Like anything, there's a lot of contradictory information about green living. One day you feel like you are on the right path when you choose organic for your family and then a study will come out saying that it doesn't make a difference. It can all be very frustrating. Below are a few
green myths dispelled to help you sort through the muck.
- Small changes make no difference. As a consumer you can make a big impact on how companies manufacture their goods. I saw proof the other day as I walked into a convenience store and for the first time saw CFLs in the housewares section. Someone must have asked for them. This tactic is especially useful when it comes to demanding paper goods with a higher recycled content.
- Going green is expensive. Actually, quite often, as Patricia pointed out, green and frugal go hand in hand. Conserving energy and water in the house saves you money.
- My Groceries will cost more. Organically grown produce is generally higher than conventional. There are exceptions however if you keep an eye out for what is one sale. In addition, locally grown produce is sometimes more preferable than organic when it comes to the number of miles the food has traveled. It is quite often the least expensive choice. By selecting local produce you are not only helping your regional economy but ending up with a fresher product as well.
- Hybrid cars are better. As the price of gas rises, you might be looking harder at a hybrid to replace your current vehicle. However, the lure of high m.p.g. numbers on the sticker is often misleading. The Honda Civic, for example, gets great mileage for city driving. However, some of the new SUV hybrids don't do a great deal better than their conventional counterparts especially on the highway.
- I do my part by recycling. Recycling is great but that's only part of the process. You have to purchase products with recycled materials in order to complete the cycle. The best option is to reduce your entire waste output by selecting products with minimal packaging.
via
Bankrate.com
Mozilla Goes Organic Like Only a Browser Can
Green Daily Giveaway: Alt Fiber Knitting Projects
Poop Green: Top Everest Climber Promotes the Backpacking Toilet
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-15-2007 @ 11:11AM
Maddie said...
I love that you included #1... I think it's been an impediment to the Green Movement that eco-friendly living is so often seen as a cold-water plunge. It's important that people do as much as they can, certainly, but it's much more helpful to view the change as a process, as an ongoing quest, rather than an all-or-nothing, do-or-die, for-fanatics-only lifestyle.
Maddie
http://greenroutine.blogspot.com
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1-05-2008 @ 6:46AM
Gloria Lewis said...
If a product is "certified" organic it means that the process used is an acceptable organic process used in growing the product. Just an organic lable do not mean the product is certified. "Read the label".
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1-05-2008 @ 9:11PM
Anne said...
actually, to say that their product is organic("ORGANIC GREEN BEANS") they have to be USDA certified organic.
there are phamplets at Whole Foods Market to tell you all about it.
1-05-2008 @ 7:22AM
Greenguy said...
American car companies have not gotten serious about hybrids. Instead they have continued to push the behemoths that have the best profit margin. Toyota and Honda have the effective hybrid systems on the market. Ford leases a version from Toyota because they are so far behind the curve on development and testing. Toyota is going to market three more versions of their Prius. Right now they are known only as A, smaller version, B, about the same size but sporty, and C, hybrid technology in one of their larger cars. We are giving them the U S market by default. I drive a Prius and it does make a difference -- in carbon footprint and the size of my wallet.
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1-05-2008 @ 9:02AM
deb said...
My understanding is that even making hybrid cars uses more energy than a regular car (between parts and shipping). This could be misinformation but it is something that was pointed out to me. I agree with the statement about frugal and green go hand in hand. We live in a country that is dependent on a GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT. Which means we prosper as a country when we as individuals spend money. In my opinion the worst thing for global warming is consumer spending and consumption (particularly of products that aren't necessary) and development.
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1-05-2008 @ 9:16AM
S said...
Amazing, you actually start talking about the many fallacies of the "green" movement, then you just go on and say continue being that way. The "recycling" industry is a shame. Virtually EVERY recycling effort costs more and ends up needing to be subsidized. Hybrid cars will continue to cost more to make, cost more to operate and cost ALOT more to fix. Also those same cars are one of the worst to get caught in during a crash. Instead of spending money to improve gas mileage and pollution controls on cars, car companies are forced to "go green", wasting good money over little more than feel good mantras. "organic" foods ARE and will always be more expensive. Oh and rising CO2 levels are NOT the cause of global warming, but the effect of it. There is NO scientific reason to limit CO2..None.
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1-05-2008 @ 2:45PM
Randy said...
In reading the article "5 green myths" online, I was disturbed to hear that this author considers the fuel economy of the Honda Civic good. I own a 2007 Civic
that barely breaks 20 m.p.g.
If that's good I would hate to hear what the author thinks bad is. 20 m.p.g. isn't good for any vehicle these days.
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1-05-2008 @ 3:19PM
Dom said...
What happens in a few years when all the hybrid batteries need replacement? Will we have storage yards filled with toxic batteries because no one thought about this?
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1-05-2008 @ 3:44PM
deb said...
It will be right next to the the storage yard with all the old "eco" friendly light bulbs containing mercury.
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1-13-2008 @ 12:14AM
Robert Franklin said...
It's all so silly.
Recycling is a waste of time and energy.
Organic is less quality food sold at higher prices
There's a sucker born every minute
Grow up folks. You're all going to die in a few years,
the world will go on for many more million years and then the world too will end. WOW.
you're not going to live forever
the planet isn't going to"live" forever
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1-21-2008 @ 10:32PM
doug said...
that's completely true. in fact, carbon doixide accounts for about 3% of the greenhouse effect. to really stop co2 production would only cost millions of jobs and help stop the process that makes this planet habitable. plants use co2 and make o2. we then use the o2 and make co2. any co2 excess just bleeds out through the equator. going "green" is great, but only if it is being done to save money. otherwise, it's as useful as a hole in the head.
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2-09-2008 @ 3:52PM
Les Wilson said...
The only real way to go "green" is to face the fact that our planet is grossly over-populated! Work on family planning and birth control, not bullshit little incremental, feel-good methods like switching from plastic to paper bags. Driving standard transmission vehicles instead of automatics would help as well.
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