Not long time ago, I was walking through a small park near the Gemeentehuis in Antwerp. Nothing special, just a quiet stroll, a bit of air. But I came across a scene that still echoes in my head.
About 15 to 20 scout kids, maybe 12 to 14 years old, were having a passionate discussion about plastic waste. Loud, energetic, all about banning plastic, saving the oceans, saving the planet. A few older ones were there too, probably the group leaders, nodding along, supporting this wave of youthful eco-activism.
Curious, I sat on a bench nearby, listening. They spoke big words. Big ideals. All while a few plastic cups and a plastic bag were literally lying on the ground under their feet. No one noticed. No one moved. Not even the leaders.
I stood up, picked up the plastic waste, and threw it into a garbage bin right next to them.
Then, I said the thing you’re apparently not supposed to say:
“You’re not saving the planet, you’re the problem. The plastic isn’t guilty. The idiots standing over it pretending to be heroes are.”
Let’s just say… that didn’t land well. One of the older boys threatened to call the police. The word “debils” (idiots) triggered them more than the fact that they were stomping their feet next to garbage they couldn’t be bothered to notice.
This is where we are now: We don’t have a plastic problem. We have a responsibility problem. We have a hypocrisy problem. We have a trend-following, word-screaming, action-ignoring problem.
It’s easier to go viral with big “green” slogans than to pick up a piece of trash. It’s easier to write policies than to check if they actually work in real life. It’s easier to build A+ rated houses with mildew behind the windows, than to admit we don’t really understand what we’re doing.
Sustainability isn’t about trends. It’s about uncomfortable honesty. Real action. Smart design. Precision. Responsibility.
Until we teach that to kids, not just words, but how to live those words, we’re just marching in circles. Plastic bag in one hand, green flag in the other.
—
Want to talk real sustainability? I’m always open to a conversation that goes beyond the surface. #LetsTalkRealLife #Sustainability #Greenwashing #CircularLiving #EcoReality #EducationNotTrends #RealChange #OffGrid #SoilToSoul #ResponsibilityNotSlogans
Leave a Reply