Eco-Friendly Credit Cards


Did you know that some banks that have a social conscience offer of what they call eco-friendly credit cards? They pay back and help the environment by donating a percentage of your expenditures to eco-friendly causes. When you start looking for these types of cards, keep in mind that some of them are really saying they do good just to get you to get their card, and they actually donate very little to the cause. To pick your cards, follow these tips.

* Read the Fine Print  Not all cards give as much as they claim. Often, they cap out the donation amount at a relatively low number that they give to the nonprofits. While something is better than nothing, often giving directly will be more beneficial than getting some of the less than forthcoming cards. Having said that, it can really add up. For example, CREDO Visa Credit Card donate about $200,000 a month to various environmental groups due to their customers.

* Visit Green America  They have a "break up with your bank" program and can show you how to find responsible cards and green funds to invest in. They will lead you to getting a better bank that cares about these environmental and social justice concerns.

Links:
Visit Green America - https://www.greenamerica.org/break-up-with-your-mega-bank
Responsible cards - https://www.greenamerica.org/responsiblecards

* Join Groups You Care About  Often groups you care about offer members a credit card that has special perks, and they donate to causes you care about too. For example, if you belong to The Nature Conservancy, you can get their card and every time you use it, a percentage will fund their eco-friendly projects. 

* Look for Carbon Offset Cards  This is a card that buys carbon offset credits when you use it. What this accomplishes is that you get a point for every dollar you spend, and then the points add up to allow you to be responsible for purchasing carbon offsets. This means that every purchase goes toward reducing carbon emissions.

* Ask for a Different Material  Cards are made mostly of plastic. Mastercard is working with manufacturers to develop cards made from alternative and environmentally-friendly materials or only recycled materials. There is even a startup called Lion Credit Card (https://lioncreditcard.com/) that is making metal cards and offers for a fee to turn yours into metal too - although the word is not in whether the card companies accept this or not. But you can start by simply asking your bank if they have an alternative to first use PVC and plastic.

For most credit card companies, the idea of being eco-friendly or environmental responsible is not a serious issue. They do it because its good marketing. Because of this, it puts you as a consumer in the power seat. Start asking for more eco-friendly options, and when they see interest, they will provide them. After all, thats capitalism. 








