When I first thought about entering the social media/ online sphere as a sustainability content creator, I was afraid of being called out for my green imperfections. I had not achieved a completely zero waste status. I didn’t understand all that was going on in environmental politics. I still ate meat. There was so much left for me to ameliorate when it came to my green lifestyle and education.
I didn’t think I could put myself out there without first perfecting my own approach to green living.
How many people are intimidated to participate and advocate for the green movement because they themselves don’t have it all figured out? You don’t have to attend an environmental rally every weekend or live a completely plastic-free life to care about the environment. The “progress over perfection” model focuses on encouraging a wider variety of people to take steps towards environmentalism. Each of those steps, no matter the size, add up to make a noteworthy impact.
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”
— Anne Marie Bonneau, @zerowastechef
Each individual approaches green living with different perspectives, resources, and available time to dedicate to the subject. People come from different backgrounds, have different needs, and observe different priorities. There are marginalized communities that are disadvantaged when it comes to the environmental options in their daily lives. There are issues such as eco ableism that fail to recognize that aspects of the disability community don’t currently have the best environmental solutions.
Plenty of aspects within the green movement that don’t have perfect solutions. However, the beauty of going green is that there are innumerable ways to make an impact and to elicit change. If people are participating to the best of their abilities, the progressive steps that are taken should be acknowledged.
The goal is to inform and encourage more people to want to be green so that these steps towards environmentalism are taken. The culmination of these efforts can provoke change on a larger scale such as through business practices, political changes, or other environmentally limiting systems.
We should encourage others to grow and learn and make progress in any capacity. Not everyone is perfect, and not everyone can achieve perfection.
Perfection is overrated. Praise the progress to push the movement.