Green Living 101: Smart Eco-nomics

Lying somewhere between adolescence and becoming a "real" adult, we well-intentioned college students and recent grads struggle with integrating our big ideas and meager earnings into a compassionate life.

Yet, despite our limited incomes, our demographic is in a unique position. Believe it or not, our consumer habits and big ideas have the potential to change the way companies do business. By demanding sustainably produced products, those that are eco-friendly and human-rights sensitive, we can shift the chain of supply and demand toward greener technology and innovation.

Companies aren't the only ones interested in what we think. In the fall of 2005, a delegation of students from Ithaca College, Cornell, MIT, Harvard and Princeton was invited to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference. This is just one reminder that people need and desire to hear from us. We can have an impact as the next generation to inherit the Earth.

Being eco-nomically savvy doesn't require installing solar panels on your dorm roof or a windmill adjacent to the college football field, and luckily, leading an eco-friendly life is about more than the amount of money in your pocket. It's all about innovation, information and baby steps. You can start with something as simple as choosing an organic cotton t-shirt over conventional cotton, which requires more water, dangerous pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizers than organic, and you would probably pay the same amount of money for either choice. While some green products can cost more than traditional consumer goods, don't turn away in sticker shock. Do a little price comparison and seek out green goods that are comparably priced with conventional items. For instance, Birkenstocks, which are made with recycled cork, natural latex and other renewable materials, will cost about the same as a good pair of synthetic-material shoes.

An independent spirit is an admirable trait, but we could all do with a little help now and then. So before you try to save the Earth by composting cafeteria food in the back of your car, take a moment to absorb the musings of someone who's been in your situation before. (And will doubtlessly stumble again!)