As an environmental educator for the past 7 years, I’ve heard a variety of reasons why “going green”, or eco-conscious living is both annoying and intimidating to people. To be honest, most of these points are totally understandable. Living an eco-conscious lifestyle can be radically different than the current lifestyle you’re used to.
If we haven’t “met” before, welcome to my blog! I’m an eco-conscious working mom! I blog about eco-conscious living, motherhood, and working mom life. I love to share tips on how to make eco-conscious living practical, even for busy families. Most importantly, I want people to learn tips that can benefit them and their children to help our planet be sustainable for the future.
I am not a zero-waste blogger or a minimalist, although I respect both of these lifestyle choices and incorporate their practices when applicable to my life. I focus on educating and providing practical tips so YOU can decide what works best for your lifestyle.
The purpose of this article is to remain transparent and confess that being eco-friendly is not always easy. In fact, “going green” can be both annoying and intimidating.
I hope you enjoy this blog post all about reasons people may reject going green
Here are some statements people have given me as to why they reject going green:
“Eco-friendly products are too expensive.”
“I’m not ready to give up my life.”
“I’m too busy for that.”
“It’s too much work.”
“I don’t know where to start.”
Do any of these sound familiar to you?
Most of these statements are incredibly valid. It highlights some of the major problems with the sustainability movement but also gives some insight on what must be done to move forward.
Disclaimer: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you choose to take action (and I hope you do!), I will earn a commission. I have chosen these products because they are awesome and helpful, not because of the small commission I will receive. Thank you!
Happy reading, Momma! XO.
Top reasons you may reject eco-conscious living … and how to overcome it
Reason Number 1: It requires research
Oh, research! This extra step requires you to pause, read the label, contemplate your purchases, and perhaps even Google what you’re reading to truly understand what you’re about to buy.
Most of us don’t have time to constantly be researching our items before purchasing. We’re on a tight time schedule and we need what we need. I find research most difficult when online shopping. I cannot count the number of times I’ve purchased something from Amazon thinking it was eco-friendly only to find it was actually made from plastic or packaged in so much plastic, I feel like my purchase was almost counterproductive.
How to overcome it
Here’s the thing: “education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela. This is one of my favorite quotes. It is suitable for many life situations, but especially when we’re talking about eco-conscious living. In order to truly change the world, we have to take a moment to research and learn to understand what we’re investing our dollars in.
In truth, companies look to us for what they need to continue making. We make our demands with our dollars. If we change what we demand, we have the power to change what companies are making. How do we know what we should change? Research. What is truly in the food you’re eating? Should you really warm that up in a plastic container? Is bottled water really better than tap water? What happens to your trash after your garbage is picked up?
Once we begin to ask ourselves these questions and research the answer, we will find that there are probably better solutions out there for us.
When researching, take it slow! Here are a few books I’d suggest starting with. You can purchase the hard copy, listen on Audible, or try your local library/book exchange.
The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide
Reason Number 2: It takes you out of your comfort zone
Whenever I share a new book I’ve read or a documentary I’ve watched with my mom, she listens intensely, asks great follow-up questions, and then replies “I’m not there yet!”. I always laugh at her response because I feel like she is of the same mindset as most people – just not there yet.
Our world is busy and fast so convenience not only helps to maintain our lifestyle but it feels necessary. We don’t have time to remember our reusable bags, we’re too busy to think about what happened to those balloons we released at the birthday party, if we put the wrong thing in the recycling bin they will figure it out. I was in this same exact space not too long ago. In truth, it is our responsibility to do better once we know better.
How to overcome it
Suggestion 1: Only change what you can – nothing more. Once you get incredibly good at that, then add on something else.
Suggestion 2: Participate in a challenge. There are hundreds of challenges out there to help you kickstart your eco-conscious journey. Try a no-spend challenge, a minimalism challenge, a thrifting challenge, or even a food waste challenge
Suggestion 3: Conduct a waste audit. See what you’re really throwing away and analyze how you can reduce, reuse or recycle before throwing items away.
