The Carbon Footprint of Living

Lifestyle environmentalism requires us to make more meaningful choices in our daily routines to protect the planet. As revealed by our Element of Culture, Shadow World, there are benign everyday activities that can have unexpected, and often harmful effects on the environment. For example, the internet is responsible for around 3% of global carbon emissions, which is roughly the same amount as aviation. And “healthier” food options like organic meats are often worse for the environment, as they produce more greenhouse gas emissions than non-organic meats. Yet, are individual consumers to blame for their lifestyle choices? 

Over the past few months, we’ve seen an explosion of conversations online about whether the responsibility of protecting the environment falls on individuals or large corporations. sparks & honey Advisory Board member Dr. Nathan Walworth said, “You should always support whatever you want with your values as much as you can. But most of the issues are coming from a small proportion of companies that have immense power and thus public pressure is critical.”

Fortunately, as more and more consumers begin to scrutinize companies on their environmental practices, policy-makers and key opinion leaders are taking notice. The UK’s competition watchdog is now penalizing brands using greenwashing claims. The adoption of circular economies and regenerative agriculture is taking place all around the world. Though the net impact of such initiatives remains unclear, growing cultural commitment to reversing climate change hints at the possibility of a greener future.

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