Being able to worry about the future is a luxury. It may seem a strange statement to make, given the current state of the world. A recent art installation of a ‘Climate Clock' on a Manhattan skyscraper, a Doomsday style countdown on how long we have left to reduce our emissions enough to give Earth a 67% chance of staying below the 1.5°C of warming that scientists say is crucial to avoid catastrophic natural disasters like floods and wildfires states we have just over seven years. But this contemplation of an abstract and still preventable future peril will not be high on the list of priorities of those struggling to make it through each week. The move towards a more sustainable and considered way of life is necessary, yet it has a tendency to feel like quite a big commitment. The cost of saving the world is more than just financial - it takes time, energy and ambition.
Initially I had planned to write this piece on how unattainable this goal can feel to many people. When there are still millions of people around the world still struggling to put food on the table, and the coronavirus pandemic has left many jobs in jeopardy, how can we possibly worry about the next few decades when we're so busy worrying about next week? Yet our future is too important to be dismissed. We cannot keep delaying this issue, forever hoping someone else will pick up the slack and science will wave a magic wand to make it all disappear. We are told constantly we need to change, buy differently, be organic, don't eat meat, stop indulging in fast fashion. It's a lot to think about.
What is starting to happen is a seemingly idealistic yet completely consumerist attitude to helping the planet; it is not only unrealistic, it is downright unfair. The lifestyle promoted by social media misinformation and greenwashing - the belief that one ought to find a green alternative to absolutely everything - is ultimately designed to sell and not to save, whether that be the environment or your wallet. Of course being rich is no prerequisite for being socially conscious, but it may not appear that way when every other Instagram post inspires a mixture of guilt and anger at our financial inability to scrub out our carbon footprint.
Organic and vegan consumption of clothes, food and toiletries does not have to be as expensive and unobtainable as it is portrayed. An achievable way forward is a lot of people doing a lot of little, simple yet effective things - for example the 5p plastic bag charge introduced only a few years ago has saved over 15 billion plastic bags from being used. The authenticity of the message of sustainable living is what is in danger of being forgotten, as laid out by Eco Warrior Princess in this insightful piece (clink on link to find). Principally we ought to make use of what we already have, rather than buying what we don't need. We need to be aware of where products and produce come from. There is no singular right way of doing this as long as you care and understand what really needs to change here.
What actually needs to be done is a filtering out of those selling an aesthetic image for profit and a move towards a total rethink of how things can be done. It is a mindset rather than a lifestyle. Wasting money on pricey clothes that will never be worn purely because they are made from organic cotton is not helping anyone, although it might massage your conscience a little next time you go clothes shopping. You can buy that new outfit from ASOS, as long as you are going to wear it enough times to make it worth the money and energy used to create it. When it comes to the weekly food shop no one is saying a 100% plant-based strictly vegan and preservative free diet will become the new norm - but maybe you could try a few meat substitutes, or shop at a local butchers? Let's be honest, people aren't going to completely ditch habits of a lifetime in the space of a few months or even seven years, but it can be easier and more effective than many believe.
So how can we rid ourselves of the innate middle-class snobbery lurking underneath a well-intentioned initiative to save the planet? We need to be real but also optimistic; no one will bother trying if they think their efforts are already futile. There are positive changes already being implemented, as just last week Boris Johnson announced a ban on new petrol and diesel cars in the UK by 2030. Avoiding the condescension and flaunting of wealth that is in danger of defining this movement is essential, as is the fear that nothing the average person can do will make any difference. The statistic that only 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions may make us feel a little better about our own contributions, but it isn't really helpful for encouraging the rest of us to act. We can all do something, and we are allowed to feel good about protecting the environment for the ones we love - even if we all know deep down vegan cheese just isn't as good as the real thing.
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