A 55-year-old communications consultant from New Jersey, recycles, composts and wouldn’t pay a premium for an eco-friendly hotel room or for cleaning products. “It’s not that I can’t afford these; I just don’t believe in paying more. I am that ‘green’,” says Elizabeth Romanaux.
She is among a rising number of the aging Americans rebelling against the costly side of environmentalism, those who believe that value-for-money outdoes value-for-planet. Most people who have never bought earth-friendly products believe that this stuff is too expensive. According to a recent poll by Crowd Science, about 25 percent of mature people (55 and over) tend to think that shopping green “makes no difference,” compared to 13 percent of younger respondents. It doesn’t necessarily mean our greenness is fading. We just wish to proof that a green service or product is “of the same quality and equally effective” as alternatives, Kate James of Grail Research says.
Tish Leon, a 57-year-old Mexican American, abandoned her Camaro for a bicycle to get to her workplace. This, according to her, was an easy way to get some exercise and move around town.
“It’s incredible how most of us go green without even realizing it,” says Leon.
Biking to work and running other errands is estimated to have saved her $300 or more in gas in 2008 compared to the previous year. Leon also pays her bills online, reuses paper at work and uses a mug instead of drinking from disposable cups.
For other people who have longer commutes, there are several things you can undertake to go green and saves immensely, at the same time. Saving the environment often translates to saving money, senior editor at the Worldwatch Institute, Lisa Mastny, states.
Sometimes aging people have the misconception that going green means buying the newest, most expensive green item at the drugstore. Homemade cleaners which are usually cheaper and greener, work just as well. A contradiction to that popular belief, says Mastny.
“A lot of it basically means going back to basics,” Mastny points out. “Most of the older generation will probably remember using basic soap vinegar and a range of other homemade cleaners.”
According to a 2008 report, the Consumer Electronics Association concluded that over a half of the older consumers plan to employ more environmentally friendly behaviors every year. Many say they were dedicated to buying products from companies that are obliged to environmentally friendly practices, if only their products are of the same quality and price.
Leon adds that living a simple lifestyle has helped her cut back and save. “This started in mid ‘70s, in my hippie days. I don’t even consider it as living green,” She says.
