by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
It just is not stopping, the total madness of greensumption, the replacement of ordinary consumption.
Time and again we have bamboo advertised by green vendors as “green”, “environmentally friendly”, etc., when it is neither and we still have the totally useless “Eco-Button” being sold at around $18. Folks, that thing does what your PC's sleep function does, no more.
And these are but a few of the things that are going on and I don't know whether I should scream or just shoot a few merchants (no, I am not actually contemplating that as I am rather short of ammo).
I have yet to find a green trader who is not on the same bandwagon as all stores; that of trying to get people to spend, spend, and spend even more, though in this case on “green” products.
It does seem to matter not as to who the merchant is, they are all up to the same; namely that of screwing the green consumer.
The mindset of the high street has also filtered through, lock, stock and barrel, to the green corridor, and the same tactics are being employed.
I could name trader after vendor and online store but won't do that, for the moment at least. It could come to that at some other time though for we are getting too far down the road by now.
Had we not wanted to do away with that kind of consumerism and the economy of more, more and more when the green movement started?
As far as I can remember, and I think I can remember further, it would seem, than many of the greenies in the movement now, that is what our aim was. Shame it all went down the tube.
We must get back on track and sort the green movement out and smother greensumption now before it gets completely out of control and becomes but a green version of consumption and consumerism.
Or is it too late already?
Personally I am rather concerned, nay scared, that in fact it may be, as the green consumerism seems to be rolling along like an avalanche with no one being able to stop it.
Don't get me wrong. I do like all the efforts of recycling this and that and even to such an extent that they are salable products but there are so many products that are given green credentials which they do not deserve, and bamboo, whether flooring or clothing, is one of them.
Also I have a problem with the likes of the “beltlace” (recycled product), which is little more than a piece of old rope and a few offcuts of wood, painted, selling for £75 and the “recycled bottle vase”, which is no more than a simple wine bottle wrapped with colored cotton string (something Hippie kids did in the early 70's), selling for £35. And this is but a small collection where greensumption is going stupid. Then again should greensumption have ever started?
© 2010
