I’m an Environmentalist and I hate Earth Month…
That’s right, I kinda hate Earth Month as an eco-influencer and I think it’s for good reason. You’ll have to let me know at the end if you agree or not.
First, the greenwashing, it’s everywhere!
Earth Month is a month chock-full of greenwashing. It can get quite out of hand. From Coca-Cola using green labels to big companies saying they’ll cut 1% of their emissions or donate 1% of their profits. Are some of these things good, yes. But, if a company actually cared, they would do all of this and more all year long.
It’s not so bad for folks like you and me who are probably used to spotting greenwashing and avoiding it, but for the average consumer, it can be so easy to fall for greenwashing. I say I’m good at spotting it, but even I fall victim to greenwashing sometimes. It’s so deceiving! And since the average shopper is probably being bombarded with guilt about their environmental impact (more to come on that later), they feel obligated to buy from these seemingly eco brands or products instead of their normal wasteful ones.
It’s so easy for people to fall for it and therefore so easy for these companies to make a quick buck. Do your best to avoid greenwashing this month and educate those around you about it too!
Don’t know what greenwashing is? Learn more in these resources:
FREE downloadable guide to spotting greenwashing
What do all these certifications mean so I can spot greenwashing?
As I said, average folks are bombarded with guilt
Big Oil is the queen of eco-shaming individuals. I’m sure you will see a lot of it this month. Companies and corporations encouraging us to ride a bike, quit using straws, carpool, buy this, and buy that when in reality, climate change is their fault! It’s not your fault, it’s not mine. We are not each other’s enemies like they make it out to me. Me using one piece of plastic isn’t killing the planet, it’s oil, it’s fast fashion, it’s animal agriculture, and so much more.
Yes, our small actions matter, and it takes practice, but we shouldn’t feel the guilt they are placing on us. They want to keep us distracted and focused on ourselves when we should be focusing outward on the true problems, the true culprits, and working together to fix them.
Afterall, they’ve created a wasteful system. We can’t shop in bulk until they make it possible. We can’t recycle until they make it possible. We can’t take public transportation until they make it possible. Work with what you’ve got, do your best, and try to avoid the guilt they are placing on you.
Check out this video all about carbon footprints and how they were invented by big oil.
People don’t really care
Just like corporations, we’re going to see a lot of influencers, celebs, and everyday people as well celebrating the Earth for just this one day and then going back to their wasteful lives. I guess it’s greenwashing but for individuals. I know many average people don’t have the time and energy to care about the planet as much as I do for various reasons. I’m not blaming them. I’m blaming people who actually have influence. If they really cared, they would try to protect the earth all year long!
But, even with average people, it just makes me so sad to see them also celebrating the earth just one day a year because we should care every single day. I know the saying “Earth Day Every Day” is so cheesy but it really is so true. We need every single person to care every single day. No, that doesn’t mean I want every person to be a perfect zero waster every day, but simply being aware and caring every day. If people can make swaps and habit changes all year long, cool! But I think it really will start with just a simple mindset change. Instead of caring about the planet once a year, do it every day.
Get outside, feel the breeze, hear the birds, notice the temperature and how different it is from this time of year in your childhood. Pick up litter when you see it, turn off the lights when you’re not using them. There are so many simple changes and mindset shifts we can make every day to just CARE. From there, people will start to make changes on their own accord once they begin to truly care about our one home.
Consumerism
So many brands will be having sales this month. Before you click away, hear me out. Yes, there will be brands greenwashing to make a sale this month, but there are so many eco brands this month that will be running sales that you should support…IF YOU NEED IT!
I don’t hate the eco brands for having sales, I think it’s the perfect time for an eco brand to celebrate and hopefully make some well-deserved earnings. But, we, the consumers, we can take it overboard so quickly.
Okay, wait, I did find a reason to be mad at a brand. If they only have a single-day sale, I hate that. It creates a scarcity mindset and can really lead to people buying impulsively if this is the only day they can get that sweet sweet deal. I love it when brands offer a week or even month-long sale to combat a scarcity mindset. This gives people time to think through their purchases before buying on impulse. I think this might actually be a sign of a greenwashy brand vs a truly eco one. It shows who cares more about profits and who cares more about people and the planet.
Don’t see a sale and buy something. Please think through your purchases. If you see a sale this month, make a mental or physical note. If you think about the item over and over again, you probably want it. If you want a plan for that item, how you will use it, how you will wear it, how you will store it, you probably want it. But if you don’t think about it again or you can’t think of how you will even use it, you probably don’t need it.
One last thing here, I know I will probably be promoting brands this time of year. It’s Christmas for eco-influencers. Know that I vet the brands I work with and truly promote brands I love and use in my regular life. Even if I promote a brand, only buy something you need. Bookmark the post and save it for when you need it.
I don’t really hate Earth Month
I may be a bit dramatic when I say it, but as a whole, I don’t hate Earth Month. I hate what capitalism has done with Earth Month. Earth Day was created in 1970 to celebrate the planet. It was not created for greenwashing or for sales. Capitalism ruins everything haha.
So, let’s avoid the greenwashing, the consumerism, the fake celebrations, and really get to what matters: the planet. Here are some ways you can celebrate Earth Month this year:
And check out this fun challenge I did in 2022: I picked up trash every single day of Earth Month and this is how it went.
Thanks for reading along, I appreciate your time. As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)
Emma
