consumers

If you're one of those people who want to "go green" but think they can't afford it, meet Sue H. of Dewitt, Virginia.

This "One in a Million" grandmother of two has found that shifting her spending to products and services that offer the greatest environmental benefit actually saves her money - especially when it comes to energy.

The One in a Million campaign inspires consumers to shift at least $1,000 of their existing household budgets to greener goods. The idea isn't to spend more money, just to make "green" a priority when you do shop. In many cases, the new purchases are not only better for the planet. They're great for your pocketbook, too.

Here's how Sue shifted her spending:

Date: Item / Money Spent

04/'07: '07 Honda Civic / $17,500
04/'07: front loading washer / $1,000
'06-'08: 50 CFL bulbs / $200
01/'07: Water heater blanket / $20
01/'08: Weather stripping / $10
01/'08: 8 pairs of thermal drapes / $500
05/'08: Bamboo bathroom flooring / $400

Total: $19,130

Sue says she's "pretty much a typical 60ish woman" with three grown children, two grown step-children, and seven grandchildren. Retired, she sews, does some crafting, reads and gardens. When I asked Sue what inspired her, here's what she said.

"The green thing? It really began for me in the 70's when we planted our first garden. ...

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HoneyLynn, a soon-to-be-mother who joined the Big Green Purse campaign back in March, has shifted almost $2,000 of her household spending to products and services that benefit the environment as part of her commitment to live a greener life. Here's her story:

"Over the last 4-5 years, I have really become committed to environmentally conscious living, but have realized that it doesn't and can't on a practical level, happen overnight. So, slowly I have shifted our household's spending to more environmentally conscious products. Whenever I need to replace or or buy something new, I take the time to seek out environmentally friendly alternatives, and if it costs a little more than I thought and we don't need it right away, then I save up to make the purchase (no credit card purchases here).

"The idea of seeing exactly how much of our household spending was directed to environmentally friendly products, was what inspired me to get involved in the One in a Million campaign. Regarding the biggest lesson, like I mentioned above, is that sometimes it takes a little research (thank goodness for the Internet) to find environmentally friendly alternatives, but it is worth it. ...

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I celebrated the very first Earth Day as a high school senior in 1970. As students across the U.S. buried polluting automobiles, decried oil spills that were fouling pristine beaches, and protested nuclear power plants, I thought it would be only a matter of months before Americans would come to their senses and adopt an ethic focused on protecting both people and the planet.

Instead, it's taken almost 40 years for citizens, companies, and elected officials to consider environmental destruction seriously. The delay has cost us all. The climate has changed, with deadly consequences worldwide. Risks to human health from environmental pollutants are growing, threatening children and adults alike. Plants and animals are approaching extinction levels at alarming rates, giving rise to concerns about the collapse of the global food chain and loss of the creatures that add a rich dimension to our lives.

Scientists intone that we have only ten years to "turn things around." A grim forecast? Yes. And yet, after all these years, I have hope. ...

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You can save almost $4,000 every year if you live a greener life.

Here's how:

1. Take lunch to work and stop tossing disposable takeout waste
   Annual cost savings: $1,560

2. Sell your gas-guzzler and invest in a fuel-efficient model
   Annual cost savings: $884

3. Drive smart to improve fuel economy
   Annual cost savings: $600

4. Buy a reusable water bottle and stop buying bottled water
   Annual cost savings: $500 ...

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Here are the top ten tips for a “green” Halloween. They’ll save you money, too!

1. Reuse costumes

Tap into the treasures hidden in your closet or attic to pull together a fun, no-cost costume (it won’t take any longer than going to the mall, and will be a lot cheaper). Trade costumes with friends and family if you don’t want to wear last year’s get-up. Shop for accessories at yard sales or resale stores. Use your imagination but don’t obsess. The point is to have fun, not be fashionable!

2. Trick and treat

In lieu of junk food, hand out pencils made from recycled paper, erasers, nickels or dimes – be creative!. My husband used to live in the same neighborhood as baseball legend Casey Stengel – he gave out silver dollars. My neighbor started doling out small cups of apple cider when she realized how much kids love a drink of something when they’re running around like banshees. NatureMoms offers lots of great links to organic lollipops and other fun and healthy treats.

3. Reverse trick and treating

Global Exchange is encouraging kids to help educate adults about Fair Trade cocoa by handing Fair Trade chocolates back as they trick or treat. The chocolates are attached to a card explaining why Fair Trade offers an alternative to child labor, low wages for farmers and a healthier environment. Order by October 13. ...

