by Colwyn Elder (@colwynelder) Navigating the ‘green’ or ‘ethical’ aisle in any supermarket is no mean feat. Ongoing research means new and often conflicting information that makes trying to ‘do the right thing’ is confusing at best, and just plain off-putting at worst.
“Do I buy fruit that is local and seasonal, or unseasonal bananas that are transported a great distance, but fairly traded?” And of course the ultimate question: “What do I fancy eating for supper?”
The answer to this sometimes means a ready-made meal that’s delicious, quick, easy and satisfying, which at that very moment seems way more important than all previous questions or the copious amount of unrecyclable packaging you’ll be throwing in the bin later.
[pullquote]“I’m not an ethical consumer, I’m just someone trying to consume more ethically”[/pullquote]
In 2008, Treehugger featured a wonderful quote that read: “I’m not an ethical consumer, I’m just someone trying to consume more ethically” and whilst the conversation has changed from ethical to green to sustainable, this still pretty much sums it up.
Sustainability is not the reason to buy, but simply another reason to buy. In other words, it’s just another variable to be added into the decision-
making matrix alongside price, quality, utility, availability and so on – all of which are then weighed up according to the context of our lives, for example: it’s the end of the month and money is tight; I want the best quality for my baby; or sometimes just, because I feel like it.
Let’s face it, it’s complicated, but debunking some popular myths can help make things simpler:
# 1 Sustainability is a luxury not everyone can afford
This is acutely more apparent for those living in South Africa. We are one of the most unequal societies in the world, making it easy to dismiss paying a premium for sustainable products as beyond the reality of the majority of the population. There is truth in this myth, but it’s only a small part of the picture. And if anything, rising food prices and food security should make us even more aware of the issues.
The view that sustainability is expensive is a short-term perspective, and one that is true when you already have an unsustainable system in place. In other words, there is an upfront cost involved to switch to a more sustainable technology, for example to change to solar heating or replace the gas guzzler in the garage, but once the system has been replaced with a more sustainable option, it is naturally more efficient and results in long-term savings.
The truth is sustainability and economic efficiencies go hand in hand, but unfortunately this is often easier for corporates to realise than for individuals.
[pullquote]The truth is sustainability and economic efficiencies go hand in hand, but unfortunately this is often easier for corporates to realise than for individuals.[/pullquote]
In 2011, UK retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) reported a net benefit of over £70 million as a result of their ‘Plan A’ sustainability initiatives (and compared with £50 million in the previous year). More energy efficient stores and distribution centres saw a saving of £13.5m. Using less fuel saved £2m, hanger recycling and reuse saved £1m, and packaging reductions saved £11m. These savings more than outweighed any investments M&S made in ‘Plan A’ projects and the surplus monies were re-invested into the business.
# 2 Sustainability means a sacrifice in lifestyle
By its nature, living sustainably means doing more with less, but we should interpret this as ‘living smart’ rather than lowering our standard of living. As mentioned above, sustainability is not a differentiator or the reason to buy, but simply another reason to buy. The average consumer is not prepared to make significant (down) shifts in lifestyle, but rather want what they’ve always had, with the added benefit of sustainability built-in. They’re looking for clever, win-win scenarios such as smart new technologies that will save them money and be more environmentally effective.
Author, environmentalist and entrepreneur, Paul Hawken says that “once we start to organise ourselves and innovate within that mindset, the breakthroughs are extraordinary”, and last month’s column on Design Indaba bears testimony to this. Paul talks to innovation at the heart of sustainable living as a powerful economic engine, and believes that “addressing climate change is the biggest job creation program there is”.
# 3 Sustainable consumption can save the world
Around the globe, sustainable consumption is being punted as the new way of shopping. But whilst encouraging people to live by their values not to mention moving from an individual to a more collective mindset has inherent value, it fails to address the root problem – an against-all-odds pursuit of economic growth.
[pullquote]Around the globe, sustainable consumption is being punted as the new way of shopping. But whilst encouraging people to live by their values not to mention moving from an individual to a more collective mindset has inherent value, it fails to address the root problem – an against-all-odds pursuit of economic growth.[/pullquote]
In Annie Leonard’s Story of Stuff Part 2, she talks about needing to shift the weight of responsibility from consumers’ shoulders back to manufacturers, producers and governments. Annie says that going green “distracts us from identifying and demanding change from the real drivers of environmental decline”, and urges viewers to “put down their credit cards and start exercising their citizen muscles to build a more sustainable, just and fulfilling world”.
This is not to discredit sustainable consumption, but rather acknowledges just how difficult it can be (like swimming upstream). She calls for “a new economy that puts safe products, happy people and a healthy planet first”. Changing the priorities of our economy will make doing the right thing easier for all.
Y&R strategy director Colwyn Elder (@colwynelder) has 17 years of experience in strategic planning, together with specific credentials in sustainability communications, social marketing, corporate social responsibility and cause-related marketing. She contributes the monthly “Green Sky Thinking” column on sustainability issues to MarkLives.