The best green, environmentally friendly credit cards are good for the environment and can help you save or earn more money. Many online stores offer these types of rewards and incentives to keep you satisfied with their site. Look at some of the best green credit cards on the market today!
There are many different options for choosing a green credit card. Some have no annual fee, while others may charge an annual fee depending on your spending habits. It’s important to do research before picking one out so you know what works best for you and your needs.
There are many environmentally friendly credit cards on the market today. There are several sorts of green credit cards available, including those that give points for particular items, such as organic food or travel abroad.
Your best bet may be to locate a card that offers the sorts of rewards you’ll need. Here are a few green credit cards that you might want to consider.
Best Green Credit Cards
Aspiration Bank
Aspiration Bank’s flagship product is the Aspiration Spend & Save account, which offers up to 10% cash back on purchases and 0.5% APY on savings, with no fees whatsoever.
Aspiration also has a growing line of other products, including the Aspiration Summit checking account and the Aspiration Redwood credit card.
Aspiration Redwood is a green credit card that plants trees with every swipe, effectively offsetting the cardholder’s carbon footprint.
In addition, Aspiration Redwood offers 5% cash back on travel and 3% cash back on dining and entertainment. Like what you are hearing? Read more in our full Aspiration review.
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Amalgamated Bank Credit Cards
Amalgamated Bank is one of our favorite socially responsible banks out there. Amalgamated Bank, which is entirely powered by renewable energy, has a fossil-fuel-free policy, an immigrant support system, low-income housing, and labor rights.
Their card is issued with Elan Financial, a subsidiary of US Bank. They offer several credit card options. The card options include:
- A Business Green Rewards Card that gives back to companies with environmentally-friendly business practices. You’ll get 1 point for every $2 you spend, and points can be redeemed for rewards in the following categories: fuel (including green power and biodiesel), food/groceries (including organic and fair trade), travel (including airlines, hotels, trains, and car rentals), gifts/non-profit giving.
- A Travel Rewards Card that gives back to companies with environmentally-friendly business practices. You’ll get 1 point for every $1 you spend, and points can be redeemed for rewards in the following categories: fuel (including green power and biodiesel), food/groceries (including organic and fair trade), travel (including airlines, hotels, trains, and car rentals).
- A Cash Rewards Card that gives back to companies with environmentally-friendly business practices. You’ll get 1 point for every $1 you spend, plus a bonus at the end of the year, and points can be redeemed for rewards in the following categories: fuel (including green power and biodiesel), food/groceries (including organic and fair trade), travel (including airlines, hotels, trains, and car rentals).
See Related: Best Banks for Low-Income Earners
M1 Finance Owner’s Card
The M1 Finance Owner’s Card is a new way to get cash back on purchases. You can earn up to 10% cash back on all purchases with select brands. Plus, the card has a reasonable $95 annual fee and many other perks, especially if you use M1 Finance to invest.
This makes for a good green credit card because you get rewarded for spending money with stocks you already own, so if you own stocks with high ESG scores, you’ll receive lucrative cashback.
Some of our favorite brands with high ESG scores offering cash back include with the M1 Finance Owner’s Card include:
- Tesla – 10% Cash Back
- Adobe – 10% Cash Back
- Etsy – 5% Cash Back
- Target – 2.5% Cash Back
See Related: Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit to Rebuild Your Score
The Green America Visa
Green America is a nonprofit dedicated to establishing and promoting environmentally beneficial businesses across North America by locating and supporting green-collar firms.
They also offer their members several credit cards from which you can choose. Each card allows you to support green-collar jobs and small businesses and receive special discounts at retailers with progressive environmental practices.
The TCM Bank Green America Visa supports Green America’s environmental initiatives. Use this card to contribute a percentage of your purchases to Green America’s efforts to establish fair trading systems, advance clean energy, remove GMOs from the food supply, and support green businesses.
The Green America Visa, a MasterCard, offers 1% cashback on all purchases made through TCM Bank.
See Related: Most Unethical Banks You Need to Avoid
The Amazon Watch Visa Credit Card
Amazon Watch helps to preserve the rainforest. To safeguard ecologically and culturally sensitive environments in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, Amazon Watch works directly with indigenous communities at all levels of government.
They offer their members an Amazon Watch Visa card, which gives them 1% back on all purchases. This credit card allows you to support Amazon Watch’s efforts. With every purchase, they will donate 0.5% of the sale amount to Amazon Watch—up to $1 million annually!
