I was in an online meeting with a group of climate entrepreneurs. One of them mentioned her friend left the trail to pick up an empty aluminium can to dump later.
The reaction of the group shocked me.
- Some rolled their eyes.
- Some sneered at her for being so fastidious.
- One said “Don’t you hate it when people go out of their way to be seen “doing good.””
Here’s why this idiotic reaction from people who supposedly stand up for the planet bugs me:
๐๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ๐
These entrepreneurs claim to care about the planet. Yet they mock someone for taking a simple, tangible action to reduce waste. Picking up aluminium is a direct contribution to environmental preservation.
If they truly stood for climate action, they would applaud such behavior, not deride it. Their sneering suggests their commitment is superficial and perhaps more about image.
๐๐ถ๐๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฆ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ด ๐ข๐ป๐ฒ๐
Systemic change is vital but it doesnโt negate the importance of individual actions. Mocking someone for picking up rubbish implies that only large-scale solutions matter. This is an absurd stance. Cultural shifts start with small, everyday behaviors becoming normal.
Many climate entrepreneurs rely on public goodwill and behavioral change to succeed. If they ridicule small acts of responsibility they undermine the very mindset their work depends on.
๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ “๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ”
Their eye-rolling at being “seen doing good” reveals a toxic perspective. Why does visibility negate sincerity? Should actions only count if no one sees them?
This attitude mirrors the backlash against “virtue signaling.” It’s a lazy critique that often serves as an excuse for inaction.
๐๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด
By acting like only their work (entrepreneurship, innovation) is valid, theyโre gatekeeping climate action. This is elitist and counterproductive. Not everyone can launch a carbon-capture startup, but everyone can pick up a can. Those small acts add up.
Their reaction reeks of privilege, as if theyโre above the “mundane” work of literal cleanup. All this while expecting others to take their grand solutions seriously.
๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ
Climate leaders should model behavior, not mock it. If they scoff at picking up a can, what message does that send? That their followers shouldnโt bother unless itโs “game-changing”?
Real leadership celebrates all efforts, big and small. Cultural change requires both systemic and individual action.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Their reaction wasnโt just idiotic – it exposed a dangerous disconnect.
If climate entrepreneurs disdain the very behaviors needed to sustain their mission, theyโre part of the problem, not the solution.
Environmentalism isnโt a competition; itโs a collective effort where every action matters.
Their hypocrisy undermines the movement they claim to champion.
And I won’t be a part of their group any more.