“But my action won’t make any difference”

How many times have you heard (or thought) this sentence? It applies to different case scenarios, to elections, to social issues, and finally also to our environment. 

It is a fair question. After all, data shows that the vast majority of global emissions comes from a few corporations. So, if few industries are the major polluters why should we bother changing our “insignificant” individual behaviour?

Well, the mistake lies in treating corporate emissions and consumer habits as two separate worlds, when actually they exist as a continuous feedback loop. Companies produce what consumers demand, so if millions of consumers shift their habits, they will have to shift their producing habits too. For example, if people start gravitating towards more renewable energy sources, consume less meat and reduce their use of plastic, the market will inevitably have to follow this new trend.

Moreover, as social science demonstrates, human behaviour is highly contagious. So, if people around us start making sustainable choices we will be pressured to do so ourselves. The social norm can rapidly go from “no one cares” to “this is the way things are done”. 

Individual actions are not meant to solve the climate issue or to drastically reduce emissions: their true power lies in the ability to signal change and to influence others.

And there is no better place to start this ripple effect than the workplace. The average worker spends 40h a week at work, that means about 160h per month and 1800h a year. And professional settings are places where peer habits and company norms deeply shape our daily choices. That’s why one's work habits cannot be separate from one’s overall ecological footprint. 

Being green at work really matters!