In the past few decades, environmental issues have skyrocketed, concerning people across the globe who are dedicated to mitigating damage done to the planet. However, in the complex web of modern consumerism, the discourse around climate change, and discrepancies in environmental equity, the responsibility often falls on consumers themselves, rather than multi-million-dollar corporations responsible for a vast majority of pollution. Australian philosopher Glenn Albrecht first described this phenomenon by coining the term “eco-anxiety” (more commonly known now as “eco-guilt”) that references the stress individuals feel to perform as sustainably as possible—and the subsequent guilt that follows as they realize they are unable to do so. Profit-driven conglomerates have a special interest in promoting eco-guilt as a way of deflecting responsibility for their own detrimental practices.
Advertising and marketing are key to creating a successful company, and major corporations utilize these tools to perpetuate eco-guilt. Targeted campaigns paint products as sustainable, even when they often create the same amount of pollution as other seemingly “worse” options. For example, Starbucks switched from plastic straws to strawless cups to seem environmentally conscious; however, more plastic was used to manufacture these strawless cups. This tactic is commonly used to sell reusable bags and organic food, reeling consumers in since they truly believe that their actions will help the environment. Similarly, during a 2015 marketing campaign boasting low emissions, Volkswagen was caught fabricating emissions tests, allowing cars to emit over forty times more nitrous oxide than the federal limit. While both Starbucks and Volkwagen advertised their morally superior sustainable business choices, both companies failed to deliver on their promises, simply resorting to lying to consumers.
Companies shift the responsibility of sustainability to consumer practices to take themselves completely out of the question. The environmental cost of raw materials, hefty manufacturing processes, and more are all left unreported; companies worry that consumers would understand how much pollution is truly caused and would subsequently stop buying these products altogether. However, capitalism thrives off of consumerism; this constant cycle of buying and discarding products might contribute to the depletion of natural resources, but it simultaneously supplements profit. Ironically, companies advertising their products as “eco-friendly” are banking on the fact that consumers will buy more out of guilt, instead of recycling older products.
While individuals are constantly berated on their heavy reliance on plastic straws, single-use plastics, and more, the Carbon Majors Database reports that the top one hundred most profitable companies across the globe are responsible for 71% of global greenhouse gas emissions since 1998. Strategically framing environmental responsibility as an individual choice, corporations deflect attention from the systemic and capitalist issues that cause pollution, instead placing an emotional burden on the consumer. Ordinary citizens who don’t have the money to pay extra for sustainable choices are left to bear the weight of eco-guilt. Recognizing the true culprits of pollution and forcing them to take accountability is the first step to mitigating the climate crisis and shifting “eco-guilt” to those responsible.
