“Going Green” may be all the rage these days, but many people have found it difficult to keep up with the movement financially. For homeowners, maintaining a lifestyle is hard enough without the societal pressures to be more environmentally conscious. Greener solutions are costly up front, and with so many other expenditures to manage, many families are focusing their finances elsewhere.
However, what the same people fail to see are the potential savings made possible by green alternatives. A hybrid car may be more expensive than an average sedan; energy-efficient air conditioning equipment may cost more than other run-of-the-mill appliances; but such as recycling, the money you spend on “Going Green,” over time, lands right back in your bank account.
Immediate Savings
Consider your daily routine for a moment; how much water do you think you use on average? How many lights do you keep on at home? How do you usually go about regulating temperature in your house? Look over your utility bill while asking yourself these questions and you should begin seeing areas where you can cut back on usage.
Small adjustments to your lifestyle can mean huge savings every month. Although you may risk discomfort at times, these changes to your regimen are well worth it. Through the installation of low-flow showerheads, toilets, dishwashers and other energy-efficient products, you can decrease your monthly expenses by considerable amounts.
- By installing a low-flow showerhead, families can reduce their monthly water consumption by 50%.
- Low-flow toilets use 1.3 gallons of water per flush, as opposed to the 3.5 to 7 gallons used by older toilets.
- Supplementing shorter dishwasher cycles with hand washing and drying saves both water and electricity.
- Unplugging appliances while not in use can save consumers more than $3 billion a year.
Savings over Time
“Going Green” may be inspired by the desire to save money, but trimming monthly expenses is only the beginning. It is easy to calculate your recurring savings; it is great knowing how much money is going back into your pocket every year upon adopting a greener lifestyle. But is your piggy bank, now flush with pennies, capable of affecting life on a global scale?
Environmental consciousness is invaluable, especially as the wellbeing of the planet continues to decline. As pollution and deforestation continue to strip the Earth of its beauty and natural resources, it should come as no surprise that it’s time to do something more. It may have started as a budgetary decision, but it’s important to remember that with the power to better yourself comes the responsibility to better others.
Next time you gawk at that piggy bank and at the funds you have saved for that rainy day, think of all the other places that it’s raining and do something about it. You may be safe inside your home, but there are so many people out there suffering a crueler fate; don’t let this planet be one of them.
Griff Haeger is a writer and avid environmentalist who enjoys sharing his knowledge of financing through energy recovery and greener living.