Comments on: Conspicuous conscience

By: Stan

Stan — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:40:46 +0000

Starre,

My utmost apologies, I had not intended to brand you as Nouveau Righteous. If you hover your mouse over the link you’ll see my comment, “Though Eco-Chick is always in season…” I see your voice as the evergreen conifer in an often deciduous forest that changes its leaves far too often.

In short, I completely agree with your comment and I’ll rewrite the paragraph to be more obviously respectful to your site.

By: Starre

Starre — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 05:23:41 +0000

I have to take issue with the fact that you linked to my blog as an example of Nouveau Rightousness. As a blogger you know how much time it takes to post regularly, and I run the blog with 8 other women who take the time out of their days, without pay or for any reason except that they care, to fill our readers in on environmental news and information that yes, includes (gasp!!) some fashion, some food, some fun, and some serious stuff too. Who says that to have green cred you have to be serious all the time? Let me tell you, I’ve gone the serious route- I worked as an environmental scientist- and nobody cares unless you make subjects relevant to their lives. Take your cynical critiques somewhere else. I believe I can make a difference, and from the history of social change I know that all change comes from a diversity of ideas and perspectives.

And I don’t know what kind of bubble you’re living in, but ‘everyone’ is most certainly not checking their clothing labels to see where/how/from what their stuff is made. If only that were the case, we would see some real change in the clothing industry. In fact, that’s just what I’m trying to do.

By: Stan

Stan — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 02:45:21 +0000

I don't consider the (RED) campaign as sustainable capitalism. I love my iPod, don't get me wrong, but it's not green in any color it comes in. The idea that buying an inherently dirty product and somehow whitewashing it by sending a portion of the profits to a charity doesn't work for me. What is impressive is that "ethics" is fast becoming a differentiation criteria for so many consumers (a phenomenon that market activism has promoted). I don't think we'd see lists like Inc's Green 50 a generation ago. Which brings us back to (RED) and why I think that it's a kinda lame attempt to exploit the progress that capitalism has legitimately made.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 19:04:12 +0000

ok, so then, let’s connect this to your post on post-capitalism. When initiatives like (RED) are the direction “sustainable capitalism” is being driven, i have my doubts that markets activism is working.