Living ‘Money-Less’ for the Environment

Could a world without money help to solve some of our planet’s most pressing environmental issues? Bethany Akhtar discusses how our financial habits impact the environment and whether living ‘moneyless’ holds the potential to help.

An empty wallet. Image Credit: Emil Kalibradov on Unsplash

Have you ever stopped to think about how closely our money is tied to the environment? In today’s modern world, nearly everything is centered around money. Yet, we rarely consider the environmental cost hidden behind our everyday purchases.

Modern consumerism encourages us to spend as much as we can, regardless of whether or not we should. But these choices come at a cost to both our bank accounts and the planet. From overflowing landfills of rubbish to pollution of our atmosphere and oceans - the environmental footprint of our spending habits runs deeper than we see.

As our spending levels soar, so do the consequences for us and the ecosystems we rely on. So, could living with less (or even living money-free)  be the unexpected bargain we’ve been looking for a more sustainable future?

Firstly, in what ways do we financially impact the environment?

Almost everything we spend money on in today’s economy involves some level of environmental cost - from resource extraction to processing, manufacturing or global transportation. Even the most essential purchases, like food and clothing, come with hidden environmental price tags.

Take food, for example, a basic necessity for life. Globally, our food systems contribute to around a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, due to resource-intensive processes like agricultural expansion, production, transportation and preparation. These stages also extend further negative impacts on the environment, through water pollution, deforestation, habitat and biodiversity loss.

But here’s where money matters: cheaper, lower-impact food options like seasonal, locally grown produce or plant-based meals often have a smaller carbon footprint and they usually cost less, too. Being budget-conscious can align with being eco-conscious, especially when we avoid highly processed or heavily packaged foods. So shopping locally or even growing your own, could help both your purse and the planet.

The fashion industry is another major culprit. The clothes we buy require considerable amounts of land and water to grow the required textiles. For example, a single cotton t-shirt requires 2,700 litres of freshwater to produce, which equates to 2.5 years of a single person’s drinking requirements! The demand for cheap, fast fashion fuels high water use, chemical pollution, and enormous textile waste.

It doesn’t stop once we’ve bought our clothes. The clothing industry is responsible for large amounts of water pollution, markedly via the release of microplastics. Washing synthetic fabrics stockpiles over 500,000 tonnes of microplastics on the ocean floor each year, which can end up in marine food chains and affect animal health at various stages. Choosing more sustainable choices such as second-hand shopping, repairing old clothes, or simply buying less is not only cheaper but also far better for the planet.

Of course, items like food and clothing are necessary for life, but it’s our spending habits and choices that determine the scale of our environmental impact. By choosing more affordable, sustainable alternatives, we’re not just saving money, we’re helping to reduce the demand for resource-intensive production and contributing to a healthier planet.

So what habits and systems are to blame?

 Increasing damage to natural systems can be partly attributed to population growth; estimated to reach 9 billion by 2040. While growing populations do contribute to increased pressure on natural systems, more people means more demand for resources, the issue runs deeper than just numbers. It’s also about how we live, spend, and consume.

Our lifestyles, habits and relationship with money are arguably the most destructive. Ingrained within many Western societies is consumerism: the constant push to acquire more, often beyond what we actually need.  This cycle of overconsumption drives excessive demand for resources, placing mounting pressure on already fragile ecosystems.

Sale on shop window. Photo Credit: Dan Burton on Unsplash

Consumerism doesn't just occur naturally. It is constantly encouraged in a variety of ways: amplified by social media, trend cycles and clever marketing, all designed to spark desire, urgency, and a fear of missing out. Persuasive techniques, emotional appeals, and even humour are used to make non-essential products feel like must-haves. Add in fast shipping, flash sales, and one-click shopping, and it becomes harder than ever to resist the lure of instant gratification.

Recognising the environmental cost of our spending habits isn’t always easy, and identifying and avoiding ones that impact the environment can be even more challenging. So becoming aware of the techniques that are commonly used, like flash sales and trendsetting, and questioning what we truly need is a good first step. With so much environmental harm linked to our everyday transactions, maybe it’s time to rethink not just what we buy, but our lifestyles altogether?

Living ‘money-less’ - how could it help and is it possible?

 Although the idea has existed throughout history, the concept of living “money-less” was revived in 2010 when Mark Boyle published his book “The Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living”. The idea is exactly as it sounds - living completely without money. As Boyle describes, it involves exchanging resources and skills within the local community, instead of exchanging money with the companies and systems degrading our environment.

Evidently, this method calls for a total transformation of the way we live, by abandoning our current consumerist habits and, for example, living predominantly with what we can make or share locally. However, the fundamental goal, as Boyle describes, is to foster a deeper connection with the natural environment, where we can work with nature to seek more sustainable ways of living, rather than exploiting its services and resources.

“Earth is more valuable than money” sign. Image Credit: Markus Spiske on Unsplash

The idea is certainly a daunting one, and would require a great deal of ingenuity, persistence and courage. However, alongside Mark Boyle, a lady named Jo Nemeth has been a highly successful example of leading a money-less life.

