Is Environmentalism Just Another Trend?
Photography by Emily King
The Earth is having a serious moment right now. Climate activist Greta Thunberg led an estimated 4 million people from all over the world—even Antarctica—in the Sept. 20 climate strikes. It was the largest climate strike to grace the planet, ever. In 2018, 56 million women are said to have bought second hand, up 12 million more people than the year before. Environmentalism is picking up popularity around the world. It’s the hottest new trend, but is that really a good thing?
Ashly Ibarra ‘22, a journalism major and ambassador for Sustainable Emerson, says, “I feel like performative activism is something that we face now, as the modern era.” Performative activism promotes environmentalism for clout, rather than the planet.
Recent runway fashion and streetwear brands are becoming more “eco-conscious” as the popularity of those issues becomes increasingly mainstream. Prada recently came out with a line of regenerated nylon bags, Re-Nylon, using only materials recycled and purified from ocean plastic, fishing nets, and textile waste. They use classic silhouettes from the brand, formatted with new patches and materials. Stella McCartney, Michael Kors, Versace, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren all refuse to use authentic fur or leather. Mara Hoffman uses recycled fabrics and sustainable packaging.
“I know Nasty Gal has released this new line of new sustainable vintage clothing,” Ibarra says, but Nasty Gal, the inspiration behind the Netflix series Girlboss, faced significant backlash because of their frequent fast fashion tactics. “Those clothes that they produce [though sustainably made], are going to end up in the trash, too.”
Many brands are making new vintage-inspired clothes or adding plant patterns to their fabrics. It’s evoking environmental imagery without actual action. It’s performative activism.
Ibarra explains that though people often share on social media as if they understand the environment, they don’t truly know how to take action. “They’ll say ‘save the earth,’ but the next day of the next week, not mention it at all anymore.”
Sustainable Emerson is one of the groups on campus trying to bridge the gap within the population’s consciousness, embracing those who want to learn more about the environment, turning performative activism into actual change.
But even when supporters listen to those talking about the environment, the majority implement small changes that don’t require much effort. They don't invest deeply in the planet and consider the reality that every aspect of their actions--throwing away clothes, contributing to the fast fashion industry--affects the world around them. Americans now buy a third more clothes than they did 25 years ago, and yet the number of Americans that worry about climate change has only gone up.
The average American throws away 80 lbs of clothing a year, sending a total of 26 billion pounds of textiles to landfills. When the textiles break down, they produce methane, a greenhouse gas that is 30 times more potent than CO2. Only about 15 percent of textiles were recycled in 2015.
“I also see a lot of people who like to thrift, but then still support big brands,” Ibarra says. “That’s going to end up in the garbage… So you purchasing that shirt from Primark or from Zara or from Forever 21 is kind of you supporting that, so it’s also an environmental issue and also a human rights issue.”
And while the appearance of sweatshops in the fashion industry has gone down, it’s still a huge component of the industry, Michael Hobbes of the Huffington Post reports, just not in the same places as before. As the industry has expanded, its dark, illegal underbelly receded deeper into the shadows, to places that don’t get as many eyeballs and have as much opportunity to boycott. Hobbes claims “The hard part, it turned out, is that these structures aren’t designed to make factories take better care of their workers. They’re designed to make factories look like they are.” So those new Nikes you bought are still built by someone half your age, just now from a place you’ve never heard of.
In order for this culture of convenience and performative activism to stop, people need to put more thought into the things that they buy on a daily basis, and how they use the things that they do. Put your money where your mouth is. Don’t tweet about the world—save it.