Sustainability Sunday: Talking About Sustainability Without Coming Off Preachy

Whether you’re new to sustainable living or a seasoned eco-warrior, we’re here to help you on your journey to Going Green in Beijing. Every week, we’ll bring you China-centric eco-friendly news and tips in our column, Sustainability Sunday!

Last week, we introduced the Shanghai-based eco-conscious platform BOOMI, which features more than 50 local brands and businesses covering sustainability needs, information, and services. Today, we ask BOOMI founders Emmanuel Dean and Miguel Boy to share the dos and don’ts of spreading the sustainability gospel to our friends and family, without being too preachy.

Be humble

You didn’t pop out of your mother’s womb as the world’s most sustainable human – let’s be honest, you’ve done your fair share of polluting. Be real about some of the challenges of sustainability. Emphasizing how much you have learned about your habits and the process of changing them – the good and the bad – can make the other person feel less intimidated. Recognize and appreciate that there may be barriers to what the other person can change about their current lifestyle that may not apply to you. Instead, offer alternative solutions, or support.

Don’t say: “I haven’t ordered waimai in over a year. I don’t understand why people are so addicted to it.”

Do say: “It was really difficult for me to give up ordering waimai! It’s so convenient and easy, but I knew it was creating too much unnecessary waste. Last year I made a commitment to either dine-in or make my own food. It was really challenging at first and I wanted to give up, but it became easier over time. I know with your schedule it might not be possible, but I can share with you some of my tips if you want to try it for a few days per week.”

Don’t attack

Instead of talking about all the things your friend/family member is doing wrong, talk about what you’ve been trying to do right – introduce sustainability as something you’re interested in and passionate about. Leading by example and providing easy ways to make an impact can be the most effective way to drive interest and action from the people who care about you.

Don’t say: “Karen, I can’t believe you’re using those disposable cotton face wipes. Don’t you know that those are pilling up in landfills all over the world?”

Do Say: “Check out these reusable face wipes I ordered the other day! You can use them for more than one year, eliminating a massive amount of waste that is pilling up in landfills. I’ve been trying to cut down on my impact lately and have really enjoyed some of the solutions I found.”

Provide small, actionable tips

You wouldn’t tell your friend/family member to run a marathon if she/he has never run a 10K. It’s the same with changing your habits to be more sustainable! A sustainable lifestyle doesn’t have to be complicated, nor unachievable, but small actions each day, from many people, can add up to a big impact.

Don’t say: “I challenge you to eliminate all single-use plastic from your life, starting today.”

Do say: “How about switching out all plastic bags for a reusable one. It’s best to keep one at your office and one at the house so you can always have it handy if you end up going shopping.”

You’re better together

It’s much easier (and more fun!) to make changes to your lifestyle when you have a group of people to hold you accountable. Create monthly challenges among your group to limit purchases of new clothing, reduce plastic waste, or switch to sustainable products – make a chat group, send photos and support each other.

Don’t say: “You should stop buying so many new clothes, the fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world.”

Do say: “I love shopping, but I know that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, do you want to do a challenge with me? Let’s commit to six months without buying any new piece of clothing. We can do a weekly check-in, and text each other each time we have the urge to buy something so that we hold each other accountable.”

Scan the QR code below to find out more about BOOMI. Don’t forget that as part of the Boomi Forest Initiative, 8.8 percent of their revenue is donated to planting trees in Inner Mongolia!