What Is The Cost of "GREEN"

Many articles are talking about what being "green" will cost us.The more pressing question emerging is what will it cost you not to be green?
As businesses train their environmental consciousness' I predict criteria for the privilege of doing business will be one's green policies. Look at the number of issues highlighted by the NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) that you have within your power to positively impact:

• Global Warming

• Saving Endangered Wild Places and Species

• Building Clean Energy Economy

• Renewing The World's Oceans

• Stemming Toxic Tide of Chemicals

• Accelerating the Greening of China

You and your business practices matter. You and your family are affected. Talking and writing are positive steps. Taking action, albeit baby steps at first, is momentous. Here is one example:

Although recycling is up in the US by 32.5% compared to 5% in 1970
one small European country - Austria was recycling well before the 1970 mark
and is now at 62% with their recycling efforts.

One small aspect of this effort is the grocery bag. It would cost 25 cents or 5 shillings in the 70's if you forgot your own reusable grocery bag in Austria. Given the average of 5 shopping days there, that would cost you $65 per year or $2,535 for 39 years. Given inflation the figure would be more like $3,802 per person. Imagine that times just the women (15-64) who typically do the shopping and that is a whopping $10,479,840,000 (over 10 billion).

Remember your reusable shopping bags this week - the money you save could be your own. If it took the US 39 years to reach 32.5% hopefully we can double this percentage in less that 39 additional years.

In your professional life "The Green List" with the contacts of green companies who are certifiably using sustainable practices and materials is now complete and available for distribution. To begin anew to renew contact my colleague Charlotte at the number listed below.

charlotte.sherman@tacticalcontactsDOTcom
253.517.9177
twitter.com/CharPennyAnn

Written by: Christine Meinhart