Are organics overpriced?

Going green is often regarded as being costly. Undoubtedly, viewed at a certain level, it can be. The Climate Change Bill in the UK is supposedly one of the most expensive pieces of legislation in history. While this may not be of Eurozone bailout proportions, it reflects a fundamental restructuring of an economy. I noted that during a press conference at the recent Commonwealth conference that Australian Prime Minister Gillard was quizzed on her country’s proposed carbon tax. Journalists were keen to know from other leaders whether Australia was out of step from the international community, and frankly, being a mug.

As an individual or as a corporate, the decisions can seem to be equally fundamental. Changing energy arrangements or re-tendering for suppliers and partners is a massive task. The change is viewed as a problem, as it is so often expressed in the form of a cost, which is inevitably even more of a barrier in difficult times.

In my mind, being green is essentially a strategic decision. And it only makes sense in these terms. Each environmentally-sensitive decision should not be seen as a short-term switch to deliver a quick fix, as this will inevitably be an additional cost. The key is looking ahead when a spending decision is being made anyway. At that point, it is quite acceptable to consider a range of possibilities and then introduce a number of green options. Considering the cost-benefit implications of any strategic decision is good practice, the question is, do all companies and organisations, as well as individuals, have the necessary information about green options and the tools to evaluate them correctly? If the precise price comparisons are available, then a green decision may not be any more expensive and hopefully will stand out as delivering the most certain long-term benefits and positive outcomes.

This is where the green24 site comes in. It provides in an easy-to-use way, both a range of information about the options available and templates for measuring costs on a fair basis. We always welcome your feedback on how these tools work, and of course, examples of inventive and imaginative green strategic decisions.

David Jackman