Before you read any further, please know that I'm not trying to make any enemies via the perspective I'm about to share. I don't think that I've earned a higher spot on the greenie scale of goodness just because I stick to my eco-guns whenever possible. People near and far are entitled to follow whatever causes resonate with them the most, and for me, going green makes perfect sense, but I'd imagine that for many others, the movement evokes simultaneous eye-rolling and general annoyance. Fair enough...I'm aware of the negative connotations, but we're not all tofu-lovin', razor-hating, packrat-embracing, development-protesting extremists. There are as many shades of greenies as there are varieties of Celestial Seasonings tea, and in all seriousness, that's a LOT of types.
Perhaps I care just a bit too much, but I want to believe that within every one of us, there exists the desire to spread goodness in our wake. I think that we're all here for a reason, and hopefully, as we navigate our pathways (while still having a little fun along the way), all of us attempt in one way or another to fulfill purposeful goals that make a positive impact on the world. Happy little rainbows and dreamy cotton candy clouds aside, I've noticed that in my 7 1/2 years of living a greener, more responsible lifestyle, the reality is that far too many people out there just plain suck. That's right. I've been trying to comprehend for years why people continue to live as though the world is their personal dumping ground, and the only way that I've been partially able to understand the motivation is to step inside my own imagination and become a non-greenie for a few moments in time. These are just a few of the reasons that I've come up with why going green is not embraced across the line:
1) I'm sick of advertisers and people preaching to me about going green. It's not for me, so stop bugging me. I never liked when my mother reminded me why I should do something, and trust me, I feel the same way now that I'm an adult. If I wanna do it, I'll do it, but I don't need anyone constantly hounding me about saving the environment.
2) Why should I change my life? I'm happy with it just the way that it is! I work hard to pay my bills and put food on the table, so when I'm lucky enough to scrape a little extra together at the end of the week, no lecture on consumerism is going to stop me. I deserve every trip to the mall that I can get, and life's too short to pass on the latest flat screen or mobile gadget. I like my stuff -- why should I buy someone else's hand me downs when there's a store on every corner where I can buy what I want brand new?
3) My schedule is too hectic to worry about recycling or carrying reusable bags. I have nothing against other people who take the time -- good for them -- but personally, I just don't have the patience. Friends have told me that it's quick and easy, but frankly, I have so many other things going on in my life that require my focus.
4) I'm not going to be around in 100 years, so why should I bother making lifestyle changes today? I've heard all the arguments about helping future generations and global warming and polar bear extinctions, but I'm not convinced that going meatless once a week and biking to work is really going to make a difference. The issues we're dealing with today were created by someone else, not me.
5) There's no such thing as global warming -- this whole going green thing is a sham. This is the latest greatest consumer marketing ploy to get sheep-like consumers to buy more stuff. In fact, I'm so opposed to going green that I purposely buy items that are conventional rather than made with all of these new-fangled green materials. I have a right to drive my Suburban whenever and wherever I want, and I don't appreciate anyone suggesting that I should sweat my @ss off in the heat of the summer or compost my flipping leftovers -- I don't do leftovers, thank you very much.
6) I'm not a tree hugger or a greenie or whatever you wanna call 'em. I don't plan on ever eating granola or Tofurkey and I like my twice-daily showers far too much to ever cut back. I'm just a normal person who appreciates living in a civilized world. I refuse to revert back to caveman status and let my "yellow mellow" -- I don't even understand the point in doing that now that we have perfectly working plumbing systems!
7) I don't really care so much about saving the world. I'm just one person. I'm single, I don't plan on ever having kids, and my main goal in life is to just make money and have fun. Plus, going green is for smelly dreadlocked vegetarians. The "Beef, It's What's For Dinner" catchphrase is my personal motto. I just want to be left alone to do my own thing.
8) I've thought about it, but haven't actually gotten around to making any lifestyle changes. I'm not opposed to it and I'm kind of glad that so many other people are doing it, but it's kind of low on my list of priorities. Maybe someday I'll get around to making greener changes in my life...I think I could get with the plan if I just set my mind to it.
9) The green movement is code for "being frugal" and I don't want anyone thinking that I can't afford to live a normal life. Green people save everything humanly possible just in case they can use it on a rainy day -- their bottles, cans, bread crusts, used ziptop bags, bacon fat, holy socks, you name it -- and the last thing I need is my friends thinking that I'm like a granny. Everytime I go to my green friends' houses, it looks like a flippin' craptastic flea market of junk everywhere. They even save their pet's hair to donate to the forest animals! Seriously, that is screwed up.
10) I've never really taken the time to understand why my involvement in the green movement can make a difference. In all honesty, I just don't understand the basic concepts of global warming, carbon footprint, and so many others... I realize that this going green trend has been happening for a few years now -- I'm just a little embarassed because I wasn't paying attention in class, and now it's a little too late for me to catch up.
If you're wondering what I learned from this exercise, I think that it helped me to recognize that people are people...and they are far more complex than we often recognize. There are so many underlying shades of meaning that can be inferred from overt actions. We can observe people throwing recyclable objects away and think that they have little regard for the fate of our planet, and yet that would be unfair. In some cases, while it may be true, for the most part, I think that people are inherently good. Education is probably the singlemost valuable asset we have that can help us to convert the concept of going green into a widespread household habit. Hey, bottled water certainly didn't catch on overnight...of course, that's certainly a screwy example, but I'm sure you get my point. Would greenies and mainstreamers alike kindly help to flesh out this discussion? Surely there are a few motivations I've missed? As always, I am more than happy to hear your perspective on this topic.
Mark Butkus
said on July 27, 2009
jen w
said on July 27, 2009
We voluntarily put ourselves at risk of getting lung cancer from the cigarettes and cigars we inhale. There are risks associated with long-term use of permanent hair dye. Overexposure to the sun. If we exercise our right of choice when deciding what it is we put into our bodies or put in our lungs, and properly maintaining our health is not a consideration, how are we able to consider the well being of the planet when faced with environmental topics such as global warming?
susrith iyer
said on July 27, 2009
Marita Prandoni
said on July 27, 2009
http://www.ecohearth.com/eco-blogs/eco-parenting/766-no-mama-is-an-island.html
Surinder Saini
said on July 28, 2009
Justine Burt
said on July 28, 2009
Surinder Saini
said on July 28, 2009
Elizah Leigh
said on July 28, 2009
Alex J
said on July 28, 2009
Along with those trapped in denial, mindless expenditure, keeping up appearances, or even pure selfishness, there are those who simply don't get it. They're generally not stupid - just the victims of a largely scientifically illiterate culture and a degraded mass media. But perhaps if more people are taking prudent steps to protect their health from things like tobacco, there's still some hope on other issues too.
Linda David
said on July 30, 2009
Theresa Hall
said on July 30, 2009
Susan Green
said on July 31, 2009
Leslie C.
said on August 13, 2009
My sis recently adopted a daughter and so I've been sharing with her articles I come across on issues related to chemical exposure to kids - use of plastics, nonorganic fruits and veggies. But as a single mom, it does come down to time and money, which she doesn't have a lot of. And I do get that, although I would never give kids nonorganic produce, I can see where she looks at prices of green items and how expensive they are and decides not to buy them.
I experience the same thing myself. There are certain things I always buy organic due to high pesticide content, but other times the price is three times as much as nonorganic and as a single woman myself trying to adopt, I have my financial limits of what I can afford.
I wish being green were cheaper as far as groceries/necessities are concerned. I do the best I can on my budget, but wish I could do more. I live very greenly, compost, etc., but things I'd like to have done to my house that would make it greener I just can't afford.