I have been hearing a lot of criticism from environmentalists about the problem of green consumerism. Many environmentalists believe that the onslaught of green products and gadgets is hypocritical and contradictory. If we truly want to be green then we should be reducing the amount of “stuff” in our lives and not adding to it with all these cool products that claim to be green. They may be green but that is not the point…we don’t need them…and buying stuff we don’t need is not green. Do I have that right?
Well, it is certainly true that we need to reduce our overall consumption. That applies to energy, products, food, etc. Living in this age of modern convenience has turned many of us into big time consumers. At this point in time though we are often buying the “wrong” things…things that are unhealthy for us and for our planet. But lately we have seen a very large movement in another direction…a move towards buying more of the “right” things. And I refuse to turn this into a negative just because we haven’t quite learned that we don’t NEED these things in the first place. Be that as it may it is STILL a positive!
I know that consumerism is a problem but come on now! I actually read an article recently about an environmentalist and the article harped on the fact that he had an MP3 player…as if that purchase defined him as a person and as a pseudo-green person at that. Another article belittled a man that lived a pretty natural lifestyle but he still liked to ride a motorbike on weekends and therefore he was not credible anymore. I get angry when I see these articles.
The fact is that many people have no desire to go live off the grid and drastically change their lives for ANY reason. But they are usually more willing to make small changes. Instead they may choose to reduce a little, recycle as much as they can, reuse a lot, and continue to buy the products they love…but they want greener options for those beloved products. And we want to crucify them for that? No….I won’t do it. Progress is progress!
By now I am sure we are all familiar with the fact that Wal-Mart now sells organic foods, products, and even clothing. I have many reasons for thinking that this development is not such a good thing but it still demonstrates something important. Why did Wal-Mart decide to start selling organics? I can think of two possibilities.
1. Wal-Mart saw a loss in overall profits due to the surge of organic consumers….
OR
2. Wal-Mart saw that their profits may begin to fall if they did not find a way to cash in on this new market.
Whatever option you choose we are left with one fact. Organic consumers changed the way a major company did business…and the same thing can be said of “green” consumers. By voting with our dollars for products that are environmentally sound we are making those products more mainstream and we are telling the companies that make these products that the old versions are no longer what we need and want.
So while I can see that our consumption needs to go down I think that changing the range and availability of green products is equally important. Wouldn’t it be great if someday our children didn’t have to choose between toxic and cheap deodorant and the more expensive but safe deodorant like we do today? We CAN change the products companies are producing because they follow the money…they follow our money. Why not have them follow our money to “greener” pastures?
I think they have a point about buying useless stuff. But I also think that if people buy green, we’re better off. It opens the green door to those who might not have changed at all. That’s a good thing. It’s what got me into the green movement initially. However, watch yourself at Walmart. There’s a difference between organic and natural, and Walmart has been blasted in the past for mislabeling items.
I have had this same thought myself Tiffany. We first have to think of the reuse, reduce aspect. If my 10 year old flannel sheets are working just fine, I would do better to keep using them rather than buy new organic sheets. Of course, for my next set, I’m glad I know where to get organic, and that they’re available!
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Or Walmart wants to give the impression of being enviro-friendly, so begins to sell organic produce?
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I agree, we consume too much but we should buy greener, whatever it is we’re buying just as much as we should consume less.
You’re absolutely right. It’s a balance. If you’re going to buy, buy green, but think about reusing or repurposing first. Unfortunately, people don’t like to report on balance. They like to tip the scales. It makes for better headlines. But going green isn’t all or nothing, and when it’s reported that way, it scares people off or makes them feel that what they do isn’t important if they don’t go whole hog. Little steps can make a difference. Thank you for talking about the balance. Great post!
I agree that our high rates of consumerism are not likely to decline anytime soon, but by replacing the things we regularly purchase with more eco friendly alternatives, we are taking small steps in a good direction. “Organic” has become a bankable trend these days, and with an established “Whole Foods market” already established and willing to pay the price for organic and sustainable products, Wal-Mart was smart to join in. We can only hope that other retailers will make the choice to offer green products.
Great post.
Overall, it is a big marketing gimmick for most companies. But it still makes my life easier if I can find organic alternatives at my regular grocery store. Also it is more affordable to live “green” if mainstream companies are willing to put the products out there. I believe in voting with my dollar.
One glaring flaw with the critics arguments is that the kind of people that are the most wasteful consumers are generally not going to give two hoots if something is green or not. They are not going to seek out healther (more expensive) alternatives if they can go to the dollar store and get mass quantities of stuff. More is more to that kind of consumer.
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I feel that many of these environmentalist fanatics that go overboard don’t have an understanding of economics and profitable business etc.
Yes, I’m not a fan of consumerism, but I am also not a fan of living in the middle ages. We have technology and products available to us; all that needs to happen is the products and things we use need to go green. Yes, we should buy less, and be frugal with our money… but if things were OK, I would have no problem with a guy who rides motorbikes on the weekends or still enjoys cars. MODERATION is the key here, and trying to make sure your EVERYDAY activities and products are environmentally friendly.
This reminds me of a famous shopping mall here in our place. In order to contribute to the 3R’s campaign of the local government, the mall encourages people to buy this green bag when they go shopping. The bag may be used and re-used every time a person goes shopping. In return, whoever uses this bag every time he or she goes shopping a certain amount of rebate is rewarded to the shopper.