Why eco-shaming is ridiculous
The topic of eco-shaming really gets me wound up. Not sure what eco-shaming is? I don’t blame you, I don’t even know if it’s a real term. My definition is shaming someone who is making small steps on their journey towards making their lives more sustainable and eco-friendly. For example, let’s say someone is celebrating that they remembered their KeepCup to get their morning coffee, but later on that afternoon they buy bread in a plastic bag. When someone then turns around and says, “You’re not helping the planet by buying bread in a plastic bag,” to me, that’s eco-shaming.
Yes, alright, that person making that statement may be correct, but is it really helpful? If I’m ever in that situation, I always go through the spectrum of emotions where I feel embarrassed, then upset, and feel like I’m making zero difference so I should just give up. But I don’t. Do you know why? Because it’s not individuals who should be being shamed.
We have a finite amount of convenient choices. And yes, I know convenience is also a word that some people look at as a cop out. It’s not. Businesses should be listening to, not just the demand from consumers, but the demand from the planet that we have to change our ways. They should be making the steps to ensure consumers don’t have to battle to find a cereal in a glass jar, or making it difficult to refill their laundry products instead of buying new bottles all the time.
Convenience is a huge factor when it comes to making conscious choices. Think of soft plastic recycling. Some people had started to remember to take their soft plastics to a supermarket recycling bin, but I can guarantee many others didn’t for a lack of convenience. And even then, the amount of soft plastics being recycled by the minority exceeded our ability to process it. Not convenient. In this world of busy people leading busy lives, and not having much opportunity to slow down, ensuring convenient options are also environmentally conscious is more important than ever. The development of cups as a service system Again Again is a prime example of a great step in the right direction. How many times have you rocked up to a coffee shop but realised you’ve forgotten your KeepCup? Again Again lets you borrow a reusable cup for a small fee, and then you’ll get that back when you take the cup back.
If people feel like the small steps they make in their everyday lives are making no difference at all, they’re likely to stop. If you kept getting told that what you were doing was pointless, and you weren’t trying hard enough, would you continue? I think one of the biggest things we need to remember while we’re all dealing with this climate and waste crisis is that we need to be kind. Kindness is one of the best ways to encourage people to keep chipping away at making small changes that can make a big difference. Just do your best, and encourage companies to do the same.