Green Living

Green living is a moral framework based upon the products that you consume. In that framework, it is good to consume less and to have a lower environmental impact than the average in your society. For the greens, it is the pinnacle of virtue to consume no fossil fuels, to eat vegan products from your immediate area and to purchase a minimum of consumer goods. Few people take it to its logical extreme, but many people use the green framework to evaluate some of their purchasing decisions.

Why do people choose to become green? One reason is that they believe that it helps to make the world more livable for themselves and future generations. Another could be because it's a convenient way to feel good about yourself while making relatively few changes in your way of life. While people who make green living a priority are often political, purchasing local produce isn't likely to aggrandize anyone else. It's a largely benign belief that also happens to act as a cultural and class marker - not everyone can afford to drive electrical vehicles or power their house with rooftop solar panels.

There is no guidebook for what constitutes green living and what doesn't. If you're interested in living a greener lifestyle, you should start with things that are easy to change before you take everything to its logical conclusion. Locally produced food tastes better than that which is shipped from around the world. It's cheaper to drive a fuel efficient vehicle than it is a gas-guzzler. Using a bike to commute helps to keep you healthy.