Personal relations for greenies, part two
Home » Blog » Miyuki McGuffie » Personal relations for greenies, part twoIs it possible to be diplomatic while pushing a green agenda? Blogger Miyuki McGuffie continues on the topic of dealing with others in relation to your green lifestyle.
KFC trash photo by Mike Cogh via Flickr
When it comes to your personal life, how far should you take your eco-sensibilities when other people are involved? Most of us know or are in the process of working out the limits and boundaries of our green lifestyles. But how often do we think about these in relation to the people around us? When is it appropriate to put up a fight? Is it okay to point out wasteful behaviour? At what point does encouragement become pushing and informing become preaching?
It’s easy to lose perspective when it comes to environmental conflict on a personal level. Greenies like me carry issues like sustainability and conservation close to our hearts. We are passionate, and believe we hold the key for a better way of living. Some people would often rather go about their business, either not caring or wanting to think about their lifestyle and how it affects the planet. However, day-to-day conflicts are likely to be more subtle than this, being about the little things as opposed to big ideas and lifestyle changes.
For me these are normally a matter of whether to let something slide or not. Other things that need to be considered in an eco-conflict are people’s feelings, personal/social harmony, and the bigger picture (what the possible outcomes of this situation and their consequences are) from all angles.
I live in a boarding type situation with an established young family. Generally they take care of the groceries and we pay them a portion of the cost. While I am aware that I am contributing to groceries containing unethical products and non-recyclable packaging, I have decided to continue to do so. This is because the alternative (buying my own food) won’t stop the consumption of these products, and would only make things more complicated when it comes to sharing and cupboard space. I could always voice my concerns, but I am reluctant to make judgements and assessments on these new friends’ buying habits, considering that they already know what the issues are, and it’s easy to see they have their own limits and boundaries because they tend to a good-sized veggie garden and are avid recyclers.
It can be tough trying to be so level-headed with partners, family and close friends however, because your expectations from these people might be higher, and your emotional involvement might make it difficult to be as reasonable as you could be.
I am currently doing another vegan challenge, this time a vegan year. My partner doesn’t see things exactly the way I do, although he respects my feelings and supports my actions. When he feels like going to KFC but he’s forgotten his wallet and wants to borrow some cash, what should I do? I obviously don’t want to facilitate this exchange, and of all the fast food options, KFC is probably the worst considering the farming conditions of chickens in relation to other meats. By not lending my money, am I furthering the cause or am I merely exerting my will? Withholding my cash based on principal will most likely cause tension between us because the forgotten wallet is purely incidental, and the money, whether coming from my pocket (to be replaced later) or his, is likely to be spent on this deplorable meal either way. What if my partner’s desire for the food was so great that he was willing to drive home to get his wallet, burning more petrol and wasting more time? If this were to happen, I would be to blame for making a bad situation even worse.
Readers, how do you resolve the eco-battles in your personal life? If you take a hard-line approach, how well received is it? Do you ever feel like you’re letting your principals down by being diplomatic? How important do you think it is to cater to or compromise with the non-greens in your life?
