A Different Shade of Green

So, I have this problem. I want to become active about the environment and my families health. Yes, we have the "swirly" light bulbs. And, yes, I buy organic soaps and Burts Bees shampoo, clean with non-toxic kitchen ingredients, try not to buy anything in a can, make my own laundry soap, purchased a water filtration system for our kitchen sink, buy second hand clothing, and try to buy more healthy foods for my family. That is most of what I do to be "green". And, thats ok. But the problem lies in the "other kind of green". The different shade of green I am talking about is money green.


I wonder, why in the world is "being green" so dang expensive? Go to any store and compare the prices of cleaners. Which costs more? Go to the grocery store and compare processed foods with nutritious foods. Which costs more? Dont even get me started on the fact that our little hick town DOES NOT HAVE garbage recycling for people. Hmm, not that I have heard of anyways. So, therein lies my problem. I want to be a green person but I dont have the right shade of green to become green. Does that make sense?


Secondly, I want a simpler life. I want to NOT have so much junk. I want to downsize from where I live. Please give me insight on how to do this. A couple facts about us first: We rent right now, not own. Our credit sucks so we would need to buy an acre or less of land with income tax money and then build slowly little by little. We REALLY want to build green (use solar power and such). I would even like our house to have a compost toillette. 500 square feet will be plenty for us since our kids are getting close to being grown. Two bedrooms. Am I being realistic??? I have researched hours and hours on different ways to build cheap. Cob, strawbale, tires, containers, tiny houses. I dont even know where to begin. Please Please help me and my family figure this out. Any ideas?