YES! It IS Possible to Save Money AND Be 'Green'

Inspiration found here.

It can sometimes seem that going 'green' is only for those who can afford fancy new 'green' gadgets, or have knowledge on the latest and greatest scientific research. Though this can sometimes be the case, there are also stories of individuals who transform the green movement into an everyday, lived reality. These people know the power of conserving. This applies to various parts of their lives from energy, space, resources...and YES even money.

Also, when talking about the costs and benefits of being Green, one can't be too caught up in just the 'here and now'. The costs of practices harmful to the environment and humans will only multiply in the long run!

But what about the short-term costs?? Sure it's easy to say these things, but not always easy to implement changes. You may feel held back by financial restrictions, especially in today's economy and of course saving money is a valid concern. Still, in order to incorporate a Green lifestyle, we all need to change the ways we view consumption and daily habits (myself included!!). Being involved in the environmental movement (and indeed any other social movement) means countering what is believed to be 'common sense' or the dominant way of doing things. Scholars call this 'hegemony'. At the root, most social movements' goals are to implement their own counter-hegemonic reforms. Think of the Civil Rights Movement, for instance. These activists envisioned a different society. One with equality granted to people of any race, instead of the institutionalized racism they were raised to take for granted.

The Environmental Movement is attempting to do the same thing: change people's thinking about daily life. These things can start small, and build into larger and larger projects. By thinking creatively, these projects can save money as well. A great example is this blog post from Yahoo's blog, called Shine. It details how a woman has saved more than $10,000 by 'greening' her life.

This was the point of this post. Please excuse my ramblings, I find research on social movements to be fascinating :) [don't get me started on the Danish Redstockings]. But seriously, CHECK OUT THIS LINK! Kudos to you, Nancy (shame they don't give her full name). This story is really inspiring. I was expecting the usual fluff from Yahoo, or the old-standby "green" tips. But alas! I was pleasantly surprised!

She even discusses how her spirituality (she's an Episcopal priest) is tied to her eco-consciousness. She talks about the interconnectedness of nature and how her path to saving green and being green have lead her to see spirituality and her surroundings much differently.

HOWEVER, several of the price estimates do seem to be off. Regardless, they are things that people might skip over when thinking of ways to save money. That being said, do take the price estimates/ how much she claims to have spent before with a grain of salt (okay, more like a good tablespoon).

Finally, in a lovely bit of irony, check out the ads for other posts on the same page. In an article about a woman choosing her needs over wants, many of the other headlines are for products trying to make your life better. And no, these aren't really your run of the mill, "Buy this!" kinds of things. They just might be the clutter that Nancy cut out.

So in case going green doesn't work, at least you'll know where to find, "10 fun and functional ice cream accessories" or a handful of kitchen gadgets. Just kidding.

Link to article