Climate change is the most important issue of our time, no matter what generation we are in! As a boomer, I feel guilty for what my generation is bequeathing . . . but my youngest son, with Bill McKibben and others, helped found 350.org, a climate change organization, so at least indirectly I have helped. My son and I also got arrested protesting a pipeline: a great bonding experience!
It's also important to be aware that the fossil fuel industry has created a narrative intended to shift blame for the crisis on individuals (I believe it was BP who invented the term carbon footprint). So .... while cutting down on meat, driving an electric car, composting etc is helpful ... there are systemic actions equally important to take, including powering the global movement to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for its denialism, greenwashing, and outright lies that have us swimming in this mess! Find orgs you think are doing good work, take action with them, fund them ... particularly organizations led by frontline communities and geared towards advancing climate justice. Thanks Eleanor for this!!! Love from across the pond .... Melissa
Hey darling how nice to hear from you!!! Hope all is well, are you in the US? Totally agree about the oil companies... big part of the reason that this hasn't been taken seriously earlier. How are you ? How are your Queenager years? xxx E
yes i am, for better or worse! i'm loving all your Queenager missives (all have been deeply resonant for me) as well as the term QUEENAGER itself which is just pure brilliance. i'm enjoying this chapter of life -- performing, writing, teaching yoga, and working part-time in climate justice work ... when i'm next in Blighty, i'd love to see you xoxoox
they don't mind second-hand because all their favourite platforms are jumping on 're-sale' trend, which is good, without a doubt - but credit here has to go to previous generations who 'pioneered it' .)
It does us all good to be properly educated about environmental effect of the clothes we wear, but I would also add that we need to focus on natural fibres - buying wool, as opposed to cashmere, is becoming trickier, while synthetics are more & more widely available.
And I couldn't agree more with you that young need to experiment with life and fashion and beauty, like we did. I just think that while we support them, we also need to pass our life experience and knowledge, rather than generations being pinned against each other. It seems that older generations are increasingly blamed for all the shortcomings, while not being given enough credit for wisdom they do indeed process and pass on. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your reply Tiffanie
Well said Eleanor and some great actions here, about switching suppliers and pensions etc. Ultimately we all need to move through the world in a less impactful way. Walk and cycle, buy only what we need, dial back the consumerism. Weirdly, in my tiny 4month experiment Im finding the whole experience so much more enjoyable. Bye bye consumer age, your time is done. Looking forward to wednesday immensely!
Thanks Tiff! See you soon. And totally agree on walking more lightly through the world. We can all make a difference - through changing our own behaviour and lobbying governments
In some ways I find it unjust that all the blame for environmental damage has been laid at the door of the older generations - our grandmothers and mothers had to be thrifty with clothes, making them from magazine patters and 'pioneering' secondhand/vintage stores. There is loyalty to products and brands, when younger generations, fuelled by social media, hardly have loyalty and move with a speed of light from one skincare marvel to another, relying on marketing pitches rather than substantiated claims. Yes, we are responsible for overproduction and damage to nature, but younger generations have plenty of their own shortcomings in that respect too
well yes but they also dont mind second hand and used, many of them buying from Depop etc. They also share all their clothes (like we used to) and unlike us are being educated in a way that they understand the environmental impact of their choices. I think many of them are still blithe about all of this but in a way we owe it to them to support them being young and experimental. We had that time too.
Climate change is the most important issue of our time, no matter what generation we are in! As a boomer, I feel guilty for what my generation is bequeathing . . . but my youngest son, with Bill McKibben and others, helped found 350.org, a climate change organization, so at least indirectly I have helped. My son and I also got arrested protesting a pipeline: a great bonding experience!
It's also important to be aware that the fossil fuel industry has created a narrative intended to shift blame for the crisis on individuals (I believe it was BP who invented the term carbon footprint). So .... while cutting down on meat, driving an electric car, composting etc is helpful ... there are systemic actions equally important to take, including powering the global movement to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for its denialism, greenwashing, and outright lies that have us swimming in this mess! Find orgs you think are doing good work, take action with them, fund them ... particularly organizations led by frontline communities and geared towards advancing climate justice. Thanks Eleanor for this!!! Love from across the pond .... Melissa
Hey darling how nice to hear from you!!! Hope all is well, are you in the US? Totally agree about the oil companies... big part of the reason that this hasn't been taken seriously earlier. How are you ? How are your Queenager years? xxx E
yes i am, for better or worse! i'm loving all your Queenager missives (all have been deeply resonant for me) as well as the term QUEENAGER itself which is just pure brilliance. i'm enjoying this chapter of life -- performing, writing, teaching yoga, and working part-time in climate justice work ... when i'm next in Blighty, i'd love to see you xoxoox
they don't mind second-hand because all their favourite platforms are jumping on 're-sale' trend, which is good, without a doubt - but credit here has to go to previous generations who 'pioneered it' .)
It does us all good to be properly educated about environmental effect of the clothes we wear, but I would also add that we need to focus on natural fibres - buying wool, as opposed to cashmere, is becoming trickier, while synthetics are more & more widely available.
And I couldn't agree more with you that young need to experiment with life and fashion and beauty, like we did. I just think that while we support them, we also need to pass our life experience and knowledge, rather than generations being pinned against each other. It seems that older generations are increasingly blamed for all the shortcomings, while not being given enough credit for wisdom they do indeed process and pass on. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your reply Tiffanie
Well said Eleanor and some great actions here, about switching suppliers and pensions etc. Ultimately we all need to move through the world in a less impactful way. Walk and cycle, buy only what we need, dial back the consumerism. Weirdly, in my tiny 4month experiment Im finding the whole experience so much more enjoyable. Bye bye consumer age, your time is done. Looking forward to wednesday immensely!
Thanks Tiff! See you soon. And totally agree on walking more lightly through the world. We can all make a difference - through changing our own behaviour and lobbying governments
In some ways I find it unjust that all the blame for environmental damage has been laid at the door of the older generations - our grandmothers and mothers had to be thrifty with clothes, making them from magazine patters and 'pioneering' secondhand/vintage stores. There is loyalty to products and brands, when younger generations, fuelled by social media, hardly have loyalty and move with a speed of light from one skincare marvel to another, relying on marketing pitches rather than substantiated claims. Yes, we are responsible for overproduction and damage to nature, but younger generations have plenty of their own shortcomings in that respect too
well yes but they also dont mind second hand and used, many of them buying from Depop etc. They also share all their clothes (like we used to) and unlike us are being educated in a way that they understand the environmental impact of their choices. I think many of them are still blithe about all of this but in a way we owe it to them to support them being young and experimental. We had that time too.