Why are environmentally friendly products more expensive than those which are not?

Question

If the country's leaders are really devoted to changing people's attitudes to the environment (recycling and buying ecologically for a start), why is it when i go to the store and lean towards the 'green' products i have to lean away once again upon remarking their cost. why are some people unable to afford to be more green? it doesn't make sense.

Answer 1

If it was cheaper to make products in a "green" fashion then the companies would already be doing it. Same as with organic foods. If it was cheaper to grow foods organically all foods would be organic because it would be beneficial to the farmers to do so.

I suppose in some cases it is also a matter of niche marketing. There is also the "sucker born every minute" factor. If I bottled up some water labeled it a "chemical-free" cleaner and marked it double the price of other brands, it is almost guaranteed that someone would buy it.

Answer 2

Most consumers don't understand the long term benefits of the initial cost of "green" items. Once you buy them, such as light bulbs, you won't have to replace them again for a very long time, theoretically. So the cost that you would continually put out on buying the cheaper less "green" bulbs would eventually equal out to be the same. Plus whenever new technology comes along, the cost is always higher until its been around awhile.For example, remember when VCR;s, microwave ovens and personal computers first came out and what their original prices were? Now look, of course VCR's are pretty much obsolete at this point, but the point is still the same. Like you can now go and buy a new DVD player for under 30 bucks. Of course this is just my opinion, but I think its about right. Also, many people have started freecycling to help with the recycling of items that would end up in the dump somewhere. I hope this answers your questions.

Answer 3

For example, I work for a paper company and we make FSC certified paper.  (FSC is Forest Stewardship Council)  To be FSC certified means that every step of the production from the forest plot, the logger, the pulp manufacturer, the paper maker, the converter, the distributer all have to do things in a sustainable manner.  It takes time and money to make sure all the different parties involved operate their businesses in such a sustainable manner and therefore the end product is more expensive.  If you don't care wether or not the paper you buy comes from properly managed forests then you can buy the cheaper paper.

Answer 4

The cost is in using sustainable fuels are tend to be less efficient, in sourcing sustainable and eco-friendly materials which often come from far away (then you have to match the carbon cost of shipping these against the cost of being less sustainable!), and the effort in maintaining a watch over all the suppliers to make sure they are compliant with you principles.  Additionally, to be eco-friendly usually means not cutting corners, not ploughing to the edge of field, not cutting down every tree, not even farming or loppong at certain breeding seasons so the work is not 100% "efficient" and that make the unit costs higher.

Worth it though wouldn't you say?

Answer 5

Because the ex hippies that manufacture and sell them morphed into the same greedy capitalists they used to despise.