makes the world a better place."</p><p>For Jeff Stanford, owner of the Stanford Inn by the Sea in Mendocino, those interested in being green and saving green in 2009 can do so by embracing a particular way of life: veganism.</p><p>Stanford's restaurant, The Ravens, serves only vegan food, and he noted that certain vegan products actually can save environmentally conscious customers big bucks over the course of a year.</p><p>One such product is Earth Balance natural spreads. These margarine substitutes are made with expeller-pressed oils and contain none of the harmful fats of regular butter. Another benefit: they're cheap -- costing $3 per pound, versus the $7 most consumers pay for a pound of organic butter.</p><p>"Being vegan you save a ton of money," he said. "When you take animal products out of the equation, you realize just how much of what we pay for food can be attributed to those things."</p><p>In keeping with the vegan theme, Stanford also suggested that consumers invest in an herb and vegetable garden to grow their own greens. At his inn, he calls this approach the "edible landscape," and notes that most of the greens served at The Ravens come from gardens on-site.</p><p>Most of Stanford's gardening ideas came from the 1991 book titled, "How to Grow More Vegetables than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land than You Can Imagine: A Primer on the Life-Giving Biodynamic," by author John Jeavons.</p><p>The bottom line: growing lettuces, herbs and other produce not only sustains you, but also makes the yard look nice.</p><p>"Growing your own food makes you feel more connected with nature," said Stanford. "Besides, from a practical perspective, you'd be amazed at how much money you save when you no longer have to buy vegetables at the local Safeway."</p>