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Yes, Actually, Individual Responsibility Is Essential to Solving the Climate Crisis
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this post was submitted on 27 Sep 2024
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File under "green washing."
If a company offers a more expensive "choice" of a greener option, rather than just being ecologically responsible by default, then you are being sold a product. That is, you get to express your superior "green" ethics by identifying with your purchase.
The company doesn't actually care about the environment. They're just doing the minimum to capture extra $$$
I'm not completely sure of what point you're making. Would you buy the cheaper product even if you could afford the more expensive green one?
Because if the answer is "no", then you are still agreeing with OP; and if the answer is "yes" then you are saying you want to knowingly buy something that is harmful for the environment and encourage a company to make more of it, while deflecting responsibly and saying that corpos and govs are the ones who have to do something.
I am agreeing with op. Corpos and govs are the ones who have to do something. We individually and collectively also have to do something. Nothing changes for the better unless we have buy-in from individuals. The binary you're presenting is one I didn't intend with my comment. I was saying we should watch out for green washing, when functioning as a consumer.
That is, If you can avoid doing business with companies which are harming the environment then you should. The same goes for doing business with companies which are half-assed or insincere in their efforts (though these are naturally preferable).
So if you can't avoid a purchase, and there isn't a good choice, then obviously you should pick the most ecologically sound option available to you.
My main point is no one should feel virtuous for picking, like, "eco green Coca Cola" just because 5% of the proceeds go to saving the rainforest. They're a reprehensible company, so far better to just not fuck with Coke in the first place.
Ah, I see, I definitely agree with everything you're saying; I just got a bit confused. When you talked about "green option", I was thinking something like fast fashion vs clothes that will last, for example.
Oh I can see how the word "option" could read like that. Glad you brought it up, to give me the chance to clarify