By Victoria Durgin, Digital Media Editor
I am passionate about sustain- ability, but unfortunately, I am also priced out of a portion of the ‘trendy’ pitch to save the planet.
There are absolutely cost-efficient ways to clean up the planet, but they are usually not the ones many environmentalists end up talking about. Instead we hear constantly that we should eliminate all plastics from our lives, shop only at local, organic farms and exclusively support brands that source sustainably, are fair trade and the list goes on and on.
It is simply unrealistic to completely avoid the environmentally degrading economic and consumer systems we have built around the world. Everything you touch either directly or indirectly supports the systems and saying that your lifestyle does not harm the environment is likely just untrue.
The companies that do offer more sustainable and ethical goods typically cost more than the products we are used to purchasing. I have seen articles r cently about companies like Patagonia who have committed to using recycled materials and curbing their emissions.
I would love to support companies like this who share my view of what the global economy could be: something that does not continue to depend on un- ethical production processes.
Some may argue that my price point is my issue and there is no reason for sustainable companies to try to bend to fit my needs. Or they may say that there is still good reason for those who can afford to support these companies to do so.
Neither of these points are wrong in any way. The real problem is that public voices tend to push these alternatives as the decisions that all people need to take immediately and consistently in order for the planet to have a chance at survival.
This messaging is way too exclusionary. There is no reason for anyone to feel too poor to help the planet. It is ridiculous that we would shame people who are already struggling and further the class differences in this country by promoting expensive products as the solution to complex problems.
Further, wealthier people are already probably exacerbating the problems: they likely own large houses with high energy bills, drive the gas- guzzling cars and take the expensive trips on planes and jets.
Poor people feel the effects of climate change the harshest and yet are continuously being told they need to change their habits but can- not because the “good” companies are out of their price range.
You can help x the planet even without a Patagonia jacket, and you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of if you think you don’t have the money to help fix climate change.
