Living sustainably can save you money

Whether your inner climate critic is a whisper or a deafening roar, most of us are now trying to make more sustainable choices. One unexpected benefit of living more sustainably is a healthier bank balance, as careful shopping, energy efficiency and repairing and upcycling our belongings can significantly reduce outgoings.

Food waste alone can cost a household up to €700 a year, while turning the thermostat down just one degree can take as much as 10 per cent off heating bills. Similarly, using smart plugs and lightbulbs is a way of cutting those hideously expensive electricity bills. But are Irish people fully embracing the sustainable lifestyle and availing of the associated money savings?

Daniel Peng is an assistant professor at the School of Business in University College Dublin. Having lived elsewhere before coming to Ireland, such as the US, Canada and Germany, the economist has observed stark differences in the approach to living sustainably between populations.

“Energy is so cheap in the US and Canada because they have their own oil so they are not being energy efficient but in Europe, it is second nature to not waste energy or to not waste food.”

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Ireland has been slower to adopt this mindset, Peng believes. For example, he says ride-sharing and carpooling are much more popular in Germany than in Ireland where car dependency is the second-highest in the EU.

He also says Irish people haven’t fully embraced the benefits of the circular economy. In Canada, apps that allowed people to trade furniture or tools locally, for example, were very popular. “In Ireland, there is Facebook Marketplace for selling or trading items but it takes people two or three days to respond so I feel like Irish people are not as far ahead with this.” He points out that huge flea markets, ubiquitous in US cities, are not as common here, while “thrifting”, or buying preloved clothing, is seen as a hobby.

Peng recently purchased a leather sofa for his UCD office from Facebook Marketplace. He points out that the almost new sofa cost him €480 — the brand new version was €800. Not only did he save money, but he highlights the environmental impact of his decision — a new sofa would have been shipped from across the world.

“If everybody had a similar mindset and shared the resources we already have, this is a great way of saving money and being environmentally friendly.”

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is strongly pushing the sustainable living message, highlighting the myriad ways people can go greener and save themselves money. Shopping apps such as Depop and Thriftify are becoming hugely popular but a recent EPA Behaviours and Attitudes survey found that 82 per cent of people didn’t think of second-hand or pre-owned as an option before buying new clothes. “Yet this is a way to save money, reduce consumption and potentially support social enterprises and /or the charity sector,” said an EPA spokesperson.

According to Emma Kavanagh, national network executive with Community Resources Network Ireland (CRNI), the all-island representative body for community-based reuse, recycling and waste prevention organisations, attitudes towards the circular economy began to shift when the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 was signed into law. The goal of this legislation was to propel Ireland’s move away from a “take-make-waste” model of consumption to a more sustainable pattern.

Kavanagh says their research indicates there is a strong consumer appetite for circular goods and services in Ireland. “Consumers want to make good choices and CRNI members are creating an economy where consumers can make good choices,” she says. “CRNI’s research reveals 85 per cent of adults have purchased or been gifted reused items, indicating a positive trend towards embracing the circular economy.”

In order to mainstream the circular economy, she says, consumers need local and accessible options that enable them to do the right thing when it comes to keeping resources in circulation for as long as possible.

“What CRNI members all have in common is that they want to keep the stuff in our lives — for example, our furniture, our clothes, in use for as long as possible; [and] getting as much value as we can and making sure everyone in society can participate in the circular economy.”

The community-based circular economy makes money saving even easier for people, Kavanagh says. Community-sharing systems are community-led initiatives that have been growing in popularity in Ireland for many years. “These reduce the need for individuals to purchase items for occasional or periodic use, for example, CRNI members Cloth Nappy Library offer cloth nappy loan kits so families can try before you buy service so you don’t have to invest before you know what works best for you and your baby.” It is estimated that disposable nappies and wipes can cost up to €1,500 per child from birth to potty training, whereas using cloth nappies will only cost in the region of €250-€500.

Community-based repair workshops are also springing up all over the country, Kavanagh says. “These help people fix broken items for free and learn repair skills for everyday items that can be easily fixed rather than replaced,” she explains. “‘Repair cafes are seeing a resurgence in the last couple of years. These are a social space for intergenerational skill sharing and low-cost repair that is enabling more people to be part of the ‘fix it’ revolution.” TOG Hackerspace regularly hosts repair cafes open to the public in their space in Dublin 12, she adds.

The EPA also suggests using repairmystuff.ie to find a local repairer for items such as electrical goods, electronics and even clothes and shoes. There are several greener living guides available on mywaste.ie, which cover gardening, cleaning and general home tips.