While it's all true, I can't help but think: "Who cares?" That is simply not the point!
I suppose that if thinking with one's pocket book is the only way to get people to become more environmentally friendly, then so be it. But I feel that the bottom line isn't about cost. You should adapt these things into your life because it's the right thing to do.
Yes, I save money by using cloth diapers for my daughter. I used that arguement to convince my husband to go along with it. I chose cloth because I couldn't stand the thought of dumping tons of waste into the local landfill. But when people ask about the hassle involved, I still fall back on the financial savings by way of explanation. The truth is, I would have done this even if if cost me more.
So what has driven me to wax so philosophical today?
An egg carton.
I am currently packing up my house, and moving tomorrow. OK, I'm currently writing instead of packing but you get my point. I have just used my last egg, and an empty egg carton sits on my counter. Today is garbage and recycling day and the pickup is already past. When I leave tomorrow, I can drop off a final bag of trash at the dump, but I can't do that with any remaining recycling. I started to toss the egg carton in with the garbage and found that I could not do it. I still can't. And I'm not going to.
I am going to have to pack my empty egg carton with the rest of my belongings, and put it in with my recycling at my new house next week. Yes, I am packing trash to take with me. It's a pain in the butt to do, and certainly won't be saving me any money. I'm doing it because the Earth will be a better place for my efforts.
The next time someone asks why I do the things I do, I'm not going to fall back on how much money I save by doing them. I will just stand up straight and say "It's just the right thing to do".