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A story to think about - generations' views on environmental protection

We are confronted with the topic of environmental protection and conscious consumption almost every day. I recently heard an impressive story that also shows the different approaches of the generations to this topic.

An old lady forgot her basket while shopping and therefore asked for a plastic bag at the checkout. The cashier then gave her a moral sermon that her generation is not worried about the environmental problem and does not worry about the polluted world in which their children and grandchildren will have to live.

The old lady then gave her point of view: “When I was young, there were no supermarkets. I bought the milk from the farmers in the area, we got the bread from our village bakery and the vegetables grew in our modest garden. In winter we were satisfied with potatoes. The children wore cloth diapers that were washed regularly and then dried in the open air instead of throwing them in the dryer. My generation did not know plastic bags, we owe them to your generation. We old people are very environmentally conscious. "

In the past, such topics didn't have to be discussed because people didn't know anything else. Why aren't classic cloth bags used for shopping these days? Do avocados really have to be flown in from South Africa? Could we be satisfied with seasonal fruits and vegetables like we used to be? The double plastic packaging for the strawberries could also be dispensed with. For example, do we need what feels like 20 different types of milk on the shelf? Do apples have to be labeled with a sticker? 

On closer inspection, countless such questionable things become apparent when shopping in the supermarket. 

Consumers tend to have little influence on changing these “practices”. Politicians would be called upon to speak a word of power here. Until politicians put the rod in the window to influential corporations, little change will be achieved. The government has taken some steps in the right direction, for example plastic bags have been banned in many areas, but plastic is still allowed as a packaging material.
Consumers are also paying more attention to sustainable consumption. At the time of Corona and especially the lockdown, a lot was rethought. Eating healthy, cooking your own dishes and paying attention to the origin of the food became a trend. This is also shown by various surveys. 

As a contribution to the environment and to support small businesses such as the village bakery, the farmers and so on, local purchases could again be increased.

Perhaps going backwards in this regard would sometimes be progress. 

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