?????? Green is Good??????

Leaders from around the globe are gathering in New York City this week for the United Nations General Assembly, and one of the top issues on the docket is climate change. I'm using it as an opportunity to talk about the intersection of money and the environment in this edition of Young Money.

Here are some of the ways I am personally trying to reduce, reuse and recycle.

PLASTIC IS NOT FANTASTIC ??

One of the things I'm most mindful of is how much single-use plastic we use at each week.

For example, after I walk my dog CJ (pictured here) every morning, I always stop for coffee at Mazzola, one of my favorite Italian bakeries in Brooklyn. Depending on the season, I order an iced latte, served in a plastic cup, or a cappuccino, which comes in a paper cup. When I leave the house, I try my best to remember to bring along a metal or paper straw for the latte, or I recycle a cardboard sleeve to keep the hot paper cappuccino cup from burning my hands. Every once in a while, I'll also reuse a plastic cup, if it hasn't been thrown out by another member of our household.

Will small actions like these save the planet? I'd like to be an optimist, but my gut tells me probably not. Indeed, around the world, almost 1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute. No wonder major packaged goods sellers and retailers are under pressure to cut the flow of the single-use bottles and containers that are clogging the world’s waterways.

One of my favorite Reuters graphics EVER is this one, which looks at the world's super-scary addiction to plastic.

REUTERS POLL ???

PepsiCo recently set targets to make 100% of its packaging recyclable, compostable or degradable by 2025.

I'm curious if pledges like this influence your buying or investing decisions? Weigh in here via this Reuters poll.

?? PAPER POWER

Right before the pandemic started, my family began A GREAT TOILET PAPER EXPERIMENT. My hubby is a fan of high-end, super-soft brands, but after speaking to Shelley Vinyard at the NRDC, I had some strong reasons to question the environmental impact of our favorite toilet paper brand, which uses virgin pulp from Canada’s old-growth boreal forest.

Instead, we ordered a giant box of Who Gives A Crap premium bamboo toilet paper just in time as our local supermarket shelves soon were stripped bare of all sorts of paper products.

We've stuck with the brand ever since. My review? It's not as soft as hubby's favorite brand, but it is soft enough. I'm a fan of the playful packaging as well as the fact that the company donates donate 50% of its profits to help build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world. Pricewise, it's a bit more expensive at about $1.15 per roll, if you order in bulk. I'm willing to pay the premium if it means saving trees and helping people, too.

INVESTING WITH IMPACT

Socially responsible investing (which has way too many different monikers including "impact," "responsible" or "ethical" investing) has become a huge business for the money management industry in the past decade.

Greenwashing, however, is hard to avoid, as outlined in this video that focuses on carbon emissions.

For a deeper dive into what it means to invest with a conscience, check out this explainer from my colleague Simon Jessop. If you are interested in how companies are trying to improve their environmental, social and governance (ESG) footprint, be sure to follow our Sustainable Business coverage here.

A$K LAUREN!

Are you trying to figure out the best way to cut your electric bill? Need a raise? Or are you wondering if you can afford to get a divorce? Send your money questions to me, and I'll tap my extensive source network and braintrust for expert advice. Submit your questions?here.