Though I do think that environmentalism has its benefits, I find that the methodology is often flawed. I’m all for reducing pollution, sustainability, and leaving our descendants something more than a smoldering rock. The problem is, I tend to quit listening whenever I hear the words “I’m an environmentalist and believe…”
One thing I’m quite sick of is the horde of people our society has produced that refuse to do anything but yell. You can’t fix a problem by yelling at it every day. The world just doesn’t work like that. Care to change something? Go out and change it yourself instead of giving the rest of us shit about it. Some people may listen, but most will not.
Consider, for a moment, how it sounds when you offer an alternative that, as a whole, is more expensive. You can convince somebody that the other method is, overall, much better, but you lose their interest as soon as the cost comes into play. Have an alternate fuel that runs a car with less pollution but costs twice as much? There are many that would use it for a short period but then go back to regular gasoline. Why? Look at our culture.
Western society is simply consumerist. Right or wrong, people equate happiness with having more. This is why a lot of times we take the idea that is, as a whole, worse, but costs less for the same performance. We don’t live on a barren rock now, so who cares if we do in twenty years? So what if the our landfills are overflowing and greenhouse gases are increasing? Gas is already too expensive, why should I pay for something pricier?
The fact is, most people will take the cheaper alternative, pollution or not. So, what do you do? Rather than picketing the smokestack-laden buildings, making goofy movies, or spouting off scientific theories about global warming, band together and do some research. Roll up your sleeves, get a bit dirty, and figure out a way to do something cleaner and cheaper at the same time.
Why? Simple, really. From an economic standpoint, cheaper always wins. If a group came up with an alternative fuel that could be poured into standard engines, burned cleaner, and was significantly cheaper than the stuff already at the gas station, people would absolutely flock to it. This is why there are people working on developing neat things like biodiesel and ethanol.
The thing is, shoving doom and gloom down our throats and expecting that to magically change the world is a ridiculous idea. It may work in the short term, but the effort to keep it up will eventually become too much. The inertia of apathy tends to increase. Eventually, talking about nuclear wastelands, radioactive fallout, global warming, and dwindling resources will fall on deaf ears. After enough yelling, people will become desensitized. Worse yet, some may quit trying entirely, feeling too overwhelmed by the specter of imminent ecological disaster.
Put more simply, you can easily convince nearly everybody to change their habits by reducing the cost of something. In fact, if you provide a cheaper alternative, not only will people flock to it, but businesses will as well. There will be a minimal need to talk and convince. Speak in numbers, and the world will listen. Other benefits will just be icing on the cake.
It’s also the small changes that matter most. Don’t talk about the tons of pollution clogging up the rivers, gather up volunteers to clean up the one in your area. Get your hands dirty with the people cleaning it up. Lead by example. Get on the internet and tell others about how you cleaned up your river and how they can do the same. Have awesome mechanical skills? Get a group together to think about increasing fuel efficiency. Don’t just talk, think and do.