Environmentalist Jerks

A recent article in Popular Science (August 2010)highlights a recent study that just being exposed to green products (seeing a green TV ad or going into a health store) created a halo effect that makes people more charitable. However this effect changed quickly. After a green purchase, the green consumers were more likely to lie and steal. Thus, the green consumers think they are receiving a license to do bad things since they have done good thing. The goal is for people to do the right thing without thinking they should receive something for it. Just do it for the environment without expecting to receive any "moral capital."