Within my lifetime, hell, even within the last few years, there’s been a major push in sustainability and we’ve managed to get scores of folks to go green.
But while it’s clear that a great chunk of millennials value the future of our planet enough to make environmentally friendly changes to their lifestyle, convincing the older generation to get on board can be pretty darn difficult.
With Pedestrian.TV’s Sustainability Month in full swing, you will have seen loads of helpful pieces on how to make good enviro choices, but even if every single young person gets involved, the damage is still being done by the stubborn-ass older gen.
Here, I’ve pulled together some helpful hints to assist you in talking your folks, grandparents, neighbours, teachers, bosses etc into giving a damn about our planet.
Be assertive but don’t be an ass
People generally don’t respond well to being forced or shamed into making lifestyle changes.
So if your method of getting boomers to go green is by discarding all the plastic in their home without their consent or booing them every time they waste water, they’re probz not going to budge on the matter.
Instead, offer some handy hints on how they can do better, environmentally speaking.
Which leads me to my next point…
Explain how goddamn easy it is to go green
A big problem with the older gen is that they think changing their ways will be a huge imposition for them.
Simply explain how bloody easy it is to carry green bags in your car when grocery shopping, rather than using plastic bags.
Or maybe buy your mum a KeepCup that she can carry around whenever she needs a caffeine hit, instead of buying a new paper cup every time.
Lead by example
It’s nature’s sick joke that kids end up parenting their parents, and the same applies here.
When your folks come to visit, casually drop into convo that you unplug your devices when you aren’t using them so you don’t waste electricity and be quick to shut off your taps after use.
If they see that you’re living the green life and not being inconvenienced in the slightest, they’ll be more inclined to follow suit.
Educate! Educate! Educate!
Another big reason why I reckon a lot of folks have yet to go green is because they don’t realise random little everyday habits are doing serious harm to the environment.
It’s our job as the informed generation to educate the oldies on why our bad behaviour needs to change.
But the thing is, no one likes to be preached to, especially in a negative way – so try offering advice, but with a positive spin on it.
For example, instead of saying: “How could you wash your clothes with hot water? Do you KNOW that you’re leaving a major global footprint?”
Perhaps try: “Did you know that you could easily lessen your total energy use AND greenhouse gas emissions by washing your clothes with cold water? Cool, huh?”
Need some helpful facts to rattle out? We’ve got ya covered, boo.
Here are some facts on saving the planet from the comfort of your home, foods that are bad for the planet, and things travellers do that are harming the environment.
Be patient with the oldies
Ya know that age-old saying, ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’?
Well that’s bullshit. If your folks can figure out how to share their rants on Facebook and binge-watch movies on Netflix, they can learn to make eco-friendly choices.
But after a lifetime of constantly having the lights on in their home, it’s gonna take time for them to remember to switch ’em off whenever they leave the room.
Drop helpful reminders whenever you can but also be patient with them. Breaking old habits can be tough and growth takes time.
