Martin Lewis

Money on my mind... the Martin Lewis column

He’s the UK’s leading money saving expert - a journalist and presenter who has kept millions of pounds in people’s pockets as well as lifting the lid on the threats and dangers we need to be aware of as consumers.

In this month’s column, Martin Lewis looks at whether it’s possible to still be green at times of real economic restraint.

None of us need reminding how tough this year has been, and while we’re all looking for the green shoots of recovery, that greenness has become another sticking point of late, with environmental campaigners looking to keep their own eco priorities live and real.

As consumers, we’re all pretty aware that products and services that are more organic, or better ethically sourced, or that contain a strong environmental edge, are typically more expensive, so that leads us to a potential confl ict of choice – do we look after our planet, or do we prioritise the money in our pockets?

The answer – from research I have been doing on part of I have been doing on part of my website, and a collection of other polls that pool data on this subject – is very much that green issues take a massive backseat when our backs are against the wall.

Now that’s not to say I don’t have a green conscience, or the average Joe in the street doesn’t work hard to preserve the planet, but the absolute truth is that in the vast, vast majority of cases – both at times of struggle and even when things are less chaotic – individuals are not willing to make big sacrifi ces. What I think is What I think is important though important though is that, in future, is that, in future, it would be nice if it would be nice if people are being people are being incentivised to go incentivised to go green, and doing green, and doing so means we so means we are given all the are given all the support we expect support we expect from government. from government. We expect tax We expect tax cuts on fuel and a cuts on fuel and a decrease in oil price decrease in oil price to be refl ected at the pump; we expect utility providers to play by the rules with clear billing and fair price schemes; we expect home insulation initiatives to really add up in the short-term, not 25 years down the line; and we expect new customer incentives to be accompanied by rewards for existing ones.

What’s more, the days of us feeling guilt-tripped into buying a green product over one that isn’t, are probably and hopefully over. Of course, we all want to get back to a place of economic and environmental prosperity, and I’m sure that will come, but our conscience to feed our families has been proven, time and again, to be stronger than anything else.