Are your sustainable lifestyle changes making as much of a difference as you think they are? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post

Are your sustainable lifestyle changes making as much of a difference as you think they are?

The idea of the "personal carbon footprint" is distracting us from the real issue: corporate emissions

85
Are your sustainable lifestyle changes making as much of a difference as you think they are?

In recent years, it has become almost trendy to live more sustainably by doing things like shopping at farmer's markets, bringing your own bags to the grocery store, or buying a set of reusable straws. As much as I believe that being eco-friendly is a great trend and everyone should try to reduce, reuse, and recycle, it's easy to forget that there is a bigger (global) picture that we need to focus on as well.

These fairly simple actions make us feel like we're doing our part in reducing our personal environmental impact, but we need to be constantly re-evaluating how much of a difference we're really making.

To preface, I use a bamboo toothbrush and avoid straws and preach good recycling habits because it makes me feel like I'm at least trying to reduce my own carbon footprint. I think every person on this planet has the ability to positively (and negatively) impact the environment because I don't think we'll be able to solve climate change related issues until we unite as a global community with a common goal.

Lately however, I've been thinking about how much of a difference my actions are really making because I'm just one person in a world of 7 billion. Now this isn't to say that you should stop trying to practice sustainable habits, if anything you're setting an example for what more people should be doing.

The problem here lies in the fact that focusing too much on our small actions is distracting us from the real climate change culprits: corporations.

The top 20 largest global oil companies are responsible for 35% of the world's emissions. Think about that... 20 corporations, aka 20 CEOs, are responsible for 1/3 of the greenhouse gases that are destroying the planet. These 20 CEOs, 20 individuals, have more power to reduce emissions than billions of other people combined.

These numbers don't even include emissions from factory farms, global meat producers, or the fashion industry (the other businesses responsible for our planet's downfall).

And yet we are made to feel that saving the planet is dependent on our small lifestyle changes.

As consumers, we are constantly subjected to commercials and ads that promote the "green" options: products that might literally be in green-colored packaging, have a leaf on them, claim to be compostable, or to use sustainable materials without giving any evidence as to how they are environmentally friendly. This marketing concept deployed by corporations, also known as greenwashing, leads us to think that we are making a smart environmental decision by choosing their product when the reality is that we could be choosing to use altogether different products that are actually sustainable and not just made to look like it.

Take paper towels as an example. We might see ads for paper towels that are biodegradable or made from recycled materials which, to someone trying to live sustainably, seems like a pretty tempting purchase. What we don't see in that ad is the idea that we could instead start using dish towels, rags, or sponges to clean up our messes and ditch paper towels entirely!

Corporations want us to buy into the idea that choosing their products and continuing to shop at their stores will help us live more eco-friendly lives in order to hide the fact that they are the ones causing the most damage to our planet. The rich and powerful people in charge of these corporations need to be held responsible for their decision to continuously put money before human and natural life.

Consider this your reminder not to lose sight of the bigger picture, educate yourself on corporate practices, and get creative with sustainable alternatives.

Keep shopping local, recycle your plastics, turn the sink off when you're brushing your teeth, but more importantly, advocate for environmental policy changes, vote for representatives who have green interests, boycott corporations (if you can), and remember that we all have power as people, as activists, and as consumers.


To learn more about the harmful effects that corporations (and capitalism) have on the earth, consider reading/watching:

  1. The Corporation (documentary)
  2. Minimalism (documentary)
  3. Cowspiracy (documentary)
  4. A Foodie's Guide to Capitalism by Judy Guthman
  5. The World According to Monsanto by Marie-Monique Robin
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Gilmore Girls
Hypable

In honor of Mother’s Day, I have been thinking of all the things my mom does for my family and me. Although I couldn’t write nearly all of them, here are a few things that moms do for us.

They find that shirt that’s right in front of you, but just you can’t seem to find.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons To Thank Your Best Friend

Take the time to thank that one friend in your life you will never let go of.

2058
Thank You on wooden blocks

1. Thank you for being the one I can always count on to be honest.

A true friend will tell you if the shirt is ugly, or at least ask to borrow it and "accidentally" burn it.

2. Thank you for accepting me for who I am.

A best friend will love you regardless of the stale french fries you left on the floor of your car, or when you had lice in 8th grade and no one wanted to talk to you.

Keep Reading...Show less
sick student
StableDiffusion

Everybody gets sick once in a while, but getting sick while in college is the absolute worst. You're away from home and your mom who can take care of you and all you really want to do is just be in your own bed. You feel like you will have never-ending classwork to catch up on if you miss class, so you end up going sick and then it just takes longer to get better. Being sick in college is really tough and definitely not a fun experience. Here are the 15 stages that everyone ends up going through when they are sick at college.

Keep Reading...Show less
kid
Janko Ferlic
Do as I say, not as I do.

Your eyes widen in horror as you stare at your phone. Beads of sweat begin to saturate your palm as your fingers tremble in fear. The illuminated screen reads, "Missed Call: Mom."

Growing up with strict parents, you learn that a few things go unsaid. Manners are everything. Never talk back. Do as you're told without question. Most importantly, you develop a system and catch on to these quirks that strict parents have so that you can play their game and do what you want.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
tv.com

"Friends" maybe didn’t have everything right or realistic all the time, but they did have enough episodes to create countless reaction GIFs and enough awesomeness to create, well, the legacy they did. Something else that is timeless, a little rough, but memorable? Living away from the comforts of home. Whether you have an apartment, a dorm, your first house, or some sort of residence that is not the house you grew up in, I’m sure you can relate to most of these!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments