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Being Really Green

Posted on 7/8/2008

Lately everyone has been touting their 'green' credentials. You don't have to look too hard to find someone talking earnestly about 'carbon footprints' or expounding on renewable energy. I admit that some of them seem a little phony to me. Here's why. Their lifestyles don't match their rhetoric. In other words, they're walk doesn't match their talk.

When the conversation turns to environmental issues, I have my own 'green test'. It's my way of finding out whether the person really cares about the environment or is just mouthing something that they read in a magazine or heard at a rally somewhere.

I'll ask if the person shops at garage sales and thrift stores. It takes natural resources to make most things. Buying used means that you're not consuming those resources. That's real environmentalism.

The person who's really concerned about the environment will make sure that their used items are given a chance for a 2nd (or better still a 3rd) life. Donate your used items to a thrift store, hold a garage sale or sell them on eBay. Just because you're through with something doesn't mean that it can't be useful to someone else.

I'll try to find when was the last time that they fixed something instead of replacing it. Often I get blank stares on this one. "Fix it??" You know the people I'm talking about. If the least little thing goes wrong, they're out shopping for a replacement. Never mind that a repair might be easy. Or the problem might not affect how they use the item. They have their excuse to buy a new one. And they're not going to let tossing one more item into a landfill stop them!

You see, I've known many people who have been good to the environment. But, many of them never thought of it that way. They were just living frugally. Looking for ways to avoid spending money came naturally. That meant fewer purchases. Considering alternatives before throwing something away was automatic. In the process they walked gently on the earth and only consumed what was necessary.

Personally, I'd much rather talk to the person living a thrifty lifestyle than the expert in carbon offsets. I find that I learn much more practical info that I can apply and benefit from. Things can actually make a difference in my life and also make a difference for the earth.

Keep on Stretching those Dollars!

The author, Gary Foreman, is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher web site and newsletter.
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