I hear a “we’re doing our best; we’re making things better than they were” self-description of people’s sustainability efforts (personally and at work). I used to feel this way, too. Isn’t doing better than before a good thing, I thought?
In fact, though, what this leads us to is celebrating incremental progress, in the face of a need for drastic change. It puts us in the position of keeping the system as-is as much as possible, and pretend it’s enough. As it’s been clear for a while (not that we’re all choosing to see it), this approach is no where near enough.
I’m torn whether to spend my precious life energy and time in supporting people in their incremental efforts. On one hand, I was exactly in the place where they are, just a short while ago. But I also feel a distinct lack of disinterest in small-time play (it feels to me like when you’re at a party and tiring of all the small talk). I’m beyond working in the safe zones of what customers are willing to pay for, for example.
Sometimes I want to shout: look carefully, we can’t stay as we are, or in any incremental revision of where we currently are. But screaming isn’t my thing, and again, I know that it takes a while to distance oneself from the currently dominant culture that’s telling us everything will be all right if we just recycle more.
And I don’t want to be bitter towards anyone else; my path was supported along the way by those who were further along it than I was (and am), who didn’t (and still don’t) abandon me as I grow. I am extremely grateful for their love.
So for now I’ll say — yes, it’s good to see new opportunities, and I’m so glad you’re here, waking up and starting to feel your desire to do something. But also, I’m going to continue to remind you of this bigger picture, that’s loudly calling for more than just our little energy efficiency efforts and some recyclable materials. Perhaps you can explore a bit what your life might look like in a truly low-carbon society, for example, or even better — a life that is in service to all life.
And definitely come back to me when you’re ready for an even more honest discussion. I’ll be here.