Here at Ethical and Green we are actually enjoying the credit crunch and the financial turmoil. For many years now bankers have been gambling away huge sums of money with care free abandon. Let’s be realistic- this credit crunch isn’t bad luck, it’s been an accident waiting to happen. And the motivating factor behind it? Greed. Greed combined with selfish thinking. If the financial industry had stopped to think what they were doing and hadn’t been trying to make obscene bonuses we wouldn’t be in this mess today.
The reason we are enjoying the credit crunch isn’t because the bankers are suffering. They have made so much money I don’t think they really care. The Head of Lehmann Brothers reportedly made $500 million dollars whilst he worked for the company! No the reason we are enjoying it is because finally people are worrying about money rather than spending it on things they don’t need.
Car sales in the UK have dropped by 20% which is good for the environment. People are also using their cars less because petrol is too expensive. This means more people are using public transport to save money. The downside is that new cars are more environmentally friendly so I hope people aren’t buying second hand cars with worse emission records. We’ll have to wait and see.
As we have seen before the credit crunch is encouraging people to exchange clothes and recycle. People are also using sites such as Freecycle more rather than buying new items. Some people are also recycling more as it gives them reward points. There was recently a story in the press about a couple who fanatically recycled so they could fly back in business class from America where they went on Honeymoon! Great for them and the environment!
In terms of holidays the credit crunch meant that this summer more people had a holiday in Britain as opposed to travelling abroad. This reduced the holiday seasons carbon footprint. Some airlines have also stopped flying to particular destinations and are flying less frequently thus reducing the carbon footprint of the aeronautic industry. Reports this year showed that in the UK camp sites were fully booked! A truely environmentally friendly holiday.
As oil prices soar so fuel bills rise. This means that consumers are looking at ways to cut down on their bills by saving electricity. People are converting to environmentally friendly lightbulbs and turning electrical appliances off as opposed to leaving them on standby. The government has also brought out grants for home insulation which keep your house warm as well as cutting down fuel bills. All good for the environment and reducing your carbon footprint!
So there we have it. Just a few examples of why Ethical and Green are enjoying the credit crunch! Let us know what you think….
