I’ve never heard of ‘upcycling consumerism’ before...
OK, maybe we created a new word then. But it is interesting to think about ‘upcycling’ and ‘consumerism’ together.
Upcycling and consumerism are seemingly in direct opposition to each other. And if we had to decide on a winner (say, in Toronto), consumerism is likely to come out on top.
Would you rather…
: turn your sweater into a scarf or buy a new one?
: look for second hand furniture or visit your local IKEA?
For many, the choices are pretty clear. But perhaps we don’t always have to choose. Being environmentally-responsible shouldn’t feel like this all-or-nothing situation. Could we potentially harness this consumerism ‘devilry’ for good?
Here we consider ‘upcycling consumerism’ as a concept for improving consumption (particularly in urban centres) rather than fighting completely against it. In other words, let’s recycle the idea of consumerism and turn it into something better.
Re-framing consumerism to place value on the quality of consumption may provide more realistic and transitional solutions, as demonstrated by Certified B Corporations, green retailers and circular businesses. This would certainly bode well for those of us not quite ready to take that deep dive into minimalism.
But can I really make a difference?
How modest of you to think that you couldn’t. As individual consumers, we have the purchasing power to be the next trend setters. We can start placing more and more value on goods and services that have positive environmental, social and economic impacts. Demand and you shall receive.
Here are some ways the Evoke Creatives team likes to upcycle consumerism:
Practice purpose-driven fashion. We revel in that sense of pride when wearing unique, ethical and upcycled clothing instead of fearing someone else is wearing that same outfit from Forever 21.
Support local food growers. This helps connect us to our food; and we continue to gain an appreciation for the seasonality and energy requirements of production.
Be mindful when buying cleaning products. The optics of higher costs and inconvenience seem like life threatening hurdles, so we always start small. For instance, start using a different laundry detergent and get into the routine of re-filling it, instead of buying a whole new jug.
Before attending events, send an email to the organizers asking if their event is environmentally-friendly, like supporting local vendors or having zero waste facilities. If they hear this from more patrons, it will influence their planning of future events.
Make it a habit to use reusable items instead of disposable ones. Some easy switches are reusable water bottles and coffee filters, beeswax food wraps, stainless steel straws, and silicon bowl lids! Save money and some.
Earth Day Top 40
Music artists can lead the way in setting the trends that people follow. We believe artists have that power to engage their followers and inspire sustainable lifestyles. It is no secret that media culture - music, TV and film - is now the dominant form of culture that socializes us. This socialization shapes how we think, feel, and act, therefore providing a blueprint for our behavior; in this case, our behaviour towards the environment.
Who is coldplay?
If you don’t know, perhaps you are immune to the influence of media culture #goals.
Two years ago, Coldplay lent their platform and fan base to a UK organization called ClientEarth. ClientEarth had launched a #No2DirtyAir photo petition with the slogan “Make air pollution visible – post a selfie”. With one simple Public Relations bit, Coldplay generated huge support on social media for this cause, while also acquiring new fans that supported this type of environmental advocacy.** Following this photo petition, ClientEarth’s environmental lawyers brought a wave of legal action to European politicians, demanding the right to breathe clean air.
For Earth Day Top 40, we call on music and spoken word artists in Canada to create and inspire others to think about the environment. As a community, we can show that small individual actions can result in large collective impact.