by Maria C Collins

Created on: May 25, 2008   Last Updated: March 22, 2010

Self-interest can save the Earth. Many people now believe that the present environmental campaigns, though full of lofty and very worthy ideals and, no doubt, well-meant, are remote from ordinary people. It is impossible to consider huge global issues when you are busy just trying to earn enough to keep your home and for your family to be clothed and fed. However, whether you agree or disagree that climate change is happening, the measures which we should be taking to combat it are pure self-interest. The environmental campaigners would get far better results if they slanted their campaigns in these terms. In these days of rapidly rising costs this would appeal greatly to hard-pressed householders.

If we turn lights off in unoccupied rooms, buy the most efficient domestic machines, and don't leave electrical equipment on stand by, we will all save money on power bills. An item on television showed the surprising amount of electricity that could be saved by teaching our teenagers not to leave their computers and other such equipment on stand by. The consumer saves money on electricity bills, therefore not so much electricity needs to be generated, and so both the green agenda and the consumer are satisfied.

Recycling, and reusing, save our local taxes from going up next year. If manufacturers are less wasteful in the use of packaging it saves them money on business expenses, and local taxes. Their customers have less hassle in trying to get into product and also less packaging is used to end up in the waste bin and eventually on landfill site which leads to less costs for local authorities which in turn leads to lower local taxes on individuals.

Planning our lives so as to save unnecessary car journeys saves money on petrol or diesel, thus ekeing out the Earth's fossil fuel resources. Buying fresh food, grown locally which hasn't traveled half-way across the world, losing its vitamins along the way, is better for our health and helps our local farmers and growers to thrive, it also saves fuel for both businesses and consumers.

All of these actions, and others, also combat climate change. So why don't the authorities put the matter in the terms of pure self-interest? Lofty ideals, fuzzy, warm feelings, and altruistic sentiments are all very well but they are intangible. Who doesn't like to save a bit of money or look after their health, or help their local communities. So how about a new campaign; "Self-interest can save the Earth?"

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