Everything you do in your day-to-day life has an impact on the planet, from the food you eat to the car you drive. It’s small changes like these that could help you to lessen your environmental impact. Sustainable life… Bla Bla Bla Bla…
I can’t do it!
In this post, I won’t talk about what sustainable living means, or why it’s important, or even how you could live a more sustainable life.
Nope… I’m not going to share 101 facts because I don’t have time to think of generic BS content to make google happy, I’m busy doing my small part to change the world.
I really feel it would be wrong to treat you like an idiot just so I can get my blog to rank really well on Google, but I feel it’s worth my valuable 🙂 time to tell you why I can’t do it.
Because global sustainability issues are far too serious and the majority of these types of blogs are unscrupulous marketing tools. They are the green-washing of the digital marketing world.
Blog posts that start with “7 ways to” or “10 things you” are not written to inform you, they are written to capture your attention and or sell you something. Sure the messages can be valid but you guys ain’t dummies, right? I don’t need to articulate to you in 1000 words why eating less meat is good for the planet, do I? You monsters!!
Even if I did, would it have an impact on those who are finger-licking chicken lovers? And the truth is these pieces are not written to help you change or bring any of us closer to a sustainable solution. They are using real sustainability issues to make save on marketing spend.
Here’s a classic example I have pulled from 3 similar blogs (this probably features in a million of these blogs)
Recycle and reuse
Make sure you’re recycling by putting your rubbish in the correct bins. Also, try to reuse products and items as many times as possible before binning them to reduce waste.
Well, Duh Mr. Blogger. You really had to make time in your busy life to share this new solution with us?
I wonder if after recycling this garbage the author pulled on his eco boots and took a satisfying walk in the forest. And smiled softly while thinking that he had just changed the world with a wonderful blog about 14 obvious things we humans should but hardly ever do.
Come on, give us a break! For those of us who care enough to make time to search for answers, these pieces are wasting our time with generic common-sense steps, and you haven’t changed anything, perhaps google loves you and maybe that’s enough to satisfy your desires. But please don’t pretend you are helping anybody to become more sustainable.
Ok, I’m angry, I will admit that.
Greenwashing makes me really angry in whatever form it decides to take. It’s not new in digital marketing but it’s getting old very quickly. It’s like asking an old lady if you can carry her groceries across the road, and then going live on FB to show the world what a true hero you are.
I’m sorry but if bloggers really cared about sustainability they would try to find real solutions which people can embrace – and not the common sense stuff which the majority of people have to decide to adopt themselves – given the right resources by the powers that be… and that’s another battle for another day… if Aga lets me post any more angry blogs.
People are starting to come around to the idea that we need to become more sustainable. To protect the Earth for future generations. And marketing companies realize this. So they hire people (who, admittedly are more talented than me) to put common sense tips into meaningless 1000 word documents.
Why am I so angry?
“Why does it make you so angry?” my two readers might ask me… one day… please!
Because the less talented, more informed people who don’t write so creatively get dropped through the rankings, the very moment these common-sense marketing cowboys ride into google town. And I worry that the real answers may become buried somewhere in the dark depths of Google page 20
Wait for a second… Less talented: Check. More informed: Uncheck. So please excuse me while I attempt to improve my page rank…
14 stupidly obvious things you can do to live a more sustainable life
- Save energy
Because you are not stupid. - Eat less meat.
Unless you can eat none – you monster :-p - Use reusable alternatives
If it’s even possible to find them - Go paperless
But please not in the office bathroom. - Use renewable energy
If you live in a forward-thinking country. - Recycle and reuse
And hope the garbage guys don’t put it all into one truck anyway, - Grow your own produce
And teach them to care about the planet. - Donate unused items
Or just stop buying sh*t you won’t use. - Save water
I guess we have given up on the whales! - Buy fair trade products
And hope the marketing companies haven’t fooled you - Drive less
That doesn’t mean take an Uber. - Don’t waste food
WTF is wrong with you! - Wear sustainable clothing
If you can afford it. - Use eco-friendly cleaning products
Ok this is actually a good tip.
So I lied…
Ok I lied, I didn’t give you 100 tips. I’m not sure I can, and I’m pretty sure that only google would read it if I did.
But I can give you one big one, and I feel it’s the only one which the majority of us can easily do. And I deeply want to believe that it can make a huge difference so please try!
Just share more things.
Ask your friends to share the topics which might just highlight to more people what’s going wrong.
The marketing companies and the corporations are very scared of a social awakening. Also, they are scared of the social backlash which will come from people like you and me.
Together we really are stronger. You don’t have to recycle everything or eat less meat, we know for some people it’s just not practicable or even sustainable… yet!
I don’t care who you are, I don’t even care how you abuse the planet. If you can throw a bucket of ice water over a friend and call it charity then you can damn well use a finger to share something which might help keep the waters flowing … and icy!
