"Oh no, it's horrible that this is happening! I should share it on my story so that others see I care."
"Yeah, this occurences happen naturally, not because of 'climate change'."
"Well, I just shared this post about climate change. Good job, me."
DECEPTION & HARMFUL ATTITUDES
Take action!
Educate yourself!
References
What should I do then?
personal dimension
"But what is climate change? It's just a part of the planet's cycle."
Environmental awareness and action manual for dummies
Climate litigation
Speak up!
post?
liking
changing your picture?
"So, this regulation is just for us? Guess corporations are already doing their part, huh?"
#UsingAHashtag ?
Are you only:
DECEPTION & HARMFUL ATTITUDES
References
What should I do then?
Citizen dimension
Environmental awareness and action manual for dummies
it's like the best thing ever for the environment, man
it has so many helpful applications in climate action that i just can't believe
like, automation is so cool, man
right! let's look into easy options so that we can get this project going!!
having environmental certifications can bring us more opportunities, you know...
Look for solutions!
Dive deeper into your occupation
DECEPTION & HARMFUL ATTITUDES
References
What should I do then?
Professional dimension
Environmental awareness and action manual for dummies
"I may as well throw out this old cotton shirt and buy new ones. At least it's a biodegradable material so it won't harm the environment."
"You know, I recently bought a dress from *insert fast fashion company* and it was labeled as a green/made with recycled materials! I get a new dress and help the environment."
Learn and continue learning!
Establish good consumption habits:)
DECEPTION & HARMFUL ATTITUDES
References
What should I do then?
Consumer dimension
Environmental awareness and action manual for dummies
A harmful mindset to have is one driven by, even if unconsciously, overconsumption. It is important to consider the state of our belongings, they could still be usable or even reused and recycled! It's important to consider other sustainable options before resorting to throwing everything out. It is also important to be educated about the things we buy. The statement 'cotton is biodegradable, it won't harm the environment' is not entirely true, and we must truly know what we're talking about before acting and/or spreading misinformation. Cotton, even if it is biodegradable, is not a 100% sustainable material since it consumes a lot of water and takes up a lot of land, leading to soil degradation and pollution in water bodies when using pesticides (Nizzoli, 2022). This is why we must be considerate of our consumption habits, as well as educating ourselves on the materials and products we use and buy.
Why is this wrong?
Learn, learn, learn!!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, educating ourselves, how original /s But it really is important! Resources (such as this manual) can really help us understand with more depth the issue at hand & how we can be more perceptive to greenwashing situations and deception through fallacies and misinformation. As it was mentioned, there are a lot of types of greenwashing, some more easier to detect than others, so it is important to know when a company is trying to greenwash its product so we can avoid falling for it. It is also essential that we look into the products we use, the materials it is made up of, what to do when we have no more need of it, alternatives in case it is not sustainable, and many more aspects that affect our impact on the environment and that can be meaningful for the cause. That is why we must be more intentional when we interact with products we may or may not consume; we must learn to think critically in these situations! The next links have useful information about how to spot greenwashing & how to be critical when consuming products:
Dive deeper into your occupation!
While you may have a lot of knowledge about your own job and the tasks you do daily, it is essential that you understand the area in which you work. For example, the implications of your own work, the impact your company is having on the environment, the restorative actions taken in your workplace (if any), different perspectives and applications of your occupation, among many others! There's so much to know about one's job area, many of which we may not consider, hence falling into logical fallacies that do not encompass the information needed to make a valid argument. By doing this, you may be able to engage in conversations about your job without spreading misinformation and with the confidence that your takes are based on true and factual information. It may also help you perform even better at your job by understanding even better the process or the reason behind it!
Just because a product says it is 'green', or that it 'helps the environment', or that it is '100% organic', it doesn't necessarily mean it's true! Do not fall victim to these types of greenwashing! These actions, or dare I say deceptions, made by companies usually fall into a category of greenwashing such as green by association (using imagery that relates to nature), lack of definition (using vague language and buzzwords like 'green' and 'eco-friendly' without actual evidence), greenlighting (emphasizing an apparent green feature while diverting attention from harmful practices), among many others (Peck, 2024). Being aware of this harmful practices can help improve your habits as a consumer and the impact you leave on the environment.
Why is this wrong?
Look for solutions!
Instead of trying to 'take the easy way out', try looking into actual solutions that enhance your work environment and the results you expect from, for example, a project. As Peck (2024) mentions, business tend to rely on greenwashing to avoid programmes or solutions regarding sustainaiblity that take time and imply change, risking their reputation and future. Yet, we also need to consider what will benefit us in the long run, what will have a more positive impact around us, and what will allow us to avoid walking on eggshells when greenwashed practices become a topic of conversation.
