Green Consumption - Redemption Time

So is green consumerism all bad?

I think it would be a bit extreme to say yes to that question. In fact, according to Williams (2007) large environmental groups such as Greenpeace are in favour of green consumerism. This is because for many years before eco-friendly living became popular, most people had ignored the "Carter-era environmental message of sacrifice" (Willaims, 2007). Now that the environment is in the spotlight, many NGOs see this as an opportunity to get the masses to be involved in environmental issues. 

Interestingly, a market research conducted on shoppers at a store in the USA revealed this: people knew that their choice to purchase eco-friendly products were not going to reverse climate change (Williams, 2007). However, the interviewees shared that they did it as a "practice of mindfulness" (Williams, 2007). They saw it as a start to further action on the issue. 

Green consumerism is not bad on its own. The problem arises when people see it as the be-all-end-all solution to climate change. While green consumerism makes us rethink our consumption patterns, it does not on its own, address larger issues of over-consumption. As discussed in the previous post, green consumerism may propel people to think it is okay to consume at current rates or higher, as long as they purchase "green" products. Concerns over "greenwashing" have also been raised, which is another major issue I will discuss subsequently. 

The significance of green consumerism, however, lies in its ability to reach out to the masses. It shows consumers that they can be part of the change towards a more sustainable world, that tackling climate change is not a distant problem dealt with by states and gargantuan organisations. It puts the problem of climate change right in our faces, in the clothes we wear and the food we eat. It is based on the idea that consumers have the power to make a change through their choices, because at the end of the day industries respond to this demand.

Granted, buying that $245 organic cotton Levi's isn't going to bring us out of climate change and other problems of environmental degradation, but it is a positive first step. Instead of sitting around talking about climate change and waiting for "the gah-men (government)" to do something about it, we can all make a change in our small little ways. Because honestly, how many of us can even say we consumed a shred of organic veggie in the last one year?

References:

  Williams, A. (2007, July 1). Buying into the green movement. The New York Times. Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/fashion/01green.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&