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When my computer's hard drive crashed this week, every techie I talked to said it was too fried to be rebuilt. So I did some quick research and headed over to Best Buy for a replacement.

In case you haven't been there recently, there are MOUNTAINS of computers to choose from. The salesman was going on and on about this model and that when I stopped him short. "What do you have in "green"?" I asked.

For a minute, he looked flummoxed. Then he got a big smile on his face and practically pranced over to the new Dell hybrid.

"Take a look at this," he said. "It's one third the size of a normal hard drive, uses significantly less energy, reduces packaging and the whole thing is made out of recycled plastic."

I bought it on the spot. It seems like he never would have mentioned it if I hadn't asked for it in "green." Great lesson for future shopping.

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As Halloween unofficially kicks off the holiday buying season, Big Green Purse is encouraging consumers to ask "Can I get it in 'green'?" no matter what they're looking for when they shop.

The idea is to pressure the nation's 1.6 million U.S. retailers more forcefully than ever before to offer the greenest products and services available. Looking for a sweater? Ask if the store has it in "green" - i.e., made from certified organic or recycled fiber by Fair Trade workers. Buying toys? Inquire about "green" dolls, action figures, stuffed animals, and games made in the U.S. from certified sustainable materials finished with non-toxic glues and paints. Thinking about electronics? Request the "greenest" options, which you can find on the ratings pages at Greenpeace.

In all likelihood, most stores, especially those occupying the very un-green real estate characteristic of shopping and strip malls, won't have a ready supply of certified green goods on hand. But that's why consumer demand is so important.

• Given that consumer spending accounts for 70% of GDP, consumer behavior has an oversized influence on the entire economy. What you buy tells manufacturers what to make more of -- and how.

• The Christmas shopping season alone can account for as much as 40% of a retail store’s annual revenue and as much as three-quarters of its annual profit. Consistently demanding the greenest possible goods from now until the end of December -- and buying them when you find them -- is the most immediate route available to change corporate behavior.

• The National Retail Federation estimates that consumers will spend $470.4 billion during the 2008 holiday shopping season, more than $1,000 per household. ...

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The One in a Million campaign is inspiring thousands of women to shift $1,000 of their household budget to products and services that offer the greatest environmental benefit.

Meet the latest "Millionaire": Christine G. from Pittsburgh, PA shifted almost $5,000 in the following ways:

• Used Car - $4,700
• Organic Makeup - $23
• Used books for herself and gifts - $103
• Organic lotions and shampoos - $54

Total ................... $4,881

Here's her story:

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Thousands of women have joined the One in a Million campaign. Participating couldn't be easier. They simply pledge to shift $1,000 of their annual household budget to products and services that offer the greatest environmental benefits. That doesn't mean spend MORE money. It means spend money differently to make a difference.

Deborah H. from Nashville, Tennessee and the mother of two boys, is the latest "One in a Million" winner. Here's how she shifted over $1,000:

• Joined a Winter CSA - $704.50
• Bought Bamboo Sheets - $93.77
• Joined a Spring CSA - $400.00

Total ................... $1,198.27

Why did she do it? ...

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Parents can save oodles of money by taking an "eco cheap" approach to back-to-school shopping.

Where to start?

1. Ignore the huge supply lists that come home in kids' backpacks. Over at the blog Green Talk, Thrifty is the New Green for Back to School Supplies reminds parents to check their "voluminous" stashes of pens, pencils, crayons and paper leftover from last year before buying new.
   SAVINGS: $25-$50/child

2. Use last year's backpacks and lunch boxes. (Mindful Momma notes in "The Price We Pay for Back 2School Cool that kids do just fine with gear they've used before.)
   SAVINGS: $50-$125/child, depending on backpack. ...

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What should you do if you want companies to go green?

Demand it, of course.

It's a strategy that makes perfect sense, given that companies themselves say consumers are the biggest drivers of the sustainability changes they're willing to make. In a recent study conducted by Ernst & Young and reported on by Mary Hunt at In Women We Trust, executives from the finance, consumer goods and manufacturing industries acknowledged that consumer demand was a far greener "carrot" than environmental regulation, legislation, or competition, among other factors.

Readers of Big Green Purse won't be surprised. Our mantra is all about ways you can make your money matter to protect yourself and the planet. But it's great when the very targets of our spending decisions acknowledge how much power we really have!

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