Everyone
blames coal and oil companies for the current situation regarding climate
change. There is always seems to be this focus on companies who care for
nothing more than their bottom line. As I have said previously, everyone is so
willing to place the blame on someone else in an attempt to avoid actual change
themselves.
Now I am not a great defender of big
oil, but I argue that they are not the ones we should be blaming. The ones at
fault are us, the consumers. If there was not a market for these resources, no
one would be selling them. There is a reason you will not find cassette tapes
at Walmart.
If we the consumer want change, then
we have to ask for it. We have to make conscious choices about the things we
purchase. This means we are going to have to really understand the brands we
are choosing to support. Brands follow the trends set by the consumer. If the
consumer demands transparency and sustainability, the brands will deliver.
This, I argue, is where the
individual can make a huge impact on the environment. It is so difficult for an
individual to make any impact on the global environment though laws and
regulations. The government of Zimbabwe does not care about the opinion of some
random Hoosier in law school. But Coca-Cola cares, because I represent their
customer base.
Consumers communicate can with
companies in two ways. One, with your dollars. Buy from brands that put
emphasis on the same values you do. Even big companies like Budweiser are
taking steps to be more environmentally conscious because consumers demand it.
Two, communicate with actual words. I email companies any time I feel they
could make a change to be more sustainable. They always write back. Granted,
some of the responses are nothing more than a brush off. However, some of them
have been legitimate responses to my concerns. One such company told me they
were considering changes similar to what I was suggesting but were gauging
consumer interest. Meaning the email, I sent may have had some impact with that
particular company.
My conclusion is that consumers
choices have a significant impact on the environment. When consumers demand
that companies do better, they will. Companies want to earn money, so they will
move fast to implement changes that consumers are looking for. This will have a
greater impact on the environment, in a faster time frame than waiting for the
law to catch up.