Green fatigue, and the coming green crash
Stephen Balogh has written an excellent piece for Groovy Green entitled Green Fatigue. It's about the fading of that initial "green buzz" that people feel when they get turned on to environmentalism, green living, and other worthy themes of our times. People make some lifestyle changes, get interested in reading new blogs and books, and meet new people that are fun and exciting.
But then, as will happen in life, these things become a bit routine. We have been living off the "high" that comes from any change, any new thing in our lives. Green reveals itself to be just one more passion-- like the time we thought we were going to learn Italian, or when we resolved to get really good at tennis, or when we discovered online investment and started a portfolio that we were going to track every week.
Even projects that are started with great enthusiasm have a tendency to peter out, don't they?
Don't worry, this is very human. It happens quite often, and it need not be a source of guilt or self judgment. You're not a bad person because you have unused Italian tapes sitting on your bookshelf, and you're pretty sure you're never going to get up the gusto to go through them. It is important to ackowledge the fatigue.
In fact, this sort of thing happens on many levels. Businesses, societies, and countries also go through fads, cycles, and passions that come and then go. And it is occurring in the case of "green" activities too. Right now the venture capital community is enamored with photovoltaics (solar energy) technology, as well as other "clean tech," as it's called. Billions are being invested.
Previous fads have been the dot-com boom and biotechnology. Both of these resulted in initial busts/crashes, followed by a slow regathering of energy that may actually produce some viable businesses.
It will be the same with environmental businesses. Right now, this is a hot trend, but -- mark my words -- it will crash. People and institutions will get fatigued. Those seeking short-term results will realize that this is a long-term effort, and will get disillusioned. You mean we actually have to work at this? It doesn't just appear automatically after I get all excited about it?
No, it doesn't. It takes a long time. It takes genuine effort. And it will take some uncomfortable changes. It isn't just about buying organic fair-trade coffee and kicking back in a sustainably-produced eco-chair in your comfortable house.
But after the "green crash" (which is unfortunately coming around the time I finish my degree in Sustainable Business), we will slowly enter a phase that is more genuine and less trendy. Those who are willing to stick with sustainability for the long haul will start to have success in making substantial changes that actually matter.
As one commentator on Groovy Green stated: It's like dieting. A lot of people diet hoping for the quick fix, and end up jumping from trend to trend. They lose a little bit, then find themselves unable to maintain it. For them, "green" is just one more thing to be enamored with for a little while. Others understand that altering their bodies (or the global economy and our attitude about the environment) takes a little more effort than that, and isn't quite as comfortable as reading a book and having a special shake for breakfast.
It's OK to be fatigued. Let it come: that is a normal "let-down" response after the initial high of doing something exciting, fun, and new. But don't get caught in the fatigue. Pick yourself up and keep going. Dare to have the longer-term vision. We'll get there, especially if we do it together.
But then, as will happen in life, these things become a bit routine. We have been living off the "high" that comes from any change, any new thing in our lives. Green reveals itself to be just one more passion-- like the time we thought we were going to learn Italian, or when we resolved to get really good at tennis, or when we discovered online investment and started a portfolio that we were going to track every week.
Even projects that are started with great enthusiasm have a tendency to peter out, don't they?
Don't worry, this is very human. It happens quite often, and it need not be a source of guilt or self judgment. You're not a bad person because you have unused Italian tapes sitting on your bookshelf, and you're pretty sure you're never going to get up the gusto to go through them. It is important to ackowledge the fatigue.
In fact, this sort of thing happens on many levels. Businesses, societies, and countries also go through fads, cycles, and passions that come and then go. And it is occurring in the case of "green" activities too. Right now the venture capital community is enamored with photovoltaics (solar energy) technology, as well as other "clean tech," as it's called. Billions are being invested.
Previous fads have been the dot-com boom and biotechnology. Both of these resulted in initial busts/crashes, followed by a slow regathering of energy that may actually produce some viable businesses.
It will be the same with environmental businesses. Right now, this is a hot trend, but -- mark my words -- it will crash. People and institutions will get fatigued. Those seeking short-term results will realize that this is a long-term effort, and will get disillusioned. You mean we actually have to work at this? It doesn't just appear automatically after I get all excited about it?
No, it doesn't. It takes a long time. It takes genuine effort. And it will take some uncomfortable changes. It isn't just about buying organic fair-trade coffee and kicking back in a sustainably-produced eco-chair in your comfortable house.
But after the "green crash" (which is unfortunately coming around the time I finish my degree in Sustainable Business), we will slowly enter a phase that is more genuine and less trendy. Those who are willing to stick with sustainability for the long haul will start to have success in making substantial changes that actually matter.
As one commentator on Groovy Green stated: It's like dieting. A lot of people diet hoping for the quick fix, and end up jumping from trend to trend. They lose a little bit, then find themselves unable to maintain it. For them, "green" is just one more thing to be enamored with for a little while. Others understand that altering their bodies (or the global economy and our attitude about the environment) takes a little more effort than that, and isn't quite as comfortable as reading a book and having a special shake for breakfast.
It's OK to be fatigued. Let it come: that is a normal "let-down" response after the initial high of doing something exciting, fun, and new. But don't get caught in the fatigue. Pick yourself up and keep going. Dare to have the longer-term vision. We'll get there, especially if we do it together.
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