Why We Don’t Care About the Environment Any More

It Looks as If We Don’t Care About the Environment Any More – Is That True?

Immediately after people have suffered through some extreme weather, polls show that many of us are concerned with the environment and what we’re doing to it. “Care about the environment” ranks high as one of our main concerns.

But, almost as quickly as the weather returns to “normal”, so do interest levels.

Each year at least one horrifying report is published, showing that climate change is worse than we had thought, and that massive action is needed right now. We need to care about the environment.

But even after those reports, the general public don’t worry about it too much.

Why do environmentalists have such a difficult job getting the message across that ever-increasing consumption is bad for us and for the environment?

Perhaps it has to do with success

What is our current definition of “success”?

For many people, success means lots of money to buy SUVs and sports cars, luxurious homes, consumables and gadget technology with a brief lifecycle, frequently replaced and discarded.

But if environmentalists define “success” as how few flights we took last year, cycling to work, energy efficiency at home and reducing consumables – well, it just isn’t very attractive to most people, is it?

Cutting back involves some discomfort – and humans like to avoid that.

It’s more than just consumerism

Interestingly, it appears that the more humans consume, the less guilt we feel about the damage we do to the planet.

The chart below shows a Greendex score – a person’s buying behaviour – versus their guilt.  (A low Greendex score represents greater consumerism).

Of the nations surveyed, the people of Germany, the US, Australia and Britain feel the least consumer guilt, while the people of India, China, Mexico and Brazil feel the most guilt – even though their carbon footprint is often much smaller. Perhaps that is because they experience first-hand the effects of over-consumption and climate change.

Does hyper-consumption smother feeling? It looks like it. Consumption equates to less care for the environment.

Does Advertising Play a Role?

I think it’s also connected to the amount of advertising we are exposed to.  Where we used to be more concerned with people, family, relationships, and lived closer to the land, now we’re shown that we should be concerned with objects. And once we’re attached to an object, then it’s quickly replaced with a newer model for us to get attached to.

When that happens, we seem to become more self-centred and careless of the lives of others.

It seems to be a vicious circle – the more we consume (and thus the more harm we do), the less we worry about it.

And as hyper-consumerism destroys communities and the planet, the more people try to fill a void by buying more “stuff”.

Our society has become “re-structured around shopping, fashion, celebrity and an obsession with money” to quote George Monbiot.

What Can We Do?

Of course, most people who read this blog DO care about the environment and actively work to reduce their carbon footprint.

Sadly though, we are a minority of the total population.

I’d like to say we can change the world overnight, but we won’t.

As individuals, we don’t have the clout of the powerful lobbies who want to keep things just the way they are.

And our message isn’t as attractive as corporate advertising.

But what we CAN do is vote intentionally – elect leaders who care about our world more than about money and big business.

We can also “vote” with our wallets by buying only sustainable essentials that do less harm.

And we can lead by example. By reducing our own consumption, and quietly discussing other options with those who consume excessively, we can make a difference.

One person at a time.

Do you think we’re losing the planet to consumerism? Let me know in the Comments below.

Please share this important post – quick sharing buttons above and right – thank you!

Warm regards,

P.S. If you haven’t already, download your FREE green living handbook – it’s full of useful tips and tricks for reducing your footprint and living more safely without nasty chemicals. Click here. 

Related:

Is Climate Change Real?

Climate Change and Your Health – What you DON’T Know