It’s so interesting that convenience is always the thing that we are trading when we make a more green consumer decision. Quietly, convenience and efficiency have become core social values. Thank you for helping me see through that erroneous value expectation.
I'm happy to hear this post helped with that insight. I think a lot about the concept of efficiency and hasn't realized how much it was a part of this story.
I don't think there's any such thing as green consumerism. Consumerism means endlessly wanting more - changing which particular resources we're drawing on endlessly doesn't change the fundamental problem.
Reduce, reuse, recycle. Everyone focuses on the "recycle" so they can keep their consumerism going. But reducing and reusing are more effective. Recycling takes energy which must come from somewhere, some of the materials are lost in the process, and usually it's downcycled rather than recycled. I try instead to focus on the reducing and reusing.
Hold onto your phone, house, car or whatever for as long as possible. When you get another, get a secondhand and refurbished one.
Overall I agree with what you're saying. There's too much focus placed on recycling over reducing and reusing. I wouldn't have been interested in the Fairphone if it's only selling point was being made of recycled material. It interested me because it's designed to last.
The point I was making with "green consumerism" is that it will never be enough to solve the different environmental crises facing the world, but I also see a place for the creation of goods that are designed to be sustainable. But I certainly don't promote endless consumerism.
It’s so interesting that convenience is always the thing that we are trading when we make a more green consumer decision. Quietly, convenience and efficiency have become core social values. Thank you for helping me see through that erroneous value expectation.
I'm happy to hear this post helped with that insight. I think a lot about the concept of efficiency and hasn't realized how much it was a part of this story.
I don't think there's any such thing as green consumerism. Consumerism means endlessly wanting more - changing which particular resources we're drawing on endlessly doesn't change the fundamental problem.
Reduce, reuse, recycle. Everyone focuses on the "recycle" so they can keep their consumerism going. But reducing and reusing are more effective. Recycling takes energy which must come from somewhere, some of the materials are lost in the process, and usually it's downcycled rather than recycled. I try instead to focus on the reducing and reusing.
Hold onto your phone, house, car or whatever for as long as possible. When you get another, get a secondhand and refurbished one.
Overall I agree with what you're saying. There's too much focus placed on recycling over reducing and reusing. I wouldn't have been interested in the Fairphone if it's only selling point was being made of recycled material. It interested me because it's designed to last.
The point I was making with "green consumerism" is that it will never be enough to solve the different environmental crises facing the world, but I also see a place for the creation of goods that are designed to be sustainable. But I certainly don't promote endless consumerism.