Yesterday on Buzzfeed there was a round-up of articles about a baffling group of individuals, the “Never-Greens.” Apparently, about ten percent of Americans don’t give a rat’s ass about the environment, and they aren’t afraid to say so. These are the people who continue to buy Hummers and RVs, who refuse to recycle, and who don’t believe in (or don’t care about) global warming. Hey, Dad, you’re not alone!
Yeah, I know I should be upset about these “Never-Greens,” and I truly don’t understand how anyone could just choose to not care about conserving resources. But the Buzzfeed feature got me thinking: how many people would categorize themselves as “Greens” who also don’t really care that much about the environment? Hear me out: I’m thinking about people who get all hot-and-bothered about global warming, and then hop in their SUV to drive a quarter of a mile. I’m thinking about people who travel thousands of miles a year for their jobs, and then bitch about the food miles of the produce at Whole Foods. I’m thinking about people who are, for lack of a softer word, hypocrites.
Of course, we’re all hypocritical in many ways. I, for one, am nowhere close to perfect. Just check out the Conventional Confessions for a running list of my lapses, if you choose. Most of us are trying to reduce our consumption and maker smarter choices with our dollars, so I’m not talking about you. I am talking about those of us who don’t practice what we preach, those of us for whom comfort and ease are far greater decision-making factors than what’s best for our planet.
It’s easy to talk about being green. It’s far less easy to practice environmental awareness. I won’t lie, rinsing out containers that are bound for the recycling bin isn’t fun. Carrying our kitchen scraps out to our compost bin, which is in a yard that isn’t easily accessible from our house, is a bitch. And don’t even get me started on the effort involved in canning your own food for the winter. These things are green, for sure, but they’re not easy.
Being “green” takes more effort than being “Never-Green.” That’s why so many of us are “Sometimes-Green.” When we’re dealing with a really busy time in our lives, it’s harder to adhere to a greener lifestyle than when we have a little more breathing room in our schedules. Still, I can’t help but appreciate those who try to do what’s right, even if it’s just some of the time. There are plenty of people who talk the green talk, but hardly even make an effort towards those ideals. They happily drive their gas-guzzling trucks and sports cars, and they’ve never given a second thought to swapping out the products in their bathrooms or laundry rooms. Sure, they probably shop at Whole Foods and dine at restaurants touting their use of local produce, but beyond those highly visible efforts, there is a lot left to be desired.
And about those “Never-Greens?” Well, at least they’re honest. The reality is that if it really is only ten percent of people who don’t care about the environment, that means that ninety percent of Americans do care. Yeah, I wish that lots of those people would make more changes in their lives, but at least we’re on the right track. Everything begins with awareness, and ninety percent isn’t too bad, right?
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