Frugality and some problems with it
One would assume that frugality, being closely akin to "voluntary simplicity," would be an ideal that any environmentalist could wholeheartedly support. The problem is, though, that frugality doesn't always mean buying less stuff. Sometimes you buy something cheap, when a more expensive alternative would actually be better both for you and for nature.
Some pricey green products offer a sort of deferred frugality: hybrid cars save you money at the gas pump, while compact fluorescent lightbulbs last longer and reduce your electric bill. Whether these effects are enough to make green the cheapest way to go is somewhat arguable, but certainly possible.
Sometimes, though, the financial tradeoff ends up being largely absent. Solar panels, while they can decrease your electric bill, take many years to pay for themselves because the initial cost of installation is so high. With organic food, the only benefit is a possible decrease in medical bills that might result from lowering your daily dose of deadly agricultural chemicals--but at least in Los Angeles, the air is a far greater threat to one's long-term health prospects than the food. So sometimes, going green is about giving up frugality and donating a little more of your hard-earned cash to support a cause you believe in. It's like charity, except that in this case you get a box of pasta or a shiny roof ornament in return.
Some pricey green products offer a sort of deferred frugality: hybrid cars save you money at the gas pump, while compact fluorescent lightbulbs last longer and reduce your electric bill. Whether these effects are enough to make green the cheapest way to go is somewhat arguable, but certainly possible.
Sometimes, though, the financial tradeoff ends up being largely absent. Solar panels, while they can decrease your electric bill, take many years to pay for themselves because the initial cost of installation is so high. With organic food, the only benefit is a possible decrease in medical bills that might result from lowering your daily dose of deadly agricultural chemicals--but at least in Los Angeles, the air is a far greater threat to one's long-term health prospects than the food. So sometimes, going green is about giving up frugality and donating a little more of your hard-earned cash to support a cause you believe in. It's like charity, except that in this case you get a box of pasta or a shiny roof ornament in return.