Wednesday 7 March 2012

How Green Are You, Consumer?

Before coming to the discussion of how "green"  and environmentally-friendly we consumers are, I'd like you to answer this short and easy-to-complete Green Quiz:


Say Yes or No to the following statements:
1) I seldom turn my computer off.
2) I cover myself with anti-mosquito sprays every time I go camping / fishing/ to the forest.
3) I throw rubbish in plastic bags.
4) I never check if the products I buy are eco-friendly.

If you said "yes" to most of the statements, then you are far from being green. 
Said "no" to all of the above? Well, my congratualations! You seem to be as green as a X-mas tree!
But do not preach your naighbour in case he's greener than you are! Let's just read this first (taken from an article by Bill Ryan)

...traditional consumer values. These include:
· Price­ - Few will pay extra for greener products
· Quality -­ Many think green products will be less
effective than existing brands
· Convenience – only minimal inconvenience will be
tolerated by consumers of green products
· Availability – very few customers will go out of their
way to purchase green products


So, who are Green consumers? Are you one of them? 
Here are severeal more links for you to study so that to get inspired to answer the question.
There is also a very interesting Green Revolution research made. Have a look at the statictics to find out more:
How green are you? 
Why is the issue of Green Consumers been discussed here and there? 
What makes the Green question be a burning issue of today?

Looking forward to your ideas!


Best regards, 
your far from being green Wee Teacher

10 comments:

  1. Green Consumers... Hm... On one hand, person refuses from convienience in some way. On the other hand, person helps to nature and gets eco-friendly things.
    You know, I won't say than I am a green consumer. Firstly, because very difficult to find something "green" in Surgut. Secondly, I didn't thought about it. And thirdly, I'm really doubt that I ready to pay more for that. Maybe I will someday when will be ready.
    It is very selfless to buy only green products, but it is not so easy to save our planet. It is long way and if person wants to be a "Green Consumer" than he should understand that.
    The number of GC grows, that's wonderful!!! I reckon, GC is a new step of our evolution. Someday we will change everything and will do our best to save the planet.
    The Great Acts Begin with Small Affairs!
    P.S. Be green - Be happy)))

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    1. Irine, I see you are being quite optimistic about consumers getting "greener and greener" within some time in the future .) I like your idea of "a new step of evolution".
      Speaking about the possibilities of becoming a GC locally, I guess I can do nothing but simply agree. However, don't you think that "greenness" of offer on stock (and I don't mean food only) depends directly on the demand? So, if we all were really interestied in becoming "greener" then we WOULD have such a possibillity, no?
      PS + 3 points

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  2. When the person is green enough to think about better environment, he is half-a-way to succeed.
    But whatever person thinks or does in his entire life with "keeping everything green" in his life, globally he is hardly making any influence on the global environmental problems. All we can do is just to choose in between bad and worst(talking about buying less harmfull products)
    The issue is discussed because it is sort of the inner alert of every person, who wants to be healthy but still forced to eat harmfull products, fulfilled with insecticides HMO and all the others, because the consumer of today is unable to grow his own food on his own land.
    Well actually it is possible, but here in Soviet Russia food grows you. Sad but true, an intention of the society to Urbanize their live by leaving huge territories, an intention to be the consumers instead of making own goods is damaging everything including themselves.
    What to do with nature? How to save the day?
    The only way to eat healthy food is to let people grow it. Corporations are on top of the pyramid, and where people care about money, they care less about everything. Way out is to move to Resource Based Economy, I support the Ideas of Jacque Fresco, the scientist and social engineer, who knows how to live better for all of us. Go to http://www.thevenusproject.com/ to observe the ideas of the new pattern for all the society, I find the solvation there.
    PS. No matter what is the color of the consumer, it`s still the consumer, who eats, drinks, and does it sometimes much more then needed for supporting life.

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  3. Dear Alex (dinnerisready)
    I have always known how aware and aknowledged you are in terms of economical, political and social issues of life. Thank you for sharing your viewpoint.
    Let me quote you so that my respond to your comment would be more coherent and understandable for you and the others who might join in the discussion later on.
    ...hardly making any influence on the global environmental problems...
    Still, I believe that the larger number of people get concerned about the issues-in-question, the greater the chance for the environment to be protected is. Of course, it doesn't all happen in a blink of an eye. Destroying is much easier than creating, they say. And unfortunately it is the sad truth..
    However, there is something in what you're saying. It's not only about colouring oneself green in thoughts, it's about actions one takes.
    ...the consumer of today is unable to grow his own food on his own land...
    What a reasonable claim! Indeed. And those who have such a possibilty have to sell their food to survive. They are hardly been protected by the government, I'm afraid.
    Would you grow food if you had such a chance?

