Going green doesn’t have to cost the earth
Going green doesn’t have to cost the earth, all you have to do is reduce what you buy and use. It is also worth considering switching to an alternative energy supplier, writes John Cradden
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AFTER years of being urged to shop around to get better value, most consumers here have firmly grasped the message and are doing just that.
But now we are also being urged to consider the environment when making our consumer choices. This is all very well, but there is still a lingering perception that there is a price premium on consumer choices that are supposedly good for the environment.
For example, over the past few years, supermarket and grocery stories have been hyping up their organic vegetable products, but these products are usually priced higher than non-organic veg.
Similarly, everyday items such as toilet paper made from recycled paper can cost more than those that are not.
You can expect to pay at least a slight premium for electrical items that are rated as being high on energy efficiency.
However, evidence suggests that the price gap between green and not-so-green products and services is narrowing as climate change becomes a mainstream issue.
Value
In the meantime, being a "green" consumer doesn't mean having to sacrifice value for money. Instead, it is primarily about reducing what you buy, what you use and what you throw out.
Take your weekly grocery shop. John Ruddy, editor of retail trade magazine 'Checkout', recommends choosing local products that will not have travelled many air miles to reach the shelves in the first place, and buying sensibly in order to avoid excess packaging.
"If you buy a five-litre bottle of water, not only will it be cheaper than buying 10 500ml bottles or three 1.5 litre ones, the amount of plastic used is considerably lower," says Mr Ruddy.
"Also, buying loose items of fruit and veg will help to reduce packaging and is invariably cheaper than pre-pack."
Other steps include using a "bag for life" rather than buying plastic bags for 22c every time, and buying fruit and vegetables in season.
According to Mr Ruddy, supermarkets are introducing new promotion structures designed to avoid waste, particularly for perishable items.
Tesco in the UK, for instance, has introduced a new variation on its 'Buy One Get One Free' offer for fruit and vegetables, where the customer only takes the paid item home first and then returns to the store at a later date to collect the free item.
When buying electrical goods or kitchen appliances, you can check the energy label to buy the most energy-efficient model you can, but don't just check the rating, says Tom Halpin, head of sustainable energy deployment at Sustainable Energy Ireland.
"Remember that while many appliances may have a similar rating -- say 'A' -- there will often be differences in the actual energy usage also indicated on the label, so buy sensibly," he says.
Choosing service providers that are committed to becoming more energy efficient or using renewable energy is another obvious step towards "greening" your consumer choices.
Cable company UPC, for instance, is upgrading the set-top boxes of its digital TV customers to a new generation "energy-saving" model that consume far less electricity.
Households could consider switching to an alternative electricity supplier like Airtricity.
"Around 79pc of the company's electricity comes from renewable resources," says Naomi Richardson of comparison website Uchoose.ie. "You can also opt to have your bill sent to you electronically and pay by direct debit for an extra discount which means there is no paper wastage."
She adds that around 16pc of Bord Gais Energy's supplies come from renewable sources, while the company is also planning further investments in wind farms and a cleaner and more efficient gas power station. But those who decide to stick with ESB could opt for electronic billing, she says .
Mr Halpin says consumers can compare utility service offerings on the basis of their stated CO2 emissions-per-unit electricity and also the way in which these emissions reductions are achieved -- whether it is through the actual energy mix in generating the electricity or through carbon emission offset mechanisms.
"But before one even considers what environmental benefits they can gain from switching energy suppliers, they need to literally begin at home because in truth the only guaranteed way to reduce emissions at an individual level is to reduce one's energy use," he says.
Consumers also need to be alert to companies' claims to be environmentally friendly or 'carbon neutral' turn out to be nothing of the sort.
"Firms producing or selling anything from organic cotton to free-range eggs could all make green claims. But some of these claims can be unfounded," says Ms Richardson.
According to Mr Halpin, the term 'carbon neutral' is still a subjective one that can have a number of interpretations. "There is no single standard for benchmarking such claims."
The advice is to check out companies' claims online then cross-check with online "chatters" to view other experiences of these companies, before making a judgment.
Irish Independent
