Can Shopping Solve Our Climate Crisis? (#11)

“It’s based on changing the rules of the game so that what we’re actually consuming is directly aligned with the outcomes that we want to see for our future.” – Josh Dorfman

Can the way we shop solve climate change? Is green consumerism the answer to fixing the climate change problem? Could more people purchasing green products, like electric cars, and using renewable energy, like wind and solar power, really make a difference in combating global warming? Can it make the Earth a better place to live for future generations – or is it all for naught?

According to George Monbiot, an acclaimed environmental reporter for The Guardian, “green consumerism is a pox on the planet.”

In today’s episode, I share my thoughts on whether the way we shop is the key to solving climate change. I discuss why it’s essential for us to identify our environmental hypocrisies and the benefits of moving toward green purchasing decisions. I explain how entrepreneurs and sustainable businesses are making a difference with green innovations and environmentally friendly products, but why more we need to do more and fast. I also discuss the challenges and opportunities in front of the global climate community and how consumers can make a significant impact on the rate at which we solve the climate change issue beyond the products we purchase at the store.

This week on The Last Environmentalist Podcast:

• Identifying our environmental hypocrisies and how they impact the climate
• How being called out for my own environmental hypocrisy led to the creation of The Lazy Environmentalist
• The benefits of consumers moving toward green consumerism 
• How entrepreneurs are developing innovative ideas to address the climate change crisis
• The challenges that currently face the consumerism approach to solving climate change
• How local, state, and federal politicians and elected officials can impact the rate we address and solve climate change
• What consumers need to do to create change and encourage policymakers to act on solving environmental issues

Resources Mentioned:

• Clean Technica: Capital One: Value of Luxury Gas Cars Getting Slammed by Tesla
• The Guardian: America’s Plastic Recycling Is Dumping In Landfills, Investigation Shows
• Episode 004 with Jigar Shaw – Climate Change Solutions Are Hiding In Plain Sight
• Episode 006 with Tom Szaky – Meet The 21st Century Milkman And The Plan To Eliminate Waste
• Loop Store
• Priority Bicycles
• Truman’s
• Blueland
• Podcast: Bill McKibben at Aspen Ideas Festival
• Sunrise Movement
• org
• Fridays For Future
• Extinction Rebellion
• Climate Emergency Fund
• The Green New Deal explained

Impacting the Environment, One Story at a Time

If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe to the show and leave us your honest review. Join the conversation and share your story on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.