Six great reasons not to go green: reason four – I’m not a damn hippie
December 28, 2008 by Jennifer
Here’s the deal; just because you believe in green living doesn’t mean you need to move into a tree, co-op housing, or an off-grid home. You don’t have to wear peace buttons and amber oil, grow dreads, or smoke the green stuff.
I think there’s a collection of people who think that green means a specific fashion or lifestyle is required, or that if they live green, people will assume they’re into this kind of stuff. The truth is that anyone can or cannot live green. Trust me, I lived in hippie Humboldt land, and not everyone was all that green. You can wear a business suit and be ethical and green.
In a general sense, I think we need to lose the old-school culture based ideas about green vs. the hippies.
What’s your take on this excuse?
[image via stock.xchng]
AMEN SISTA! I don’t know how many times people have called me a hippie or a treehugger extroadonaire or something along those lines. I’m not offended, whatever those are just words, but c’mon. Using my own bag at stores? Riding the city bus? These things just make sense. The bus is cheaper. The bag is nice b/c then I don’t get a ton of plastic bags, for which I have no use. Using rags/towels, hankies or cloth diapers? Cheaper, less waste. Using a push mower? Cheaper, better exercise. So actually I think I would say that I’m frugal, maybe even selfish or lazy but trying to pigeon hole me into a cultural term or social group is not necessary. Like you said, anyone can be conscious and take a few steps that are comfortable for them. There are lots of ways/levels or whatever to be green…I don’t think most people would look at me and think I fit into the stereotype. Either way, I’m where I am. I hope to move forward eventually but it really doesn’t matter how people judge me – I’m not doing it for them =) Ok, I realize I may have sounded a little nasty through all that, and I’m sorry – that wasn’t my intention! Just trying to add my 99cents =)
I know – people call me a hippie all the time. Actually, I guess it’s not a totally inept term for me in a purely stereotypical sense; I mean I do wear ‘that’ kind of clothing and have the long hair and stuff, but that’s all it is, is a stereotypical, it’s not related to me or green living at all. BUT every time I mention green issues folks say, oh, you’re so hippie… sigh. I just ignore it.
Well, being that this is the Tree Hugging Family, hippies are the ones who’ve started most of these movements. Enviromentalists, tree huggers, bunny huggers, vegitarians, and greenies, just to name a few, were all hippies in the beginning, so no one will ever distinguish any difference with this social stereotype. I believe that is going to hinder recruitment efforts but at the same time will help recruitment within the college crowd.
I think going ‘green’ is great, though I’m sure my definition would be much different than most of the mainstream greenies. I’d say I’m more ‘green’ than most of’em and yet I don’t believe in this global warming nonsense. My reasons differ from the mainstream aswell. I am not a hippie, greenie, bunny hugger, or the like. I’m just me.
Most ppl would and do judge me as one of these stereotypes by first glance, which is fine, because I know who and what I am so F’em.
This is great everywhere i look people are going to the extreme to go green. WHOA im just 19 i cant afford all the stuff but simple things like reusing bags is a great way for me to start that state of mind. thankyou