With Earth Day this week, the planet -- and your impact on it -- might be top of mind. But you may not know that you can contribute to a greener world by starting with the card you use for everyday purchases.
This story is a part of CNET Zero, a series that chronicles the impact of climate change and explores what’s being done about the problem.
Wait, what do my finances have to do with the planet? Well, the bank you use could be supporting big oil or other environmentally damaging industries. If you’re curious about where your bank stands, you can download the Banking on Climate Chaos report -- you’ll even plant a tree by downloading it!
But not all banks are doing the same. And while lowering your carbon footprint can sometimes be a thankless job, it doesn’t have to be. Enter the FutureCard Visa® Debit Card*.
You could earn an impressive cash-back rate for eco-conscious purchases. It’s also a debit card, which means you don’t have to worry about interest charges cutting into your earnings or credit card debt. You can either connect it to your bank account or fund the card via Venmo or Cash App.
- Intro Offer
-
No current offer
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- N/A
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- N/A
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 6% Earn 6% cashback on select partner brands; 5% cashback on the first $25,000 per year of purchases spent on public transport, electric charging, bikes and scooters, secondhand clothes and furniture and plant-based meat, dairy and eggs; 1% cashback on all other purchases
A greener way to earn
The FutureCard Visa Debit Card earns a wide array of rewards, ranging from 1% to 6% cash back. It features 5% cash back (on the first $25,000 spent per calendar year, then 1%) for sustainable purchases such as EV charging, public transportation, thrift stores and bike shops, and 1% for everything else. You can also earn 5% cash back for your gas and power bill.
It also earns 6% cash back with select, eco-conscious retailers including big names like Arcteryx Regear, Patagonia Worn Wear and Northface Renewed. That makes it potentially the most rewarding cash-back debit card -- provided you can shop with the brands in its rewards program.
Its static rewards are on par with some of the best cash-back credit cards and feature bonus categories that aren’t typically covered by most credit cards. Thrift stores and bike shops are two that I have yet to come across -- if those things are your hobby, this card could earn you great rewards for your green habits.
What can you do with your rewards?
You might see this high cash-back rate and think, “OK, what’s the catch?”
In some cases, cards like this make you redeem your rewards for the issuer’s own currency, which might not be worth much when you transfer to your own bank account. Some cards also only let you redeem in the issuer’s in-house shop, where your points might not be worth much.
With the FutureCard, you can redeem your rewards for cash back, which is added to your bank account. 1% cash back is equivalent to 1 cent per dollar.
You can also earn FutureCoins by completing carbon missions. FutureCoins have a starting value of $90 per coin. The more you reduce your carbon footprint, the more FutureCoins you’ll earn. You can then turn your FutureCoins into additional cash back.
Promote a better environment and pad your bank account
You’ll earn one FutureCoin for every metric ton of carbon you reduce. You can help reduce your carbon output by undertaking Future’s “missions,” which have you buy refurbished tech or shop at thrift stores, switch to an EV vehicle or swap to solar energy. Each FutureCoin you earn can be turned into more cash back.
Your funds can grow like trees
If its rewards program isn’t lucrative enough, your funds will continue to grow as they sit on your card. Your FutureCard reward balance earns a 2.72% annual percentage yield, which means you can earn passive income even if you aren’t spending anything. While that’s lower than the best savings account APYs right now, rarely any cards offer interest on your unused rewards balance.
Cards it pairs well with
No one said you only had to choose one card. While the FutureCard earns great rewards, they are pretty niche. To cover the rest of your purchases, consider a general rewards card like:
- Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: One of the best credit cards available, it earns cash rewards for your purchases, has an introductory APR to help you avoid interest charges for a time and an easy-to-earn welcome bonus. And there’s no annual fee.
- Sunrise Banks Everyday Rewards+ Card*: Earn rewards for everyday purchases like groceries, restaurants and streaming. Sunrise Banks is a Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) member -- a banking alliance working toward environmental and social change in the banking industry. You could earn rewards and support a better, greener banking future.
- Amalgamated Bank Maximum Rewards® World Mastercard®*: This card earns a flat 1.5% cash back for every purchase, has an introductory APR plus an (albeit low) welcome bonus. Amalgamated Bank also supports forest conservation, workers’ rights, voting rights, reproductive rights and climate justice.
- Intro Offer
-
No current offer
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- N/A
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 6% Earn 6% cashback on select partner brands; 5% cashback on the first $25,000 per year of purchases spent on public transport, electric charging, bikes and scooters, secondhand clothes and furniture and plant-based meat, dairy and eggs; 1% cashback on all other purchases
- Intro Offer
-
$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
2% Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
- Intro Offer
-
$150 bonus $150 bonus (15,000 points) after $500 in eligible net purchases are made within the first 90 days of account opening
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.49% to 29.49% variable
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% introductory APR for the first 6 billing cycles
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- N/A
- Rewards rate
-
1x – 4x Unlimited 4x points on dining, take-out & food delivery; Unlimited 2x points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas and electric vehicle charging stations and streaming services; Unlimited 1x points on all other eligible net purchases
The bottom line
While you may not get many shopping protections or travel perks with this card, you could earn a sizable return depending on how you spend and how you take advantage of Future’s missions.
In addition to spurring you to limit your carbon emissions, Future provides several educational resources. They cover climate action, green living and sustainable shopping and eating. The card could be another option as you do your part to help the planet.
Recommended Articles
*All information about the FutureCard Visa Debit Card, Sunrise Banks Everyday Rewards+ Card and Amalgamated Bank Maximum Rewards World Mastercard has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
