Like many I am frustrated. I keep hearing people profess to want to clean up the environment, save wildlife, reduce toxins in food and water yet there is little evidence in everyday life. Take plastic bags for instance. My guesstimate is less than 20% regularly use totes and some of those using totes are buying cases of bottled water. WTF! You can now buy some BPA free plastic containers but because they cost $0.15 more sales are minimal. All of this insane plastic usage continues despite graphic reminders of the ocean gyres, wildlife killed and poisoned and the reports on chemicals breaking down in our drinking water.
Many great green companies are struggling to keep their doors open even with competitive pricing, hands on customer service and sharing on social media. Some are even more economical than traditional products yet they are disappearing (not in a good way) from store shelves. Surveyed local stores here and you can no longer buy recycled paper towels, napkins or coffee filters. Some may say this is great people are using cloth but that is not the case they are buying bleached paper from those with heavy advertising budgets.
Food, people are complaining about skyrocketing cost of food while they fill their carts with food imported from across the world. I realize not everyone can grow some of their own food but they can buy local and seasonal. Every fast food place in this town has lines at the drive through, not cheap and not healthy. Rather than buy organic healthy fruits and veggies people are spending 2 or 3 times as much to eat fat and chemicals! Don’t ya know Big Pharma loves this so they can sell more drugs like Lipitor.
My friend Nancy and her daughter Jess founded and run Earth Safe Finishes the only company I know of with a range of no BPA, no Voc products that work. Over the years I have worked with and for a number of major paint companies so I know about product performance and these surpass any others I have ever used. I’ve read testimonials from ESF consumers that have had serious health issues; multiple chemical sensitivities, cancer, asthma and other serious conditions where ESF products have helped them enormously. Some are artist who can create again others have coated over, sealed items in their homes to stop their suffering. So why haven’t sales skyrocketed? Right now ESF is in a few independent retail outlets and sells primarily online. http://earthsafefinishes.com/ I am guessing that people either don’t know there is a choice to safely paint, dye or varnish or would rather buy the toxins from their local hardware and craft stores.
Actually I am frustrated and ticked off. Are people too lazy or too cynical to practice what they preach? If it’s just going to be all talk why bother?
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I understand your frustration. As a tote carrying, 5 gallon jug refilling, composting, veggie growing, local organic CSA supporting, hydroelectric buying, sustainable septic using, waste biodiesel running, home based business with hopes to go off the grid and keep chickens... I strive to incorporate more all the time!
ReplyDeleteWe plant sustainable gardens for a living in hopes to "bring people around" to a different way of thinking about nature and how each person needs to do their part to close any gaps they can in this circle of life. Cradle to cradle my friends!
Hi Barbara,
ReplyDeleteI echo your sentiments, it can be very frustrating to hear people talk the talk and then see that they don't walk the walk.
Our family is trying to go without plastic bottles or bags this year and it amazes me how few people take re-usable canvas bags to the grocery store.
I always take mine and it feels great to use less plastic, our local Target store even gives a discount for using the canvas totes.
Thanks for the article,
Martin
http://www.oureverydayearth.com
Hi Barbara, I understand your sentiments. It's a big problem - greenwashing and not walking the talk. Unfortunately, I think people have to see it as socially 'normal' rather than being 'conscious' in any way to really remember their reusable bags and water bottles every time. Maybe we can teach people personal responsibility and interconnectedness?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thought-provoking article! Happy Holidays!
http://www.upcycledlove.com
Wow! Fantastic post! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt's a TREEtastic Post! Keep going and keep growing!
ReplyDeleteNAMASTé!
Stefan
http://twitter.com/MyTreeTV
I totally agree with you, but also i was thinking that we really need to involved ourselves in the green concept. I just see people not taking care about themselves so imagine when it comes to the environment.
ReplyDeleteOur children need to know that we can´t consume and consume all the time, we need to create our own habits in order to recycle and take care our community.