Whole Health: Mean and Green

JEFF WELLS

Buying green may start with good intentions, but it can end with a bad attitude. A study published in the journal Psychological Science found that students who bought eco-friendly products as part of a money-sharing game were more likely to cheat and steal. Researchers found that, in buying green, this study group developed a sense of entitlement as a reward for doing good, a reaction that goes against the conventional wisdom that portrays green consumerism as the gateway to bettering oneself.

The study's authors said those striving to live green shouldn't change their shopping habits. However, they might want to start counting their change.