Reason Number 3: Some level of creativity is required
Little did I know, being more eco-conscious requires creativity! Conjuring up ways to reuse items or do without certain items is the opposite of convenience. In fact, it can be quite time-consuming! Learning how to up-cycle old items, or searching through second-hand items at the thrift store for “gems” is not as easy as the conventional as we’re used to.
How to overcome it:
Use Pinterest! Pinterest is an incredible space for inspiration, motivation, and creative ideas. If you don’t already, join Pinterest. While you’re there, don’t forget to follow me!
Reason Number 4: You think it’s all or nothing
For years I’ve hesitated to share my knowledge about eco-conscious living for fear of being labeled as “not green enough”. What I’ve come to realize is this is exactly what we need! The world needs millions of not green enough people. One of my favorite quotes from Anne-Marie Bonnea, Zero Waste Chef
We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.
For whatever reason, there is pressure for perfectionism within the eco-conscious world. It is not enough to try or do something, but instead, we must do everything or we’re not really doing enough.
How to overcome it:
Making small, consistent, environmentally-friendly choices is the best thing you can do for your health and the health of the planet.
Find what works for you! Consider what you’re passionate about changing or being better at. Is it reducing plastic waste? Perhaps you want to start swapping out products for eco-friendly alternatives? You could start by involving your children in making more eco-conscious choices. Maybe you just want to plant a garden and start a small compost.
The first eco-conscious living change I made was to my diet by becoming a flexitarian. Next, I gave up paper towels and disposable dinnerware. From there I’ve continued to build and make switches over the years. As I’ve said before I’m not perfect and that is perfectly okay!
Reason Number 5: You’re listening to what others are saying
Closely related to reason number 5, listening to what others are saying can be incredibly demotivating and intimidating. For one, it can make things more confusing. One person is advising you about how to be more eco-friendly and another person is giving the exact opposite advice.
In addition, some people may not understand your decision to live more eco-consciously. I’ve had people make fun of me or mock me for some of my lifestyle choices.
How to overcome it:
For unsolicited or conflicting advice, combat it with research. I remember having a conversation with a person who works in the waste management industry. He insisted that incinerating trash was just as good, if not better than recycling. According to the EPA sustainable materials management, however, reducing, reusing, and recycling is most preferred over incineration and landfilling.
Overcoming people who ridicule, question, or mock your eco-conscious decisions may be a bit more difficult. For me, gaining more confidence in myself and overcoming imposter syndrome were key.
Reason Number 6: Information overload
There is so much information out there. Books, magazines, blogs, articles, TV shows, YouTube videos, Instagram posts, Facebook groups – you name it -it’s out there. Mixed in with all these sources of information is usually the idea that you need to make a change and make it right now or the planet will die.
Personally, I don’t agree with this approach, but it is very common and can be one of the reasons people reject eco-conscious living. In addition, some of the information is conflicting and confusing. You’re left wondering, what do I do and where do I start.
How to overcome it:
Find one source of information that delivers information in the way you receive it. Whether that’s a blog, a video, social media, a book, or any of the other sources I mentioned above.
Once you begin to understand the information and incorporate the tips from that person, find another. Over time, you’ll start noticing some overlap. If multiple people (with scientific evidence and proof) are telling you the same thing over and over, it may be easier to feel less overwhelmed and more informed. The books I referenced aboe are great places to start. And of course – my blog!
Reason Number 7: Inaccessibility
It is important to remember that everyone does not have as much access to eco-friendly living opportunities.
Many people are limited by time, knowledge, money, location, and more immediate life concerns.
Examples of inaccessibility: food deserts, price of sustainable fashion versus fast fashion, and inconsistent environmental regulations for factories and farms near communities – especially communities of color.
Most often people may care about the environment, but feel limited in the changes they can make based on their access.
How to overcome it:
While some acts of environmental justice cannot be fixed immediately, some personal changes can be made for those who seek to make eco-conscious changes in their life with little access.
- Research local farmer’s markets, thrift stores, and other local places in your area. Shopping locally has an incredibly positive impact on the environment and is often much cheaper than store-bought items.
- Reuse items at home. Use items like old yogurt containers, empty sauce jars, and butter containers as Tupperware instead of buying new ones. Try reusing old towels/rags instead of buying paper towels.
