Why Live Green?
Ponderings of an average Jane & Joe

What?
Let’s back up just a tad. What is living green? We’re no experts, but we think it is about living efficiently and considerately of the planet and its inhabitants. We try to focus on two things in our daily lives: intake and output. We’re trying to decrease our overall intake while seeking out goods that are natural, contain recycled material, or have been previously owned. Cloth napkins, organic food, and second-hand stores are some of the changes we’re making. At the same time, we are also trying to decrease our overall output. A compost bin, rain barrels, our local scrap metal dealer, and bike commuting are some things helping us decrease our output. Believe me, we’re no saints and have a long way to go. But through even modest effort we’re discovering more resources to help us use less and use better.

Why?
Why should we live green? From an efficiency and sustainability standpoint, the answer is common sense and courtesy. Waste not want not, right? Not to mention, with efficiency usually comes saving money. And using natural and recycled materials preserves resources for future generations, from whom we are really borrowing the planet. I already know my kids will look at old photos of me and ridicule me about my “vintage” hair cut and clothes. I don’t want to be teased, or worse, for our lack of vision and concern for them.

The global warming aspect of the question is more complex. After all, claims by some scientists that human activity is harming the earth are countered by others that assert there is no correlation between our behavior and detrimental effects on the planet. Okay, so there are contradicting reports out there. So what?

Whether you believe there is hard scientific evidence for global warming or not, ask yourself, "Do we really need it?"  We're not talking about sending someone to the gallows. We're talking about the possibility of destroying our home and the home for our kids. Why take the chance that global warming is some kind of hoax? That's a huge gamble. The mere possibility of huge environmental consequences should be enough to be conservative when betting on the earth’s future. The safe bet is to be responsible stewards of our planet…just in case. Besides, it is our health too, not just the earth’s, that is on the line.

Most people probably feel it is a bad idea to release toxic chemicals and pollutants into water, soil, and air. After changing the oil in your car, would you feel good about pouring the old oil down the sewer? For most of us, the answer is probably “no.” Let’s listen to our gut and live green(er). Our justification for not doing so is often monetary profit, saving jobs, or by rationalizing that it’s just a little bit and won’t have a substantial impact on the well-being of the earth. Few of us are perfect, but if we try harder year after year, we can make a positive impact on our planet’s health. Besides, there are also jobs and money to be gained through green living.

How?
It gets easier and easier to live green. We didn’t have curbside recycling 20 years ago. Even big box stores have started to carry organic clothes, not just your local co-op. Companies and technology continue to give us more options for reducing energy consumption and the waste we leave behind. If we use it or do it, there is probably an entrepreneur out there somewhere trying to figure out a way it can be done with less environmental impact.

Of course, often the problem is cost. In most cases it takes more money to live green. This will probably continue to be the case as long as there is an economic disparity between nations or until customer demand for green products and services is so overwhelming that the “old” ways just aren’t cost effective anymore due to low demand. So ask for and recommend green goods and services from whoever you buy your stuff from. Take it a step further and demand it from whomever you buy your stuff from buys their stuff from. And of course, buy green whenever it fits into your budget. Start small by buying organic milk and work your way up to an electric roadster from Tesla Motors (just make sure you recharge it using wind power) .

Buy Organic
Organic means occurring naturally without being forced or contrived. In regards to agriculture, this means avoiding practices that utilize synthetic chemicals, pesticides, hormones, and genetic modification. By eating organic food and wearing clothing made from organic and recycled fabric, we help keep pesticides that are often toxic and cancer-causing, out of our bodies and the earth. Certainly, human innovation has benefited society in countless ways (thank you satellite TV and NFL ticket, oh, and um, that small pox vaccine), but sometimes nature knows best. The chart below from Harmony Art  illustrates the advantages of organic versus conventional cotton.

Buy Local (or as close as you can get)
Purchasing goods produced close to home provides both environmental and economic benefits. From an environmental perspective, local products create less pollution and waste less fuel. According to the Food Alliance based in Portland, Oregon, the food for an average meal has traveled a collective 1,300 miles from the farm to table. That is not very efficient. For certain goods, like coffee and bananas, most of us have little choice but to buy imported. But what about that three-pack of imported t-shirts? Sure, they are still cheaper despite being shipped across the Pacific Ocean, but knowing more fuel is wasted and pollution created, should we buy them? If we find or create through consumer demand an alternative that is made closer to home, we conserve fuel and reduce pollution. Whether your concern is global warming or general wastefulness, buying local addresses both issues.

Have you ever felt regret about the loss of domestic jobs to overseas businesses, but then silently complained that the three-pack of t-shirts costs more than five dollars? Choosing to buy locally or domestically made goods can help keep and even create more jobs in your own part of the world. Is someone going to get rich sewing those t-shirts on the sewing room floor? Probably not. But it could be a good second income for a family. It might lead to a promotion or mastering a trade that enables a person to start a business. This can especially be true in parts of the country where the cost of living is lower and in more rural communities where jobs are more scarce. Admittedly, these are best-case scenarios and success takes time and commitment by business, as well as consumers. But buying local has real and obtainable benefits for our planet and our economies.

Fair Labor
Okay, so this topic is not technically an aspect of “living green,” but it has found its way into parts of the environmental discourse nonetheless. Just because our shopping bags are full of organic and locally made products, doesn’t mean we should pat ourselves on the back yet. Were they made fairly? If we care about fair labor practices, it is our responsibility as consumers to know if the products we buy, whether imported or domestic, are made in decent working conditions by people that are compensated fairly.

How to Know
Making accurate and informed decisions regarding organic, local production, and fair labor can be daunting. We buy a lot of stuff. We buy our stuff from a lot of different companies. All of these companies work with a lot of other companies from vendors to subcontractors to shippers to service providers. It is not reasonable to expect us as consumers to research every detail about every company that has a hand in the myriad of items we consume. Third-party certification, as well as trade and consumer membership organizations can make the process easier. We’ll touch on just a few of them.

Third-party certification companies are paid by producers to have their goods, methods, and facilities inspected in an attempt to pass and achieve approval.  It sounds like a conflict of interest, and the possibility is there, but it is in the certifier’s best-interest to be on the level. If consumers lose faith in a certifier’s seal, producers will not pay to submit themselves to the scrutiny.

The USDA, with the help of outside certifying agents, certifies food sold in the US as organic. The USDA does not, however, have standards for organic fabric nor require inspection. This makes it more difficult for consumers to authenticate claims by fabric producers and sewn product manufacturers that their fabric is actually organic, but certification does exist. For instance, Control Union Certifications (formerly known as SKAL International), is a Dutch-based organization that provides textile certification. For additional farming practices, the Food Alliance is a non-profit organization that offers certification and guiding principles for environmentally and socially responsible farming and ranching. They also promote buying food from local farmers. TransFair USA is another non-profit third-party certifier. They are currently the only organization that authenticates goods as fair trade products in the US. Keep in mind, however, that you may find local, organic, and fair trade goods that don’t have any certification. Very small producers (like at your local farmers’ market) most likely would not pay the significant cost to get a product certified.

You can also look to membership groups like the Organic Trade Association for guidance. The OTA is a business association for companies that want to build, as well as protect, the organic trade. Co-op America is a non-profit member organization that connects both consumers and business that want to, “create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.” The great thing about many of these groups is that you can use some of their resources, like business directories, for free even if you are not a member.