It Is An Investment When…

Am I right in thinking that Gen-Y encompasses a new mindset? A modern one? An earth conscious one? Or is all we care about our comfort in the workplace, and if we really are getting what we deserve…?

The problem is that we have a lot on our minds. We’re at an age where it finally matters if we are politically aware, we’re wondering if and when we can buy our first house on our current salary, and then thirdly (or sixthly) hoping that we are leaving a relatively small ecological footprint. It is clear that we are most willing to be green or earth friendly when we are getting something back.

…Which is why this current Green trend is still on a bull run, because it basically reflects a series of investments which also happen to be easy on the earth.

…Which is why you should focus on those things that will benefit you. Like green corporate investments, which show results over time in energy savings, it’s okay to choose what pays.

Living car-free is not just a commitment, it is an investment. Most Gen-Y’s without cars just never bought one, and are still riding those original benefits like not paying for its running and maintenance, but soon enough it will become a commitment. Seeing it as an investment makes it more fun to calculate your savings. When you finally have the time to walk, you may suddenly see your city differently which is healthy in its own right, as is the mild exercise you’re getting.

Cars are becoming unnecessary for daily living, accept that fact. If we could be the first generation in which almost none of us use cars daily, or even weekly, we could make a world of difference. No lie. Check out the benefits to your bank account and it’ll make this mindset much more appealing.

Rent a house, buy a woodlot. There are many benefits to staying a renter. If you can do so, and own land outside of the city – most of which could be a woodlot – you are suddenly a double-smart investor. In 60 years you’ll have harvestable timber, and a cottage property to boot (selective logging would be easier on the eye than clearcutting). Thinking in terms of super-delayed satisfaction, it is something that your offspring can benefit from if that’s what it comes down to. Investing in wood is like investing in solar energy, and it’s profitable at its end result.

It all started when down the street from my apartment I noticed a Monkey Puzzle tree with three little seedlings growing beneath it. Monkey Puzzle trees are native to Chile and Argentina and are harvested for their quality wood for carpentry. I doubt that these seedlings will be surviving much longer hunched under their parent, so I keep meaning to talk to the homeowners and ask if I could take a seedling or two to cultivate for myself. It may sound far-fetched, but if owning a woodlot became a possibility, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

Use less power at home. Much less. In the last year and a half we used so little power at home that we unknowingly built up credit with our distributor. They still owe us $160, and I haven’t paid a bill in 2 months.

Turn your fridge way down (it’s probably just filled with condiments anyway), switch to those energy efficient bulbs, turn off your computer when you’re not using it, microwave less, and watch less TV. We don’t have a TV in use until hockey playoffs come around in April. For those two months when we may be watching TV twice a day on weekends (imagine that!), our bill goes up almost 20%.

Those are three, really easy pseudo-tips. I don’t run a ‘green your life’ website, but I do think that people should start to embrace the little things that count to put less stress on our land and general consumption. When benefits are introduced, people suddenly take note.

Green your wallet!