issue 16// vol 45 Celebrity environmentalism is hypocritical, but we're no better » Our lifestyle is inevitably unsustainable but it’s still important to do your part Jessica Berget Opinions Editor any celebrities get praise for doing their part for the ecosystem, and rightfully so. Big names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Gore, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Ruffalo, and countless others have dedicated their time, money, and energy to promote eco-friendly lifestyles. Unfortunately, however, most of their actions do not reflect their words. Unsurprisingly, the celebrities who preach their environmentalist morals are the very same ones who are doing a huge amount of damage to the ecosystem. For instance, John Travolta has told us all to “do our bit for climate change,” but owns five private jets. In fact, many celebrities have their own luxurious means of living and transportation. While such extravagance is notoriously bad for the environment, they also have ways that they reduce their carbon footprint. Most have eco-friendly energy houses, do seminars for climate change and global warming, donate to worthy causes, or create environmental foundations. Although I think it’s good to be critical of our society's stars and icons, we should also look at our actions as well before we judge too harshly. Originally, I was going to write this piece all about the hypocrisy of these “champagne socialists.” But then I thought, “Wait, who the fuck am I?” lam by no means a perfect environmentalist; I don't even consider myself an environmentalist as muchas I'd like to. I am in no position to turn my nose up at those celebrities who say one thing and do another. I don’t think anyone is in that position. Furthermore, at least celebrities are trying to make people more eco-conscious and make a difference ona large scale. If you really think about it, all environmentalism is hypocritical (or at least our cushy North American branch). It’s an unfortunate irony that, as much as we like to try to be as eco-friendly as possible, human life in the industrialized world is never going to be sustainable. We can do as much as we can to combat climate change and global warming, but our lifestyle is awfully messy. You can recycle, use green energy, and be as zero- waste as you want, but if you live in the Western world you still may need to drive a car, use single-use plastics, or buy and use phones, televisions, and computers every day. Yes, lots of these eco-friendly celebrities are hypocrites and it’s horrible. Sure, a lot of them preach about the importance of conserving energy and doing your bit to save the environment, while at the same time consuming large amounts of energy with their luxurious lifestyles. However, did we ever stop to think about our own impact? How maybe we are hypocrites as well, and that maybe our mere existence as humans on this planet is bad for the environment? But maybe I’m just pessimistic. I guess in some way it makes us feel better to put the guilt and the blame of climate change on the Hollywood elite. However, I think it’s important to look at our own actions before criticizing others, whether they’re famous or not. Yes, they can be doing more to reduce their carbon footprint, but everyone can always do more. Celebrities may not be perfect environmentalists, but for the most part, neither are we. Photo of John Travolta by Richard Goldschmidt via Wikimedia Commons No meat mentality is unrealistic “~ Use what you have opinions // no. 15 before you buy into the fad » Zero-waste products shouldn't create unnecessary waste Roshni Riar Staff Writer Ls I know stainless steel straws are cool and flashy, and those funky beeswax wraps are way cuter than the cling wrap stuffed inside your kitchen drawer. | get it. Zero waste products are not only great to have because of their environmental implications, but a lot of them are visually appealing and quite frankly look better than the stained Tupperware you bought from Walmart four years ago. That doesn’t negate the usefulness of what’s already in your cupboards, however. There are a lot of zero-waste products on the market right now. From stainless steel food containers, reusable produce bags, bamboo toothbrushes and pot scrubbers, Diva Cups, reusable cotton pads for toner; there’s a lot to get your head around when making the switch to an eco-friendlier lifestyle. As a result, an unfortunate side effect can be the purging of all your already-owned plastics and single-use products. While it’s nice to have a fresh start, more trash is ultimately produced in this process—and often it’s an unnecessary move. For instance, take your plastic food storage containers. There's nothing wrong with them; they're reusable and you already own them. Getting rid of them just to be able to switch over to all glass or stainless-steel products is careless and not particularly responsible. You should utilize what you have until it’s no longer usable. Eliminating single-use plastics— like frozen microwave lunch containers, soups in plastic containers, and sandwiches wrapped in plastic wrap—is a smarter and more easily implementable move to start your zero-waste journey. By using what you » Our goal should be to reduce animal use, not eliminate it Jessica Berget Opinions Editor ’m not going to lie, I feel guilty eating meat sometimes. In this day and age, there is immense pressure to become vegan or vegetarian for environmental reasons. I’m well aware that animal agriculture is one of the biggest causes of pollution, and that millions of cows are being killed in slaughterhouses so that I can eat a burger, and I do feel horrible about it. However, I'm also not ina position to change my diet and many others aren't either. I don't think that there should be a be-all, end-all mentality with eating animal products. It’s an unhealthy standard. In my opinion, the goal should be to reduce, not eliminate. Some vegans and animal rights groups strive to eliminate all meat and animal use, but I think that is too huge a thing to expect. Some people need meat and animal products in their diets, or they just choose to eat it. Regardless, it’s unrealistic to expect every single person to stop eating meat. I think elimination is just impossible. Meat eating and animal agriculture is too ingrained in our society and too convenient to cut it out completely. Meat is incredibly accessible and cheap. Who can resist a burger for $1.79 when you're hungry ina pinch and there’s fast food everywhere you go? This all-or-nothing method also discourages people from taking small steps to benefit the planet. By making the goal reduction, instead of elimination, it makes it sound more attainable and reasonable. When you have a goal that is easily reachable, there is more of a chance of achieving it. There is even a term for this type of diet: It’s called Reducetarian and it was coined by Brian Kateman. He formulated the idea when he realized there is a lot of pressure for meat-eaters to stop eating meat, but not to cut down on it. By being areducetarian, the goal is to cut back on all the animal Illustration by Cara Seccafien already have, you can reduce the amount of garbage you generate within your home as well as outside of your space. Sure, when they’ve started to fall apart and are no longer fit to carry your lunches, then you should make the switch to an eco-friendlier product while disposing of the plastic appropriately. The first thing I purchased when I started to reduce my own personal waste production was reusable produce and shopping bags. The reason I started with those was simple: I didn’t already have them. When shopping, I took them all with me to put my veggies and groceries in and focused my attention on purchasing products without unnecessary plastic packaging—choosing bulk for a lot of pantry items—while learning how to properly dispose of the packaging I did purchase. It was an easy first step that didn’t require me to clean out a cupboard at home. It can be overwhelming when you start to take a personal inventory and realize the amount of plastic and potential trash you own. What’s even more overwhelming is the idea that you need to jump headfirst into the zero-waste lifestyle and dispose of everything that doesn’t align with your beliefs. It’s okay to start slow and dispose of what you no longer need responsibly, when the time comes. Fostering a zero-waste lifestyle is a fantastically important thing to do for the environment, but the way you do it is just as important. Find the right ways to work in products to reduce your waste production and plastic consumption. At the same time, avoid needlessly wasting items that you can hang onto during your transition to an eco-friendlier life. It'll make the change a lot less daunting, I promise. products they eat—a goal that is easily attainable for everyone. This aim of reduction is also more realistic in a long-term diet. According to Psychology Today, 86 percent of vegetarians and 70 percent of vegans end up returning to eating meat. By this logic, we can say that abstaining from meat for the long haul is no easy task. By making the goal to reduce our meat intake, people might find a diet that is both beneficial to the environment and easy to keep up with. It’s okay if you can’t or don’t want to completely give up meat—but consider minimizing the amount you consume. Make a vegetarian meal once in a while, refrain from buying meat products for your home, or stop yourself from getting meaty dishes in restaurants. Even just one plant-based meal instead of a meaty one can reduce your carbon footprint, so there’s really nothing to lose.