There’s this really great article making the rounds of the internet written by writer Alden Wicker from the sustainable living blog Ecocult.
It’s called “The Big Lie of Conscious Consumerism” (go read it now) and there’s this one paragraph which really jumped out at me.
“Why bother creating the exhaustive shopping guide, when I’m not taking any meaningful money out of fast fashion’s pocket?
Why meticulously test non-toxic beauty products when Cetaphil continues to be everyone’s favorite?
Why do I carefully collect my compost, then get on the subway to bring it to the farmer’s market every week, when I know tons of fresh tomatoes are being dumped in a landfill on the Mexican border?
Why do I go out of my way to a local coffee shop and bring a reusable mug, when the Starbucks two blocks away has trashcans filled with disposable cups?
Why any of it? Why bother? Who cares? I’ll tell you why: Because I can never go back. I’m in too deep. I know too much”.
I feel like this so often and wonder if I’m even making a difference.
When I compare myself to other people who are doing more, who I perceive to be doing better and think my impact is insignificant in comparison.
When I receive an email or comment from an angry person who doesn’t like how I share the sustainability message.
When I see so many people around me who don’t appear to care and I wonder, why bother?
But, as Alden so succinctly put it; I know too much. Going to back to the way I used to live is not an option.
I’ve grown too much and I’ve seen to many injustices to revert to my former life and way of thinking.
I am very far from living the perfect “green” life but I have to believe I am making a difference. As I continue to learn and grow I will make a bigger impact and hopefully encourage more people to make a difference in their own way as well.
So when you next feel like it’s all too much and wonder if it’s worth it, don’t give up! Take comfort in the fact there are many people, at all stages of their sustainable living journey, who feel this way as well.
Keep going, because the world desperately needs more people who care.