See Related: Best Green Companies to Invest in 2023
International Living Future Institute’s Affinity Card
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the internationally agreed-upon post-2015 development goals. The Sustainable Living Future Institute (SLFI) is a nonprofit group focusing on new developments in sustainability and human needs.
They encourage people worldwide to develop innovative solutions to issues such as population growth, climate change, water scarcity, and food scarcity.
The International Living Future Institute’s Affinity Card is a Visa Platinum credit card that aims to redefine the green construction movement.
This collaboration ensures that a portion of each purchase made with this card goes toward ILFI’s mission of offering environmentally beneficial building and engineering solutions.
See Related: Best Low Interest Credit Cards: Top Choices for Affordable Financing
Salmon Nation Visa Credit Card
Salmon Nation is a carbon-neutral firm that aspires to constantly utilize low—or zero-carbon technologies, invest in renewable resources and technologies, minimize the usage of disposable plastics and items, and educate its workers on how they may assist in creating an even more sustainable world.
The Salmon Nation Visa program encourages individuals to help preserve the environment in the “Salmon Nation,” which extends from Alaska to Oregon.
Salmon Nation Visa can help you fund sustainable seafood projects, promote local small businesses with ecologically aware practices, and aid salmon conservation efforts.
The card offers 1% back in rewards on purchases and an average of 1 cent per dollar spent, and each time you use it, you’ll get money back. In addition, this program will benefit your local community (regardless of whether you live in the Salmon Range).
The Leaping Bunny Program Visa Credit Card
The Leaping Bunny Program is a prominent cruelty-free certification program that has raised awareness of animal rights and ended cosmetic testing on animals within the United States for over 30 years.
When you use your credit card to purchase, you’ll support cruelty-free initiatives worldwide while ensuring you’re using only vegan, animal-friendly products.
You can earn 1 point for every dollar you spend, whether it’s at the grocery store, online, or with any other purchase. You can redeem your points for gift cards donated to schools and organizations committed to helping animals!
Each time you use the card, you can be confident that 0.5% of your purchase will go to support the Leaping Bunny Program. This is a Visa Platinum Credit Card.
Green Rewards Network MasterCard
The Green Rewards Network MasterCard was created to help individuals understand how to support environmentally friendly efforts at home and at work.
This card earns points for each purchase, which can be used toward rebates, discounts on green goods and services, and more! A MasterCard Gold Card is the Green Rewards Network MasterCard. The card is free to use each year.
Cards for a Cause
Cards for a Cause offers environmentally friendly credit card options that contribute directly to nonprofits. The Network Branded Prepaid Card Company issues cards from Salt Lake City.
Each time you use one of their cards, you’ll help provide clean water and sanitary products to developing nations while also making a difference in people’s lives.
You may also bank online or through the Zions Bank mobile app as a member of Zions Bank.
See Related: Best ESG Funds to Invest in Today
What is a green credit card?
A green credit card is typically a basic bank card the issuer designs and offers as an environmentally friendly consumption tool.
The defining characteristic of a green credit card is that it reduces or eliminates those environmental costs associated with traditional plastic cards, such as the cost to produce, transport, use, and recycle plastic cards.
Issuers may also offer financial benefits to consumers looking for eco-friendly consumption options, such as lower annual fees and extra reward points on certain purchases. Possible reasons for consumers choosing this type of credit card include:
- The offer provides value by protecting or reinforcing your good name through low-risk transactions (low-risk items merchants)
- If you make frequent use of public transit systems like buses, trains, and subways – you can earn extra points (transit rewards)
- You want to support eco-friendly companies that are concerned about the environment
- If you buy organic foods, clothing, or environmentally friendly products – you can earn extra points (green shopping rewards)
- If you frequently travel out of the country – you can enjoy the peace of mind of knowing you can use your card without having to worry about currency conversion fees (no foreign transaction fees)
- Some cards may offer a “first-year fee free” promotion that would be attractive if you’re considering opening a new credit card account with them (upfront bonus points)
What is a green credit card good for?
For the most part, what’s right about a green credit card is nothing new. The points earned by consumers who use these types of credit cards are typically redeemable like traditional cash back or travel rewards.
There are important factors to consider when deciding between your options:
- How much you spend per year is the biggest factor when choosing a green credit card.
- Most green credit cards offer more points when buying organic food or shopping at environmentally responsible businesses like TenTree.
