Green Living Myths

Earth-friendly products are hard to find and expensive. The natural and sustainable products industry is estimated to be a $230 billion industry nationally, growing by 20 to 30 percent annually. There are thought to be approximately 13,000 retailers devoted to selling environmentally preferable products, and conventional retailers, not wanting to lose traditional customers who are "going green," have begun integrating safer, natural and sustainable alternatives into their assortment. (The easiest way to find out what conventional retailers are offering in the way of lower-impact products is to go to their Web site and search for keywords like "recycled" or "organic." Any and all products with descriptions containing your keywords will be revealed to you.) And there are countless more green businesses operating exclusively on the Web. Finding green products is easier than ever and getting easier all the time. As far as price, many earth-friendly products are as economical, or more so, as their conventional counterparts because they often utilize recycled or reclaimed materials, require less processing and output less waste than would otherwise have to be managed. There are also many examples of deferred savings after an initially higher expenditure-as in the case of energy-efficient products that reduce energy costs in the long run. Some earth-friendly alternatives do cost a bit more than their conventional equivalent at the present time, but a well-rounded green buying strategy that includes seeking out energy-efficient, enduring and used products-all of which save you money-can bring down your total average expenditures.

If I turn my back on conventional businesses, the economy will suffer. In the expanded marketplace of wisdom and emerging alternatives, "conventional" applies to companies, practices and products that persist in a standard or traditional use of disfavored practices and materials when environmentally preferable ones are both technologically and financially viable. Now that we're clear on the definition of "conventional," let's explore the fallacies in the belief that deviating from the status quo in purchasing will cause the nation's economy great harm. A shift in consumer loyalties is typical in a market economy. It is a fundamental precept for a strong market economy and a catalyst for economic prosperity. Demand for new and different products and technologies gives rise to new markets-spawning innovation, competition, investment, market growth and jobs. For example, rejecting fuel-inefficient vehicles, the majority of a typical automaker's product assortment, in favor of an electric/gasoline hybrid car will only result in the decline of traditional automakers if they choose to ignore the emerging trend. Corporations are in business to stay in business, and under good leadership, they will change with consumer demand to stay relevant and competitive. Those companies that won't change will quickly be replaced by businesses that can meet consumer demand-sustaining a robust and viable economy. Furthermore, it's absolutely necessary that our consumer choices support less wasteful and harmful products and cleaner, sustainable production of the things we need. Economies are only as sustainable as the ecosystems and resources they rely upon year after year. As the head of the United Nations Environment Programme said, "Ecosystems and the services they provide are financially significant and…to degrade and damage them is tantamount to economic suicide." Companies that don't respect this certainty, but have your business anyway, will have no incentive to make modifications. Therefore, turning your back on conventional businesses that you have judged to be unaccountable for their actions and disrespecting to the earth is the most important thing you can do to protect our economic future.