What Does Going Green Really Mean?

The phrase "going green" has grown to mean adapting your lifestyle so as to do less damage to the environment and our earth. It can also refer to many different approaches on how to make this earth a better place. The larger goal, of course, is to be less of a burden on the environment and our local communities. And with energy costs on a steep curve upward, it helps to reduce costs too.

The movement is really quite quiet, with little steps here and there - on the people’s side items such as fewer lights on, mugs not paper cups, car-pooling, double sided printing, less printing, making notes on scrap paper (of which there is lots), shutting monitors and desk lighting off at the office. These are all small steps. They are also steps in the right direction. Nothing to drastic, or to costly, but steps that can be sustainable. This is not like a diet, but merely a lifestyle change.

The truth is that everything single thing we do every day has an impact on the planet -- good or bad. The good news is that as an individual you have the power to control most of your choices and, therefore, the impact you create: from where you live to what you buy, eat, and use to light your home to where and how you vacation, to how you shop or vote, you can have global impact.

Are you green? This is an innocent yet powerful question to ask yourself. In the marketing of products for the global economy (which is bad to begin with), you may have discovered that the desire to “go green” far outweighs the need or commitment to do so. With regard to premiums and giveaways, most marketing professionals jump at a new eco-friendly item only to sit down when the price tag comes out. On the other side of the coin, the companies making these products are only doing so for the eco selling point. This means that the percent of the product that is “green” is only what the law says it needs to be…usually just 51% of the material. The question then remains: Are these really eco products and do they even offer any benefit besides the “green” branding they come with? This is one problem that enticed a reader of the Globe and Mail to send a letter to the editor stating, “ if one more corporation declares itself green or going green I am going to start burning tires in my backyard”. I understand his anger and confusion.

Going green needs to be cheaper or at least more cost effective. There are simple tips to help each of us be a little greener without spending a lot of money to “go green”. You can do simple things around the house such as turning off appliances while not in use and turning of lights when you leave a room.

You can also avoid buying unnecessary or overly packaged goods. Some of the things we bought at Christmas would have been in plastic packaging. Did you find yourself hunting through the house looking for a machete to open it? Then what – you throw out the packaging which is extremely harmful to the environment. You can also refuse to take any extra pieces of paper when you are shopping or the things that fast food places put in your take away bag. These are all simple things to help make your life a little greener.