- You can earn even more points when you travel in an environmentally friendly way (public transportation) and make purchases in foreign currency.
Green credit cards vs traditional credit cards: The differences
The main difference is that green, eco-friendly credit cards encourage consumers to reduce their carbon footprint with every purchase by rewarding them for making certain purchases.
Using any sort of credit card (green or traditional) correctly, such as paying off your bill on time and staying within your credit limit, will help you avoid paying interest on cash advances, balance transfers, and other costs.
Why should you care about your credit score
As you live your life and make purchases, use credit cards, pay bills, or get loans – your credit report looks at all these activities to form an opinion of who you are.
Fairness warning: some things like bankruptcy cannot be wiped clean even if it happened years ago!
This is not just for fun – this information could have consequences in the future when you want to borrow money for a car, take out a mortgage, or buy that new home theater system with cash.
The consequences of having bad credit can be very expensive because most lenders will charge people with poorer credit more interest on mortgages, bank loans, student loans, and other types of borrowing.
A good credit score would be 750+, which indicates handling debts well. There are three main types of credit reports:
- The credit report for consumers with no bank accounts or loans (credit report for people who do not borrow)
- An unsecured loan where you use the money but there is no collateral (credit score for student loans)
- Credit report that shows the consumer uses credit cards and has a car loan or mortgage (credit reports of people who borrow or have bank accounts)
What are the benefits of having a green credit card?
The benefit of having a green credit card is that you can use your points to help the environment, to support eco-friendly companies, and for specific other purposes.
Many green cards offer special deals for users who have certain common interests, such as buying organic food, traveling out of the country, or avoiding currency conversion fees.
The other benefit is not worrying about catching up on interest rates. By using any credit card (green or traditional) responsibly, such as paying off your balance each month and staying within your credit limit, you can avoid paying interest on cash advances, balance transfers, and other fees.
However, if you are considering opening a new credit card account with them, it might be wise to find a card with a 0 percent introductory rate for several months.
After the 0 percent period is over, you will have to pay a higher interest rate, so if you can’t afford to pay off your balance within a few months, avoid opening a new credit card account with them.
How does social responsibility come into play? Just like green credit cards offer you more points when you shop at socially responsible businesses, using your card to make purchases in foreign currency rewards you with points as well.
How to find the best green credit card for your needs
Here are some steps to take when considering a green credit card.
1. List the kinds of purchases you regularly make to find a green, environmentally friendly credit card that matches your spending habits and lifestyle.
This will be the basis for finding the best green credit cards today. For example: What type of grocery store do you shop at? Do you eat out at restaurants often? What is your income level?
2. Make a budget that outlines how much you will spend on monthly credit card purchases.
This budget can be used as a guide when comparing green, socially responsible credit cards to find the best one for your needs.
3. Decide on a credit card company and find the best green, environmentally responsible credit cards that fit your spending habits and lifestyle.
This is the hardest part: finding the best green, socially responsible credit card for your needs can be difficult if you do not know where to begin comparing different companies’ features and benefits.
Final Thoughts: Top Green, Eco-Friendly Credit Card Picks
A green credit card is a fantastic way to get started. Using a green, eco-friendly credit card is one of the most effective ways to help your favorite charity and cause. These are just a few of our current favorites among the best green credit cards on the market.
These cards let you earn points for each purchase, which you can use to get rebates or discounts on environmentally friendly products and services and to contribute directly to animal-related organizations!
Thanks to these innovative businesses and organizations, starting a business has never been easier — so why not start today?
If you know of any other credit cards you’d like to see added to the list, please contact me directly by visiting my contact form.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the benefits of using a green, eco-friendly credit card?
Benefits of using a green credit card include donating a predetermined amount of money to charity for every purchase you make, earning bonus rewards for shopping at a specific green, environmentally friendly merchant, and meeting important conservation milestones.
How can I make my purchase with green credit cards?
Generally speaking, you can purchase green credit cards from any merchant. Using a green credit card can greatly offset your carbon footprint if you drive a gas car.
Can you use green credit cards for day-to-day purchases like groceries or gas?
Yes, you can use a green credit card for day-to-day purchases. A green credit card can help offset your carbon footprint if you own a gasoline vehicle.
What percentage of each dollar spent is donated using one of these green credit cards?
The percentage of each dollar spent varies from program to program, depending on the type of card you choose. For example, green, ethically responsible credit cards average around 1%.
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