Question:
Does going green costs money?
2010-06-03 08:15:49 UTC
There are so many options and choices that one can incorporate in his/her daily life to go green. But most of the people worry that going green will cost them money. However, my opinion is - going green in fact saves money; like carpooling can be used to save money on commuting expenses as well as going green. There are so many websites providing free platform to find a carpool and http://www.carpoolssearch.com is one of them.

What's your opinion guys - Does going green costs money?
Ten answers:
2010-06-03 08:47:38 UTC
in many instances choosing the greener option can actually save you money



Take cleaning for example. Many of the commercial cleaners are toxic to you and the earth. Now, many people think that to avoid that that they have to spend MORE money and buy the "green" cleaner. But, and even greener option is to make your own!

You can clean most anything in your home with vinegar and baking soda. Add a reusable spray bottle and some rags to that and you're all set. You can clean your home for pennies!



There are lots more examples including shopping at thrift stores and yard sales instead of buying new, buying bulk and bringing your own containers, switching to cloth napkins, rags, shopping bags, composting (Reduces garbage bill), etc.
?
2010-06-03 18:25:01 UTC
I think - GOING Green "Can" cost extra money - Why?



Because greed dominates every product market! I know business profit is a must but wouldn't you think being a little fairer with their profit margins would actually end up making more profit in the long term.



Companies have been known to play on emotion and there are more and more People that would like to purchase safe and eco friendly products.



If you compare the prices of green items in the supermarket you will often find that the greener the product the more expensive.



I used to accept that and just pay more. Now I don't!



The eco friendly products that I choose are cheaper than supermarket brands. Not all companies are totally driven by the demand for ultimate profit. Fortunately for me I have discovered a company that makes a profit based on being fair! That suits me fine - but it took a year to find these guys.



Don't just accept what is on offer - Find a great company and you will benefit health wise, financially and environmentally.
lc001
2010-06-03 09:59:24 UTC
The answer would be yes, it does.



Loss of privacy is one - As you spend more time using and contributing to public resources - like public transportation, recycling, shutting down unoccupied areas of your home, etc. - you start to lose a bit of your privacy, as you would be measuring yourself (even on an honor system) on how you stack up being green against others. We would then be paying a premium for our private spaces (a house less used less valued per sq ft).



Although communal pooling of resources always yields economies of scale, but there is effort involved in orchestrating that economy, not a material expenditure. This assumes the capital expenditures are overcome (remember, municipal supply of these resources are based on estimated demand, and as we make more use of public transport, demand will go up and supply needs to meet it).



Composting on a personal scale requires time and effort - opportunity costs against social/personal needs, as well as possible revenue opportunities.



Then there are the developmental costs to add resource/material recovery into a design. When is a solution "green" enough? Just like any solution, when things go wrong, it costs money to clean up. For example, nuclear power has lost much of its "greenness" not because of its potential, but because of its risks in the implementation. Nuclear disasters "prove" the dangers, but if we designed the technology better, we may have had nuclear powered PC's and iphones today instead of gas guzzling, coal-fired cars.



How about buying supporting local? The costs are to our collective experiences - we'd never experience Chinese or Italian food, eat an orange, go off to college, even get to hike across Africa or dive in the Great Barrier Reef. None of that could be had if we went green and stayed local. It's all a matter of degrees, sure, but the tradeoffs have some costs associated with them.



The costs are everywhere and money just allows for these costs to be compared. We need to stop looking it that way and just do the right thing. You guys sound like the Age of Reason trying to scientifically justify the presence of God. I didn't raise a family because it was the cheaper option- I felt it was the BETTER option.
Sammigirl
2010-06-03 08:50:12 UTC
I would definitely have to go with both



Saving energy (turning off the lights), water (shorter showers), gas (carpooling) all help to save money. Drinking tapwater saves money.



Installing things that will drastically change your energy use, on the other hand, will cost more initially, but will eventually pay for itself, such as solar panels or buying a hybrid or electric car.



And then there are things that do neither, you just may have to put a little more effort into it:

composting, recycling, walking...
?
2010-06-03 12:34:45 UTC
In the long-term, going green definitely saves you money! For example: carpooling saves on gas, energy efficient light bulbs don't need to be changed as often, emailing instead of printing saves on toner cartridge and paper costs, etc.



If you're concerned with saving money, yet are interested in going green, check out the "One Thing That's Green" initiative sponsored by Jetblue Airlines. They're giving away tons eco-friendly prizes, like eco-vacations to exotic locations like Costa Rica, a home appliance makeover from Amana, and a one-on-one meeting with world-renowned mind and body expert, Deepak Chopra M.D. They're also giving away brand-new Vespa's every week!



Go to: www.Onethingthatsgreensweepstakes.com to enter.



Thanks for going green :)



Maggie

OTTG Team

http://bit.ly/dCWtKD
2010-06-03 09:32:53 UTC
It depends on what you mean by going green.



My dad sells Geothermal Systems for Earthloop.



If you plan on going green by Geothermal Energy, It could cost a fortune. Talking thousands of dollars....



But if you go the slow & simple way, buying baskets to recycle and using 'Go Green' Cleaning supplies, than no, it won't cost anymore than what you pay for now, and it will help.



Both ways would help, and have the same outcome, but the simple way is a lot cheaper..
Nata T
2010-06-03 11:22:07 UTC
if you have to ask, you can't afford it. To save money, just stop doing anything that costs money. Saving money is NOT going green. Look, its cheaper to throw trash on the ground, but that's not "green". If you want to recycle everything, you have to pay to recycle some items (electronics for example).
?
2010-06-03 08:19:50 UTC
Ways like carpool etc.,does not costs,but for example-

Planting trees,(many of them)

requires work as well as money,

so the answer in my opinion is both...........

you could also find more examples.....

elsewhere in your life.........
Peter
2010-06-03 09:02:41 UTC
There are some things that save money. But most are very expensive.

The solutions to global warming (scam) are all about costing people more money via higher taxes.
Veronica Von Morrison
2010-06-03 08:16:58 UTC
HECK NO! It saves you money, and it saves lives and the earth in which we all live in.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...