One of the most meaningful ways you can contribute to sustainability is to buy sustainable products. It’s one thing to talk about sustainability; it’s another thing entirely to spend your money with companies that walk the walk.
Look for green products on supermarket shelves. Research companies before you buy from them to make sure they’re truly green. Many companies will market themselves as green, even if they aren’t truly committed to the practice.
Try to find green products for everything on your patio or deck – including the wood that goes into the construction, the paint, the heater, the furniture and the sealants. If possible, use sustainable materials throughout the whole construction process.
How exactly does spending your renovation dollars with a sustainable company help the world? Once these companies receive your money, this is what they do with it.
==> Lobbying for Environmentally Friendly Policies
Countries like Germany are far, far ahead of the United States in terms of solar power. It’s not because Germany is technologically superior – it’s because of policy.
The United States doesn’t have a coherent solar policy across the nation. Different states have different subsidies and different rebates. On the flipside, other countries that have strong policies are growing much faster in terms of their green industries.
By spending money with sustainable companies, you enable them to lobby the government for more and better green policies that’ll improve the eco-friendliness of the nation as a whole.
==> Development of New Technologies
Profits from current products are often funneled into the creation of new products.
The same company that makes green hand washing soap might also make a green bathroom tile cleaner. However, if nobody had bought the green washing soap, they wouldn’t have been able to put out the tile cleaner.
In order to keep the green industry moving forward, consumers have to keep spending their money with sustainable companies.
==> Show Investors Green = Profit
When you vote for green with your wallet, you’re showing investors that green isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s profitable as well.
By spending money with green companies, you indirectly help them get more future investment. That means they’ll be able to open more factories, produce more products, research new technologies and thrive.
==> Get Traditional Companies to Go Green
When you spend your renovation dollars on a sustainable company, that also means you’re simultaneously not spending them on a traditional company.
As green companies take more and more of a market share, traditional companies will get the message: it’s time to go green.
This happened when the Toyota Prius hit record sales. Every other car maker instantly knew that to stay competitive, they too had to come out with a hybrid.
Make sure that when you’re building your deck or patio, your money is spent on sustainable companies. It’s better for the green industry and better for the world.
