No congratulations in order

Businesses or outlets that ditch the straw or make plastic bags optional — I find it funny that they are celebrated as if they are doing something virtuous for the environment.

As more and more people are conscious of the impact that consumption and production has on the environment, the opportunity looms — for a real change.

If we only set the bar to: saving the environment only when businesses can make more profit, there is no change here. This is merely business as usual: maximising profit.

The growing lot of people who are conscious of the state of the environment should push for more. I haven’t researched on the solutions, but things like imposing fines on corporations that pollute the environment or requiring businesses to have better waste management practices are what will change things in the long run.

We have more power than we can currently imagine. Let us not underestimate ourselves. Encourage businesses to be more environmentally friendly but don’t waste your admiration if they are merely maximising their profits.