By Sydney Smith

More often than not, responsibility for environmental issues is placed on the general public to fix through individual actions. This is a daunting task, especially when unsustainable choices are the most convenient or incentivized. 

While your everyday actions do have influence, it is important to consider the huge role that corporations play in creating waste. HFS Research estimates that 18 to 23 billion tons of solid waste per year is industrial, whereas consumer waste only accounts for around 2.1 billion tons. In addition, consumer waste consists of trash produced by these industries.

Corporations use strategic messaging to shift blame onto consumers. For example, the measure of one’s “carbon footprint” was originally pushed by the oil company BP. Framing excessive waste or carbon emissions as personal failures allows corporations to abandon any effort to lessen environmental impact. These industries profit off the continued production of waste and face few legal restrictions.

Making small sustainable decisions does have a hand in motivating transformation on a larger scale. Taking advantage of your power as a consumer to refrain from buying single-use items can make a significant difference when done by many. By participating in individual green choices, a sense of agency is gained that encourages environmental hope and communal action. 

Holding polluting industries accountable through collective action will drive sustainable, systemic change. Advocating for education, joining local environmental-centered groups, and supporting eco-events can be helpful when thinking about equity outside of individual choices. You don’t have to do this alone!