The ethics of sustainability.

The organisers of Earth Day 2022 on April 22nd call for “unstoppable courage” to act boldly, innovate broadly, and implement equitably.

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We agree. Ethical marketing has to include a look at sustainability.

There are a few aspects to examine, including:

1. Our responsibility: The carbon footprint of the internet, starting with our own websites.
2. Longevity: Building our organisation so it lasts and doing this by taking care of each other first.
3. Greenwashing: Trying to look ‘green’ without actually being green, aka: not walking the talk.
4. The system: How shaming individuals’ actions rather than those of corporations benefit the profitable ‘eco market’.

There’s so much to say about these and the rest of the huge list of topics to explore. We are most interested in the shaming of individuals for something that isn’t their responsibility – all in the name of profit generation.

First of all, shaming the individual is part of our oppressive system.

A green lifestyle is not universally accessible. Economically marginalised people are often priced out of buying sustainable products which cost more. There are legitimate reasons why people with medical reasons may need to buy things such as prepared food in what others may see as excessive plastic.

We need to break free from the loop of misinformation that claims sustainability is about straws or plastic bags. Yes, of course that’s part of it.

But we need the system to change.

We need companies to improve their existing production rather than invest ‘eco’ lines that capitalise on the guilty conscience of shoppers. We want to see companies embrace ethical marketing and find new, innovative, sustainable ways to sell their stuff.

As an organisation, we believe in doing our best to reduce our footprint while we keep pointing at the shaming tactics used to sell ‘green’ products.