Moral Dilemma

There is a growing wealth of information about businesses who promote sustainability and ethical practices.  I think that it is probably safe to agree that if everything else is equal and company A operates on a higher ethical standard than company B, most of us would buy company A’s product instead of the comparable one from company B.  We would prefer a product manufactured with greater emphasis on sustainability in the areas of Energy & Climate; Material Efficiency; Nature & Resources; and People and Community. 

The moral dilemma arises when the products are not equal.  If for example, company A’s product is 10% more expensive than company B’s, we are faced with utility function.  Do we as consumers value our sustainability enough to spend more on products from manufacturers that promote such practices? 

I think there is some circumstantial evidence that some people are willing to incur the additional expense.  One example that I frequently cite is the Toyota Prius.  Clearly the most successful of the hybrids, the Prius offers its owners gas mileage in excess of 45mpg.  By most accounts, in spite of this high mileage, owners will never recoup the additional cost of the vehicle (over a similar size car equipped with a standard engine) even with gas prices over $4 per gallon.

To complicate the buying decision, the Prius has some end of life issues that call into question its overall ecological benefits.  Prius’ electric motor is operated off of a large lead acid, and metal hydride battery which is not particularly earth friendly.

Ultimately, if you want to ‘do the right thing’ you must carefully and extensively research your options.