Let's get the "sacrifice" message out there in the open first. If we really want to protect the planet, we have to stop consuming so many resources and producing so much waste. If we each cut waste by only 5 percent, we could collectively "lose" more than 20 billion pounds of trash every year. What else do we gain if we reduce?
• Environmental domino effect: Using less scales back manufacturing, which prevents pollution and helps curtail global warming.
• Money in the bank: Using less leads to buying less, which leads to more money in your pocket.
• Less stuff, more fun: Wouldn't you rather pursue activities that enrich your life rather than deplete your pocketbook as well as the planet?
Excerpted from:
Big Green Purse by Diane MacEachern, © 2008 Penguin Group.