Carrington, D. (2018). Can climate litigation save the world? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/20/can-climate-litigation-save-the-world
TED. (April 23 2024). How to Be an Active Citizen and Spark Change | Gabriel Marmentini | TED. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgFq4ty8wSI
Smith, A. & Jordan, R. (2023). Corporate Accountability: Should climate disclosure be mandatory? Retrieved from https://woods.stanford.edu/news/corporate-accountability-should-climate-disclosure-be-mandatory
Tedx Talks. (November 12 2018). Slacktivism: Social Media's Effect on Activism | Sophie Egar | TEDxYouth@PepperPike. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhPIgES_hws
References
Take action!
It is possible to feel discouraged from certain dialogues that fall into climate fallacies or even seeing the consequences of climate change. Nevertheless, it is possible to help in your own way by making changes in your daily life, or even actively talking about the issue. Once we become more informed about what is going on and we understand what can and should be done, we can be part of the change. In the next link, the United Nations list some activities that one can do on their own to reduce their impact on the environment, some of which you could follow or look into to participate on climate action: https://www.un.org/en/actnow/ten-actions Also, you can find out your carbon footprint in the next link to get more insight into your own environmental impact and in what areas you can make changes to reduce it: https://www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en
Climate litigation?
It may sound like a farfetched option, or even an unecessary one in some cases if someone thinks it's not worth the time. Nonetheless, it is part of your right to citizenship, especially if you are looking at unjust and unfair situations. By doing this you are seeking to hold governments and corporations accountable. It's relevant to mention that not every legal action taken in this sense will have a positive outcome, but it is expected that, in the next years, more and more cases will win because of the growing concerns in society. Also, businesses are starting to feel the pressure of this actions, forcing them to reinvent their industries (Carrington, 2018).
This kind of statements may fall into a logical fallacy such as cherry picking in this case. Cherry picking occurs when one selects specific information or data to support their argument, while ignoring significant evidence that contradicts their point, jumping into misleading conclusions (Shabo, 2024). In this situation, saying that automation can do no harm to the environment because of how it can be implemented to help with reducing waste or monitoring energy consumption is leaving aside the information that argues against it. Automation requires proper management systems and environmental objectives so that we can see a positive impact around us. Nevertheless, without them, automation could easily increase energy consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases on a concerning level (Dusik & Sadler, 2019).
Why is this wrong?
Even if the Earth's climate has continuously changed, this time it seems unprecedented the speed at which it's doing so. According to studies and researches, the warming we are seeing nowadays breaks the historical cycle as it was expected that the planet was due to enter a cooling cycle. And so, this warming we're experiencing has been spurred by human activity, mainly by the burning of fossil fuels (MIT Climate Portal, 2024). Therefore, continuing and spreading this fallacy can lead people to believe that there's nothing to be done, discrediting their actions and lowering the impact we could be having to help the environment.
Why is this wrong?
Since social media has become a huge part of our day-to-day routine, it is no surprise that activism also changed through them. It took a different aspect as raising awareness about a topic could reach so many more people. But, in some cases, what can happen is that we do the bare minimum with it, low effort activism. This is called slacktivism and it could bring more harm than good if the issue is not taken seriously. Merely using a hashtag on a Tweet, or liking a post talking about climate change and how we should be acting, or changing you profile picture cannot create meaningful change to the issue at hand. A proactive response is necessary to not fall victim into the negative notions of slacktivism. In this video, Sophie Egar talks about activism in social media, and how we can do meaningful change and be an active participant in a cause:
Why is this wrong?
These types of behaviors and attitudes show signs of indifference and slacktivism, aspects we may fall into as individuals in regards to climate change. Indifference as a response to climate change poses a huge threat to climate action as it is a passive response that allows other thoughts to eclipse environmental concerns (Marquis, 2021). Also, slacktivism refers to when one supports a cause with very little effort, be it because of indifference, privilege, or ego, in which, sometimes, a real change and action does not happen. In the example shown, continuing this behavoir further creats inaction because of the gratification someone gets from being praised for doing the 'bare minimum', not by having proactive reactions. By doing this, we could be doing more harm than good to the movement and climate action (Vergara, n.d.).
Why is this wrong?
Speak up!
Sometimes we can fall into slacktivism, low-effort 'activism', and as we have seen, it can do more harm than good since a proactive mindset is needed to be part of change. So, speak up! Educate yourself and educate others about an issue, for example climate change, and actually be part of the call for action that activists have been doing for so long. This actions don't need to look the same for everyone! You can be active on social media; not only using a hashtag or liking/commenting on a post, but spreading awareness, uplifting voices and creating community that also wants to help. You could also protest in your local community if there are people who organize them. Or even, organize them yourself! There are plenty of ways in which you can be part of the change by exercising your citizenship, such as voting for authorities in places of power who have the opportunity to make a change on a larger scale. In the next video, Gabriel Marmentini shares his 'ingredients' for being an active citizenship and may help you understand what you can do:
Educate yourself!
