Green is not a Four Letter Word

Green is not a four letter word, but sometimes it feels like it. Many people still attach a stigma to being green. They think you are a bleeding heart liberal or some crazy activist. While there are a few extreme green activists, and I certainly won’t argue my passion for socially conscious green simple living, most people fall somewhere pretty low on the Green Richter Scale. Society is quite simply becoming a little more conscious about pollution, global warming, waste and harmful products or bi-products. Learn what it means to be green. We are a little more educated, in great part thanks to the Internet.

Recently there are a lot of rules and regulations. Toronto has introduced a more aggressive recycling program that unfortunately mostly targets residential and not commercial that accounts for 70% of waste. Plastic bags are being taxed at 5 cents, bottled water is being demystified and targeted. The flip side, the green market is expected to double each year for the next several. In the US alone, the market is currently $250 Billion for 2008.

Now I’m not fond of rules and certainly don’t play by them. Regulation has a way of putting too many obstacles in a path, making it nearly impossible to follow course. But in some ways, if people won’t make the changes that protect the very world we live in then a regulation is the next best thing. The person that thinks green is obtrusive and says, “preserving the earth is not my job!”, might be right – so that makes it my job then and anyone that realizes we aren’t protecting luxuries but rather mandatory products like the air we breath and water we drink! I’m happy to take that role and encourage people to make changes.

So, besides the obvious, air and water quality, let’s take a very quick look at some proof that green is good for everyone. It isn’t a burden. The benefits far outweigh any inconveniences. Here are a few positive thoughts:

Business

• Many countries now offer tax credits for green initiatives
• Responsible Actions are good for public and community relations
• Saving Energy, Saves Money
• Healthy habits means less sick time, more productivity and a generally happier office
• Using less on a large scale can mean substantial cost reductions

Individuals

• Reduced toxins means better health, less medical expenses and a greater quality of life
• We’ve seen this but – Saving Energy, Saves Money!
• Sense of belonging and ability to make conscious decisions feels good
• Tax Benefits – more and more of them are being introduced
• Reduction in pollution and overall positive result (also for industry)

Many of these actions and changes are inevitable. Some of the severe issues are being regulated anyway – there is no avoiding it. If you get ahead of the game in life and business you will save the time and effort in advance. The change will be easier instead of forced. If someone indicates that green is a pain in the butt – just tell them it’s not a four letter word and here’s why!

if you liked this post, take a gander at these ones!

• 7 reasons to recycle
• the impact of not recycling
• Definition of Going Green
• what do you get when you cross green with not green
• I Can’t Be Bothered to Go Green