    Speaking about your rather disputable PS note, I should say I cannot fully agree. If I understood you right you "offer" to eat modestly to simply support your body needs for food and water. Well, there's something in it, yet I should admit I would not be absolutely happy if I had not tried new cuisines, baked delicious cakes and let my dear guest try something exceptionally tasty ) hehe.. It might sound rather primitive.. I don't claim I live to eat of course. Moreover, when we talk about green consumers we shouldn't forget about other spheres of "green" life, namely these
    - clothes we wear
    - cars we ride
    - aerosoles we buy
    - cosmetics (most of it tasted on animals) we
    - rubbish we throw (no recycling, reducing or proper utilsing!)
    Would be so kind as to comment on any of the subjects named? I would love to hear you speak out! .)

    BTW, thank you for the link. I have found a moto of the Venus Project:
    he Venus Project advocates an alternative vision for a sustainable new world civilization unlike any socio-economic system that has gone before. It calls for a straightforward redesign of a culture, in which the age-old inadequacies of war, poverty, hunger, debt, and unnecessary human suffering are viewed not only as avoidable, but totally unacceptable.

    These ideas are highly worth being reflected upon..

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    1. I would like to thank you for reading my post.
      Talking about growing food:
      Environmentally, Syberia is lacking SUN to support grain cultivating. Vegitables and fruits don`t like the idea of growing here. There are much better places for better life in Russia, where the climate is not that cold. But why are we here and what are we here? Oil pipe supporters, people who serve oil pipe supporters, and traders.
      The usage of oil is quite a weak energy, considering the technologies of TODAY, with its solar power, earth heat power, wind energy, and many others. There are lots of patents on these technologies, but global government can not let new technologies go. Because it is their money, it is their bread(with butter, caviar and etc).
      One of the Rotchild said:
      "Let me control the the money-creating in any country, and i woun`t care about people who create the laws in this country". This step of my reply points to observing the REAL state of things, which takes part in Parasite Economic of Today`s Society.
      Who creates the interest - control people through debts.
      Who creates money - control the emotive aspect of society (Elections, Wars, Poverty, Richness)
      Who produces medicine - needs more and more ill people.
      Who dig graves - needs more dead people.
      This is how things work. This is how they system keeps mankind alive. But alive as the parasite.
      Dear Wee Teacher, i know about passion to tasty food, clothes of a good quality, i want a car in order to make my life easier, i want a lot of things. I never consider your viewpoint towards tasty cakes as BAD.
      We can afford some better life here in Russia. I guess we deserve it.
      Middle-Class famaly of Alaska state has something about 180 thousand dollars total income per year.
      It is something about 360-400 thousand roubles per month for people in Syberia (i mean the climate issues and extra paiment).
      And what do we have? something about 40-60 T.R. per month. We are poor. We should consider it.
      (well actually our government dont care of its citizens in no way)
      How can we afford here in Soviet Russia any sort of modern technology, when we have no money for it? We dont even have money to buy presents to endear our relatives and friends. It is too expensive for us.
      The clues are just simple - Follow your conscience when you are about to throw some rubbish on the street, follow it whenever you do something "bad".
      But remember, if Mother Earth wanted to make parasites out us, then it is part of the Great Plan. Maybe our Planet wanted some plastic? and it created us to get smart enough and throw some plastic around to feed the needs of the Planet???

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    2. sorry for grammar mistakes... I was in a rush of thoughts

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    3. Alex, I guess zour comments were worth a separate post ,) Very deep-thought and highly informative they are. I appretiate it. Let's both (esp.me , being a complete chatterbox) take it as a rule to be brief enough in comments. If we have more to say, why not post an independent article on the issue and give a link to it? Will we? Thanks in advance .)

      Talking about Oil and OTHER ways of power, I think using wind energy could do good in our windy region.
      Your statements about a "Great Plan made me get lost in thoughts..
      Thank you for such a motivating post!

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    4. As for the mistakes, well, no one's perfect, esp. when in a rush of thoughts .))
      Still, there is a way to try and avoid them. Use "Preview" button before you wish to comment. It will help you look through your text once again before publishing it. If you happen to notice some drawback of your text click the "Edit" button, make all the alterations needed and then publish.
      Glad to help.

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  4. Probably, "greenness" are more widespread in Europe then in Russia.( It seems to me in Russia nobody cares about how "green" he or she is. To my mind, everybody cares more about their benefits and low prices than the environment.


    Moreover,I believe, that "greenness" consists not only of buying special products, it`s for ex. you go for work by bicycle instead of car.It is a good way to save some money and preserve resources, isn`t it?)It's better not just for health,wallet but also for the environment.


    To be "green" to my mind, it's about living responsibly and taking better stock of what one has and what things truly cost.A green consumer is a smart consumer who aims to live well, but also to live wisely.:)

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    1. Dear Inna,
      I support you in your sensible ideas about greenness, as you call you it .) Unfortunately riding a bycicle in such a weather as we have today (windy, snowy and muddy) might be problematic enough .)
      Do you consider yourself green? Or...light green? or greenish, perhaps? ,)))

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