According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, schadenfreude is "enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others"; a certain sense of superiority to those whom one deems less fortunate. It's rife in the world of eco, reduce, reuse, recycle, earth-friendly sustainability. If you don't follow the prescription (and there are many from which to choose), you must hate the earth. The purported ignorance or carelessness of those who don't reduce, reuse, recycle exactly the way we do causes us to feel the schadenfreude.
Truth be told, there are so many ways to save materials and reduce waste that there's almost no way to comply with it all unless you live in a hut in the woods somewhere with no electricity and grow all your own food. The realistic approach is to take look around you and find ways to reduce your intake of "stuff", recycle the things you don't use that someone else may appreciate, and just get on with your day.
This might seem a simplistic approach to some, however, over- thinking your contribution (or lack thereof) to the sustainability of our planet could mean the difference between doing something helpful or doing nothing at all. Don't worry about the "holier than thou" attitude of those who approach sustainability and eco issues differently. Pay attention to packaging labels, seek recycled or recyclable items, use your town's recycling system, reduce your consumption - whatever small changes you can reasonably accomplish will make a difference.
Find a way to do better and you'll make a valuable contribution to your community and to the greater good.
Intercept Technology Packaging products fit within a sustainability strategy because they are reusable, recyclable, do not contain or use volatile components (No VOCs, Not a VCI) and leave a smaller carbon footprint than most traditional protective packaging products.
Liberty Intercept Blog
Environmental Schadenfreude - Do You Feel It?
Posted by Elaine Spitz on May 5, 2011 4:01:00 AM
According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, schadenfreude is "enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others"; a certain sense of superiority to those whom one deems less fortunate. It's rife in the world of eco, reduce, reuse, recycle, earth-friendly sustainability. If you don't follow the prescription (and there are many from which to choose), you must hate the earth. The purported ignorance or carelessness of those who don't reduce, reuse, recycle exactly the way we do causes us to feel the schadenfreude.
Truth be told, there are so many ways to save materials and reduce waste that there's almost no way to comply with it all unless you live in a hut in the woods somewhere with no electricity and grow all your own food. The realistic approach is to take look around you and find ways to reduce your intake of "stuff", recycle the things you don't use that someone else may appreciate, and just get on with your day.
This might seem a simplistic approach to some, however, over- thinking your contribution (or lack thereof) to the sustainability of our planet could mean the difference between doing something helpful or doing nothing at all. Don't worry about the "holier than thou" attitude of those who approach sustainability and eco issues differently. Pay attention to packaging labels, seek recycled or recyclable items, use your town's recycling system, reduce your consumption - whatever small changes you can reasonably accomplish will make a difference.
Find a way to do better and you'll make a valuable contribution to your community and to the greater good.
Intercept Technology Packaging products fit within a sustainability strategy because they are reusable, recyclable, do not contain or use volatile components (No VOCs, Not a VCI) and leave a smaller carbon footprint than most traditional protective packaging products.
Topics: packaging labels, reduce
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