The frugal environmentalist.

There I was, flipping through a popular green goods catalog, excited by, what I saw - everyday items that were practical for me and for the Earth, such as nontoxic cleaners and reusable lunch bags. Then I came across the cotton sheet sets: unbleached and naturally dyed, listed at $69. That's roughly what I spend on groceries each month! But buying green does not have to be a wallet-emptying experience. There are ways to stretch your eco-dollar on items ranging from cleansers to lightbulbs to barbecues.

Is The Price Right?

With the recent emergence of hundreds of new eco-products and claims, many shoppers are asking the same question: why the priciness? The answer differs depending on who you ask. Chris Straka, editor of The SaveGreen Consumer Directory in Framingham, Massachusetts, says that many start-up environmental companies do not produce a large volume of goods. They must compensate by charging higher prices "so that they can survive."

John Wasik, author of The Green Supermarket Shopping Guide, disagrees. He sees the industry as "fraught with deception. Price gauging definitely exists because manufacturers know that, at one point, people were willing to pay higher prices." In a Gallup survey commissioned by Advertising Age around Earth Day 1990, nine out of 10 respondents said they would pay more for green products even if it meant sacrificing convenience.

But Allen Salzberg, publicist for Brooklyn, New York's Earth General store, says high prices for eco-goods are a matter of industry over-confidence. "Environmental marketers misread those early polls, and went with 30 to 40 percent markups." He adds that, "The reality of the polls - the |what'll look good' factor of the responses - has recently hit, and prices are coming down." Kevin Connelly, executive director at The Green Retailing Association in Burlington, Vermont agrees. "Price is not as much of an issue as it was earlier in the 90s.' In 1992, two years after the initial polls, Wall Street Journal surveys found that most consumers would not pay more for eco-products.

Where The Green Things Are

If prices are coming down, why are shoppers still sticker-shocked? That depends on what you're looking for. Most cleaning agents, for instance, can be made at home "using the best environmental products that are not labeled as such," says John Wasik - like baking soda, vinegar and Murphy's Oil Soap. Clean and Green, a book by Annie Berthold-bond, gives instructions on making such handy household cleansers. But if you prefer the convenience of premade eco-cleansers, and prices seem high at first, remember that often these soaps are concentrated and require a smaller amount per use, which saves in the long run. Earth General's customers are treated to a "bulk bar," where they can refill their own containers and save even more. "Our detergents cost customers between 12 and 24 cents per wash. Most supermarket brands are about 36 cents," stresses Salzberg. Check with your natural foods or eco-store for bulk products. Seventh Generation also has reasonably-priced detergents and offers a perload cost analysis.

Recycled household paper products, found in most supermarkets, are also affordable. Tree Free toilet tissue, for instance, costs $1.99 for four rolls. That's twice as much as some mainstream brands, but a closer inspection reveals twice as much tissue per roll. And Marcal paper towels, recycled and unbleached, may be the best buy of all: 59 cents per roll. Supermarkets and home improvement stores carry energy-efficient lighting products as well. Home Depot Sells a GE "Compax" bulb for $11.81, less than many catalogs. And local utilities often offer great prices on compact fluorescents. You don't even have to pay $79, the catalog price, for a "Rainshower" dechlorinating low-flow showerhead filter. It's sold in many ecostores for only $42.

And, just in time for summer, World-Wise, Inc. of San Rafael, California, has introduced an environmental barbecue collection: a free-standing grill, utensils and "Barbecube" briquets made from 100 percent California orchard prunings - non-wasteful, non-poluting and ashes can be used as fertilizer. Barbecubes come with a nontoxic wood starter and are sold in 10-pound bags for $3.99 in Target and Costco Wholesale stores. Unfortunately, some products - like organic cotton linens - aren't cheap, but "prices reflect what we pay manufacturers for them," says Linda Malone of Real Goods Trading Corporation in Ukiah, California. "If there are only a handful of companies making a product, like natural cotton sheets, there is not much competition and prices will be higher," she notes. Jonathan Radigan of Seventh Generation adds, "There are many factors that go into producing natural cotton sheets," such as using beeswax rather than petroleum to guide cotton through the machinery. There are ways to avoid paying a premium on these items, however. Linens 'n Things, a national chain, carries Fox Fibre natural sheets, and at $10.99 each for twin flat or fitted sheets, they're a bargain. Some of the larger retailers, like Macy's, now carry natural color cotton towels priced at $10.99 each - the same as their regular towels.

Organic cotton clothing also tends to be pricey. Allen Salzberg says some of Earth General's clothing prices are comparable to The Gap's. But let's face it - we can't afford to shop at The Gap all of the time. Local stores, such as Burlington, Vermont's Seventh Generation Retail Store (operated independently but selling items from the catalog and then some), further reduce the cost of clothing by offering "bargain bins" containing used items and factory seconds with slight flaws. What kind of bodacious prices will browsers find? Store owner John Quinney says he has organic cotton sweaters for $19 (regularly $47), T-shirts for $6.95 (regularly $16) and much more. He passes the savings on discontinued and overstock items along to his customers.

Smart Shoppers, Better Shoppers

In addition to knowing where to shop, there are other ways to be good to your wallet and the environment. Educate yourself. It may not take as much time as you think. Tools such as Straka's SaveGreen Consumer Directory offer environmental products and services; and organizations like Green Seal, based in Washington, DC and Scientific Certification Systems of Oakland, California, provide environmental product standards.

After arming yourself with information, do some comparison shopping. Mail order items tend to be more expensive, especially with shipping. If you don't have a local eco-store, or if yours is a high-priced boutique, Kevin Connelly suggests "poking around' in stores where you ordinarily shop. "You may find green products right there on the shelf," he adds.

It's also wise to buy in bulk - you'll use less packaging and contribute less to the waste stream. Think of long-term rather than immediate savings. Quinney notes, "We actually pay more for a roll of toilet paper than the price marked - we just don't pay in the supermarket. We pay in taxes when society has to clean up the pollution."

Food coops carry many eco-products as well. Check for one in your area. Finally, if you feel an item is overpriced, ask why. Store owners know their products and should be able to explain. If they can't, contact the manufacturer. Wasik stresses that, "Every call made to an (800) number is equal to 10,000 people who didn't call." Remember: Manufacturers respond to numbers.

And if you're tired from a day of bargain hunting and price haggling, kick back with a pizza from someplace like Bridgeport, Connecticut's Planet Pizza. The taste is great, the price is right, and a portion of profits go to human and environmental causes. Franchises coming soon.