Being able to find reliable sources that don't spread fallacies or make individuals fall into harmful attitudes regarding topics like climate change is an essential skill to have. For this, it is important that when you're looking for information you question and check if the sources you're accessing meet certain criteria for reliable and dependable sources such as authority and accuracy (Stevenson University, 2024). It is also helpful to develop analyzing skills to detect how they utilize information in different ways, such as through logos, pathos & ethos. The next video describes how to find reliable sources and aspects to take into account when looking for information:
Ng, S. (2024). Easy Ways Individuals can Reduce Consumption. Retrieved from https://www.resonanceglobal.com/blog/easy-ways-individuals-can-reduce-consumption
Nizzoli, G. (2022). Polyester vs Cotton: Is the Latter REALLY More Sustainable? Retrieved from https://www.projectcece.com/blog/546/polyester-vs-cotton-comparison-sustainability/
Peck, H. (2024). What is greenwashing (and how can you spot it)? Retrieved from https://www.ucem.ac.uk/whats-happening/articles/greenwashing/
References
Establish good consumption habits:)
It may be easier said than done, sometimes change can be uncomfortable and weird. But, there are ways in which you, as a consumer, can make changes to your consumption that can have significant impact on your surroundings, changes that can later become habits. One of the first steps you can take is being more intentional and conscious about the things we buy. Ask yourself if you really need it, if you can substitute it with a more sustainable option, if it really is worth it. You can also be part of sustainable practices that tackle overconsumption, such as reusing, recycling, donating, etc. Through this, you can make small changes in your day-to-day life that have a positive impact and that improve your lifestyle (Ng, 2024). In the next link you can find some ways in which you can actively lower your overconsumption habits and be more mindful of the environment: https://www.resonanceglobal.com/blog/easy-ways-individuals-can-reduce-consumption#:~:text=7%20Ways%20Individuals%20Can%20Reduce%20Consumption
While it may be understandable that a company's priority is to get projects going and create revenue (most of the times), it's important to do it the right way, to take the time and consider the correct path of action to get to where you want to arrive. Trying to do it 'the easy way', obtaining certifications but lowering its standards, or seeking certifications that may seem environmentally considerate yet fail to meet what they established can be considered a kind of greenwashing: rallying behind a lower standard, like certain green building certifications that only take into account the emissions from the development of a project and not the operational ones when in use (Peck, 2024). This is why one should be aware of these possible actions so as to not fall into these harmful practices that could cost a company's reputation, its future potential, or even people's jobs.
Why is this wrong?
Stevenson University. (2024). How to Identify Reliable Information. Retrieved from https://www.stevenson.edu/online/about-us/news/how-to-identify-reliable-information/
Vergara, R. (n.d.). Slacktivism as a Detriment to Environmental Progress: How Token Support Benefits Corporate Agendas and Overlooks Inclusivity. Retrieved from http://fycjournal.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/22Slacktivism-as-a-Detriment-to-Environmental-Progress22.pdf
Marquis, M. (2021). Episode 2: Climate Indifference. Retrieved from https://pitcasts.unc.edu/podcast/episode-2-climate-indifference/
MIT Climate Portal. (2024). Is today's climate change similar to the natural warming between ice ages? Retrieved from https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/todays-climate-change-similar-natural-warming-between-ice-ages
References
Shabo, M. (2024). What Is Cherry Picking Fallacy? | Definition & Examples. Retrieved from https://quillbot.com/blog/reasoning/cherry-picking-fallacy/
Peck, H. (2024). What is greenwashing (and how can you spot it)? Retrieved from https://www.ucem.ac.uk/whats-happening/articles/greenwashing/
Dusik, J. & Sadler, B. (2019). What Effect Will Automation Have on the Environment? Retrieved from https://www.iisd.org/articles/automation-environment
References
Sometimes, we can see that our local or federal government handles climate related situations in a way in which we as citizens are painted to be the ones that need change and that need to act, only us. When in truth, several corporations also need to be taken accountable for their environmental impact. This type of belief, that the responsibility to care for the environment falls solely on us citizens, leads to a lack of accountability from corporations who may be doing more harm than us. And in doing so, by turning a blind eye to what they are actually doing, they may be increasing carbon emissions if they're not pressured to disclose their data and face regulation (Smith & Jordan, 2023).
Why is this wrong?