In an interview with The Guardian, Nemeth regarded Boyle as a source of inspiration for her moneyless journey. She explains that her big decision was additionally sparked by an intensifying feeling of gloom for people and the planet, triggered by the negative impacts we impose.

During 2015, Nemeth made the radical decision to close her bank account for good, and now 10 years on she is an exemplary case of living moneyless. Her money-free and sustainable methods include making her own household items like soaps and washing powders, maintaining a vegetable garden and finding replacement travel methods, such as hitchhiking and biking.

But is it possible to live without any currency at all?

Of course, methods such as biking and hitchhiking involve a certain input of money initially. Regardless of whether you are to borrow a bike or already have one, the bike has been bought using money, along with a car, its fuel, and so on. However, Nemeth highlighted that a crucial factor in her moneyless journey has been her relationships with people and utilising the ‘gift economy’.

The gift economy is a way of exchanging goods, services and labour in the context of social relationships, so whilst Nemeth doesn’t own her own home or pay rent, she does provide invaluable help to those around her, such as cooking and reducing household costs from making her own goods. Through this system, she receives a home in return, and it appears to be an effective way of recycling items that were once bought with money.

Interestingly, in their respective interviews with The Guardian, both Boyle and Nemeth describe a similar sense of camaraderie from living moneyless; Nemeth feels that she is able to build up ‘social currency’ - something that she defines as “to help people out, care for sick friends or their children, or] help in their gardens”, whilst Boyle concludes that his sense of security now comes from the relationships he has built upon kindness over money.

Living moneyless isn’t just a positive change for nature, but a valuable change for the community as well.

Two people holding a bowl of home-grown tomatoes. Image Credit: Elaine Casap on Unsplash

Could an alternative currency be a successful way forward?

Evidently, abandoning money is likely to require some other form of currency to be exchanged instead, which is no new concept. In the lead-up to our current cash system, our knowledge of ‘money’ has evolved from the form of stones and shells in ancient times, cacao beans in 8th century South America, and lots more in between.

In fact, historic communities like the Mayans are a great example of living successfully with alternative currencies. Although global trade wasn’t underway, the Mayans were highly developed, making significant advancements in architecture, irrigation systems and farming, all whilst bartering cacao beans and other products in exchange for goods.

This demonstrates how currencies have always been embedded throughout human history, and there are alternative ways of exchange that could help pave the way for a new, more ecological system to arise. However, changing our currency would require a global transformation of our current monetary system - something far more challenging in comparison to the individual scale!

How can we employ some of these sentiments in our daily lives?

Whilst living moneyless is currently an unrealistic change for most, you could consider trying just one or a few ‘moneyless methods’ in everyday life.

Here are a few, impactful changes that you could use:

1. Consume less

Simple, but effective! Consuming less will help to reduce production demands for businesses and decrease resource use within the wider, global system. Although you are unlikely to see the impacts of this change, it hits straight to the heart of overconsumption, meaning it’s highly effective.

A recent study found that reducing consumption aids well-being and social ties - a fantastic reason to make the change, whatever your views! The next time you consider buying something, try to question whether you really like it or actually need it.

2. Recycle where you can, in every way you can

Whilst recycling is a more commonly known method of reducing consumption and pollution, there are other options like reusing old materials or contributing to the second-hand market.

Another way of levelling up your recycling is to check whether the item says ‘recycle at store’. Within the UK currently, many plastic items can only be recycled at large supermarkets, making much of your at-home recycling redundant. To combat this, you can set aside a separate bag of plastic waste to take to a local recycling point to make sure it is recycled properly.

3. Reduce food waste

Globally, we waste about a third of our food, despite the system using 40% of habitable land around the world and causing almost 50% of deforestation. More than 7 million tonnes of this food goes to UK landfills each year, where it decomposes rapidly to produce methane and carbon dioxide - two significant greenhouse gases.

Reducing food waste is the least we can do to protect our environment. This can be done through meal planning to ensure you have only what you need, freezing leftovers and optimising your fridge temperature to ensure that food doesn't spoil.

4. Look for products with environmental certification labels

Whilst certain products are known to have caused significant environmental damage, one of the most notable being palm oil, certain organisations work to create more sustainable practices so that these products can continue to be grown and support local communities with a lower negative impact. Therefore, it is important to be aware of reliable certifications, such as RSPO and MSC labels, that tell us when products have been produced more sustainably.

5. Try permaculture!

This final idea is a framework for sustainable living, rather than a specific method. Permaculture is a practical method that encourages the use of natural elements within urban and rural life, such as harvesting rainwater, composting, efficient planning and creating your food system.

Lots of other ideas can be found on the Permaculture Association website.

The verdict on living money-less

It’s evident that living moneyless is beneficial for the planet and could be possible through the exchange of goods within the community. However, it’s not the only solution to reducing our environmental impact and is more achievable to implement a few money-less changes where we can.

Nevertheless, the idea sparks some interesting ideas for a future system that is less dependent on consumerism, providing hope and inspiration for a more sustainable economy that allows the planet, as well as people, to thrive.

About the author:

Bethany Akhtar is an Environmental Science student at the University of York with a passion for conservation, tackling environmental issues and spreading awe for the natural world. Details of her experience and interests can be found on LinkedIn.