There are many ways that things environmentally related can be beneficial to society, and that includes economically.
Any coastal area which has clean beaches will be more appealing to tourists, and any areas rich in wildlife will draw in visitors. It's not too difficult to create beautiful areas in even the most densely populated towns and cities - it just needs the will to do so. Nice areas would not only have an uplifting impact on local populations, but would boost a local economy, as people would be inclined to visit a town or city which is family-friendly.
Green energy is gathering pace, and will bring many jobs over the coming years. We are still in an age of discovery, but investment in green technology is rapidly increasing all over the world.
A green lifestyle can benefit society by a number of other ways. Locally produced, and sold, fruit and vegetables will benefit the local economy, whereas a lot of fruit and vegetables, which could be grown locally, still come into many communities from not only different areas, but different countries, and that's some carbon footprint!
The car is here to stay, but greener vehicles are already here, and, over time, it's possible that cars will be run much more cheaply than they ever were in the past. There is still the problem of congestion, but if there is more of an investment in public transport it will benefit local economies, because that would surely lessen car use, as public transport will work out as cheaper, and people will have more money in their pockets to spend.
There's a lot of positive things to come out of looking after the environment, and people are beginning to think in not only a greener way, but also in a more inventive way.
We now live in an age which is conscious of environmental issues, and so people are also realizing that there are opportunities for business. Business will drive environmental friendly industries, and they will snowball in the 21st Century.
Society tends to adapt to great change, and when the Industrial Revolution began, no doubt many feared that society would struggle and never come to terms with things.
By comparison, the change to a greener economy will be relatively painless. A greener world will benefit the economy, and, in a surprisingly short time maybe, the question raised in this article's title will become obsolete.