Future Savings

Is it cheaper or more expensive being green?

Sometimes I think it's cheaper; eating leftover meals and making sure nothing goes to waste, cycling to work and not spending money on petrol.

Sometimes I think it's more expensive; buying organic and fairtrade products, using recycled paper and buying ethical clothing.

I don't know which it is overall but I do know it often feels like the easy, cheap choice is the non-green one. A nice top from Primark, cheap bottle of wine, ready made salad flown in from Chilli are all easy nice options but with hidden (and not so hidden) ethical and environmental costs. Other times it feels like you're saving money but losing time. Walking to meetings and shopping around for the best ethical options means that you begin to lose that nice green glow because you're fed up and short on time.

So if it's more expensive and takes longer, why do it? Well I think it's all about savings. Sometimes it's important to save money, sometimes it's important to save time and sometimes it's important to save habitats, species, resources and the future. In our busy, fast-paced society it's hard to think long term, but we have to act today to save tomorrow (how many times has that been said?!) so I keep trying to take the green option whenever I can. It doesn't always work but if I can end the day knowing I've tried my best that's better than not trying at all. And there are always those lovely days where you manage to save time, money and the world all at once.