How green are your money management habits?
Did you know that the way you manage your money on a day-to-day basis impacts the environment?
Driving to the caisse or ATM contributes to greenhouse gases and getting your statements by mail instead of electronically increases paper consumption.
Just how green are your money management habits? Get a personalized assessment based on your current practices and on ideal practices in only 2 minutes.
How green are your money management habits? Find out now.
How to decrease your ecological footprint
In collaboration with Équiterre
We are becoming increasingly aware of the impact our lifestyle has on our planet but sometimes, we don't have all the information we need to change our habits. Here are some ideas to help you get started leading a "greener" life.
Compulsive, impulsive or thoughtful: what's my buyer profile?
If you think carefully before making a purchase, you will spend less and in most cases, get more for your money. Taking the time to compare the performance of energy sources, fuel efficiency and where clothes are made can make all the difference. It may even be more advantageous to rent equipment that you won't use very often, instead of buying it.
Do I use fair trade products?
Buying coffee, tea, sugar, chocolate, bananas and other fair trade commodities enables producers of the South to live a decent life: to support their families, send their children to school and put food on the table. Fair trade coffee keeps them from having to depend on unscrupulous middlemen and a great way to foster community pride.
The organic shopping cart?
Organic foods are better for your family's health because they are not grown with chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
Buying organic and local products helps cut back on transportation time and greenhouse gas emissions, supports job creation and contributes to regional economies. Farmers all over Quebec now offer a variety of organic products. Why resist?
Recovery, reuse and recycling in the workplace: how are we doing?
If everyone in the world consumed as much as North Americans, we would need four or five planets to survive! By thinking about our day-to-day actions, choosing to buy products with less packaging and recycling what’s left over, we are taking a step in the right direction.
Bottles, paper, aluminium, glass, plastic and milk cartons can all be recycled. Some companies have started composting while others collect used clothing and objects. Rainwater can be used to water, while portable phones, computers, televisions and second-hand furniture can be reused by other people.
Buying local: is it a reflex?
Think about it at the grocery store or at the mall, when you are buying school supplies or gifts. Did you know that if every household in Quebec replaced $20 of foreign goods with $20 of locally-made goods, we would create a total of 100,000 jobs here at home? Furthermore, buying local products helps cut down on greenhouse gas emissions created by transporting non-local food items.
Walking, biking, public transit
On average, a car driven 18,000 km a year costs $9,3331 and emits 3.6 tons of greenhouse gasses (source: CAA Québec). If we shut off the engine instead of letting it idle and used our cars less often, we would also spend less money on maintenance, and spend less time clearing snow, stuck in traffic and looking for parking. Moreover, 30 minutes of physical activity a day is enough to improve our overall physical condition. Think about it!
Energy efficiency: an acquired habit?
Turning down your thermostat by one degree will save energy as well as 2% on your heating bill. You can also conserve energy by using a low-flow shower head and energy-efficient light bulbs and repairing leaky faucets
Other ideas?
For more information about ethical consumption, join Équiterre's campaign "Changing the World, One Step at a Time" (available in French only).
