Environmentalism, in its origin, and taken to it logical conclusions is deeply subversive for capitalism and consumerism.
Environmentalism, in its popularized form seeks to satiate the guilt-complexes that it produces in people through consumerism.
Example #1
Buying Carbon-Offsets.
Carbon offsets are the prime example of this: that we might allay the effects of our consumption by further consumption. in effect, by buying carbon offsets, we are not changing our relationship to the environment, but further enmeshing us in our current relationship with it. The consumer is lead to believe (and here pop environmentalism parallels the dieting obsession) that one can become “environmentally responsible” without significantly altering their lives. Or, that environmentally responsibility is mainly about managing consumption rather than by subverting it.
Example #2
Recycling. Recycling functions is a similar way for us: the activity of recycling serves for us a metaphor of continual consumption that is almost theological: the thing is always made new, and can always be made new. As such, we are freed to continue consuming because the consequences of our consumption, the waste, is perpetually redeemed. Again, our environmentally motivated action is further consumption.
Pop environmentalism, as described here exemplifies the way in which capitalism subsumes any criticism of it. Capitalism creates in any counter-capitalist movement another opportunity for consumption: Do you want to simplify your life? Then buy this book, or go to the container store where they have the solution to your clutter for a low price! Again, environmentalism taken to its conclusion is deeply inimical to capitalism: truly the only way to change our current destructive relationship to the environment is by (or includes as a necessary condition for success) our consuming less.
A Last Example
Organically grown produce: Standing in the supermarket isle we are shielded from the origin of the produce before us, and therefore for us the option is: buy organic or not. However, in all likelihood the significant environmental choice pertains to how far the produce has traveled in reaching the store: an organically grown apple that had to be flown in from chile fails us in the environmental responsibility department. The organic food movement has been a boon to capitalism, however, because it obscures the fact that if we commit to eating regional foods our diet would include less variety. We might not notice too much here in the Pacific Northwest, but even for us orange juice would be straight out. “Buy Organic” still places the emphasis on the “buy.”
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