Stop the "Going Green" Madness

There. I said it. And those who know me will be shocked that I did. But really, enough is enough.

The whole point of the green movement is to reduce, reuse, andrecycle. But with "going green" going mainstream, the news media playing up the green movement, and the Corporate America jumping on the bandwagon, "going green" has lost its purpose. Now its, "buy new" because all that old stuff you have IS.GOING.TO.KILL.US.ALL.

Let me be clear. I am not against "going green" – quite the contrary. What I am against is the "going green" consumerism. The idea that we are doing the world good through the consumerism of "green" products balks at the whole idea of "going
green." During the attempt to raise environmental awareness in the early nineties, I studied ecology and environmental science in high school (which I later taught). The idea of reduce, reuse, recycle was further explained. The best way to "go green" is to follow those steps IN THAT ORDER. Reduce first. Reduce waste, reduce packaging, reduce impact, reduce consumption. Therefore, the whole idea that you buy something green to replace something that is non-green goes against the point
(of course there are exceptions to this).

For example, getting rid of a washer or dryer simply because it isn't as energy efficient as it could be is NOT reducing waste or even “going green”. Where does the old one go? Well, hopefully reused by someone else, but, more likely, the delivery people haul it away, and it goes to a landfill. Of course, if the washer or dryer has kicked the bucket, replace it with a shiny green model. Until then, get the best use out of your model by doing full loads in the washer to reduce the overall amount of energy used, and re-wear clothes that are not dirty, reducing overall consumption of energy and water. Hang your clothes to dry.

Or how about the idea of replacing furniture, counters, or floors with bamboo or cork just to be more “green” (and therefore more hip). Again, it is wasteful. Unless these things are falling to pieces or are covered in lovely lickable lead, why replace them for the sake of being green? Dress up old furniture by painting them with milk paint (a "green" paint) or add hardware to cabinets to make them more to your liking (maybe even ones you find at some great second-hand shops).

Furthermore, we are bombarded by products that are “green” that we simply don’t need (even if we like them). Do we really need an umbrella stand made out
of reclaimed wood (I really like this by the way)? No. Use the wood for something that might get more use. Or do we really need 10 solar lanterns to decorate our mantle (again, kind of cool)? Probably not. Or how about a bath mat made out of river rock and hemp (and I would LOVE this)? Not really a need. An old towel will do. We are even sold on “green” cleaners we don’t need. Watered down vinegar with a few drops of essential oils works wonders as a glass cleaner. Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I know that decorating a house to make it a home can be important, and, therefore doing it “green” should be taken into account. But, consumption, green or no, should be minimalized to truly make a difference.

So, please, the next time you are out to purchase something because it is “green” and it makes you feel like you are doing your part, think. Is the purchase really “green”? Is it really necessary? Is it something that is a great want? Can you
do something to eliminate the potential waste? Or are you just jumping at it because it because it has a “green” label, playing to your sympathetic nature? If it is the latter, save your green, and forgo the purchase.