- Make what you can at home. Making food at home is also a brilliant way to practice eco-conscious living. Cooking at home is usually better for your health, helps the planet, and is less expensive. Just don’t forget to eat those leftovers to cut down on food waste!
Reason Number 8: You’ll have to rethink parts of your lifestyle
Fact: people reject change. So it should be no surprise that people reject eco-conscious living! Beginning an eco-conscious requires you to rethink parts of your lifestyle. Most times it also requires switching out some conveniences for more natural and sustainable alternatives.
How to overcome it
The way to overcome the rejection (or fear!) of change is to gain an understanding of the change and start to incorporate it slowly. I talk about this more here!
Reason Number 9: Kids
I recently watched the documentary Minimalism on Netflix. The documentary had great takeaways and incredible, eye-opening information. At the end of the movie, however, I turned to my husband and asked “did any of them have young kids?”
Kids, our wonderful bundles of joy, can complicate things. Kids require THINGS. Living an eco-conscious lifestyle with kids can be overwhelming and intimidating. Finding eco-friendly products for them can require a lot of research and are generally more expensive. In addition, being a parent contributes to the busyness we all experience in life. Due to this, purchasing more convenient items without considering the environmental impact can be common.
How to overcome it
Tip 1: only buy what you and your kids need
Tip 2: shop second hand (and do clothing swaps with friends!) instead of buying new clothing
Tip 3: Choose bamboo, silicone, stainless steel, and glass materials for you child when you can
Tip 4: Limit single-use items such as snacks and make as much of it homemade as possible
Reason Number 10: The perfection complex
Personally, this is a big one for me. Sometimes it’s not even that others expect me to be the perfect environmentalist, but more so that I have this expectation that it’s expected of me. The perfection complex also contributes to things like eco-anxiety.
How to overcome it
Understand that perfection does not exist. What’s more, we live in a world run on convenience. Completely escaping all major brands, plastic consumption, and being 100% zero-waste just doesn’t exist for most people.
Eco-conscious living can look different for everyone! You don’t have to do what others do, or what society tells you you should or shouldn’t do, do what works best for you and your family.
Reason Number 11: There’s a delayed reward
All of our lives we have been trained to expect a reward for our positive actions. This isn’t always the case with eco-conscious living. Making more sustainable decisions and purchases will not cause an immediate shift in the health of the planet and may even go unnoticed by most. This can be discouraging for many people.
How to overcome it
Find your why! Why are you choosing to live a more eco-conscious lifestyle? Is it to save money? To decrease your dependence on disposable diapers by switching to cloth diapers? To decrease the amount of plastic in your life?
When you find your why and can stick to it, you won’t be searching for an external award.
Reason Number 12: You’re busy
A major reason people reject eco-conscious living is because they’re busy. We live in such a fast-paced world, it is difficult to choose products and create habits that we know are more time-consuming. It wasn’t until everything shut down in 2020 that I truly realized that we were all burning the candle from both ends. We rarely have time to even consider the impact of our lifestyle on the environment because we’ve already moved on to the next thing, the next task.
How to overcome it
We’ve all heard the quote “you make time for what matters to you”. Prioritize what matters to you! If you truly want to live a more eco-conscious lifestyle, make eco-friendly practices a priority in your life.
Throughout this entire blog, I provide tips and trips to help incorporate eco-friendly practices for busy parents. Feel free to start here with some practical tips.
Reason Number 13: You don’t think one person can make a difference
I’ve heard this countless times: “what difference will one person make?” It’s very easy to get caught up in the idea that you are a small part of the world and the actions you make don’t have an impact on other things/people.
How to overcome it
It starts with each of us! We each have the ability to make decisions that better impact the environment. Imagine if each person made one consistent change to improve the environment. If we believe that small positive changes can make a difference over time, we have to also believe the opposite is true.
What we do matters.
Choose what works best for you and your family and do more of that!
I hope you enjoyed this blog post all about reasons why people may reject going green and how to overcome it.
Have you rejected eco-conscious living? No judgment here! Let’s talk about it in the comments below.
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