Image Courtesy: Grist
Like any young girl with a penchant for retro culture, I love romanticizing the 60s. Women strutting down the street in babydoll dresses, and men accompanying them in mop-tops. The crackling sounds of The Zombies coming through on transistor radios as drivers toss their empty McDonald’s boxes out the window and keep driving. For a time ripe with memorable fashion, music, and social revolution, protecting the planet was certainly not at the forefront of everyone’s minds. It wasn’t until the rise of environmentalism in the early 70s and our country’s very first Earth Day that this mindset began to change.
Littering is a cardinal sin in the 21st century. If I were to toss an empty soda can on the sidewalk, I, no doubt, would meet exasperated glares and side eyes. As members of Gen Z, we were brought up differently, with an understanding of sustainable practices, online activism, and especially deep-rooted climate anxiety. We have been aware of the global ecological problems for our entire lives. After years of doom scrolling and seeing climate clocks, melting ice caps, and wildfires, it would be difficult not to prioritize a more sustainable life.
Image Courtesy: The New York Times
Some sustainable lifestyle practices we have seen more often in the cultural zeitgeist include thrifting and upcycling, consuming responsible and honest brands upfront about their carbon footprint and labor practices, and ensuring the use of all of our old products before buying new ones. This is not to say that every member of Gen Z is the perfect environmentalist—we most certainly are not. But, even popular video trends like ‘Project Pan,’ where individuals use all of their old beauty products before replenishing, showcase an increased effort in living sustainably. According to the World Economic Forum, three-quarters of Gen Z are more likely to shop from sustainable brands rather than big-name brands and are willing to spend more to do so. Altogether, a great way to avoid the fast fashion industry is thrifting and giving older clothes a new life. Not only are you curbing the rising cost of modern clothing, but vintage goods tend to be higher quality and will last you longer. While all of these choices might seem small and mundane, with all of us actively working for a cleaner future, we can and have made a difference in the long run.
Image Courtesy: The Cornell Daily Sun
The path to more substantial climate legislation can feel challenging because we have less representation due to age. However, this has not stopped Gen Z from utilizing what we know best: the Internet. Thanks to social media, many local protests and climate functions have been organized online, and prominent climate activists like Greta Thunberg use their platforms to spread information and encourage people to never stop in the fight against climate change. Through the hashtag #FridaysForFuture, Thunberg was able to mobilize students for a global school strike at local parliaments and city halls for the climate. This hashtag is one of many examples of how the Internet can benefit environmentalism. Some social media platforms might be in a weird spot right now (looking at you, TikTok), but the fight against climate change will not be deterred.
Image Courtesy: British Vogue
The truth is, climate anxiety can truly feel debilitating at times, especially for the generation who will be around the longest to see its consequences. While coping can be challenging, the key is to focus on the positives of what we have achieved so far. Gen Z has raised a great deal of awareness through social media platforms and organized climate protests and demonstrations. One of Florida’s own, Maxwell Frost, the first elected member of U.S. Congress from Gen Z, currently sits on the Subcommittee on Environment. As I said before, even the most simple day-to-day actions, such as recycling or thrifting, have larger impacts on the environment than we realize if we are all committed to doing it together. Trends may come and go, but our planet is constant (if we treat it right). We can have our 60s fashion and music while working towards a greener and healthier world.
Strike Out,
Writer: Elizabeth D’Amico
Editor: Layne Schulte
Graphic Designer: Mica Cortez
Tallahassee