All renditions of the attitude that demands, “I don’t care because I don’t believe in it- it’s all fake” just really break my heart.

No, it is not really offensive to me to hear someone say this. I understand the feeling. I’ve had things that burned me that I don’t trust anymore, too. I am continually loving, healing, and regenerating, and being wounded again. Some scars are thicker than others, and all are there for a reason. Such is life.

When a person decides that they can’t trust something, everything changes. More than anything, this attitude and mistrust is a crushing indicator of the state of affairs here. For one thing, these responses are a chilling sign of the real damage inflicted upon society by conventional, fear-based advertising and messaging.

Here are three major reasons this attitude develops in people and sections of society.

1. Fear-based advertising and messaging, like “we can’t have enough for everyone if we do it a safer way”
2. Greenwashing products that aren’t actually eco-friendly, and lying to the public on many levels,thereby losing trust of millions in the whole movement.
3. Denial, due to a combination of stubborn neural pathways, the fact that it’s hard to admit that you’ve been lied to on that level, and that you have been doing something wrong all this time.

It appears that the advertising companies have done their jobs quite well- viciously, even. They have spread the seeds of fear and cynicism far and wide. The people have placed deep trust where trust should never have been given.  These messages continue to block many people from a deeper understanding of what’s really real, and what is truly needed and good here.

Greenwashing of products is absolutely insidious to the whole sustainability movement.

Greenwashing is when a company lies to and manipulates the masses by claiming that their sub-par product or business is eco-friendly. They may even back those claims up with twisted scientific research that the public doesn’t actually understand (but thinks they do), and using persuasive language to make people feel good and think they are getting a greener product than the toxic original.

Then people find out about the lies, and lose trust in the entire movement. Although there are thousands of amazing  eco-friendly, ethical, humane companies that are legitimate, all “green” companies become suspected of lying, to some who have been tricked by greenwashing. That’s when people start saying things like, “I don’t care because it’s all fake.”

For all who feel betrayed by the green movement: I’m sorry.

I understand where you’re coming from. I know the pain of the lies being uncovered, and I’m here for you. The eco-friendly sustainability movement isn’t foolproof, and there is no 100% guarantee in life. And you are not a fool! You know it is important to ask questions and wait and see what floats and what sinks. That’s what’s really going on here. I know you care like that, and I appreciate it.

We’re all watching so many conventional corporations, rules, and processes failing our environments and our societies one by one and two by two. We are constantly learning of the lies that they themselves have been telling us for generations.

Many continually popular brands have actually been telling us much worse lies than any green company. They are also usually the ones who broke our trust in more sustainable products. Many of the companies we grew up with have been telling us lies since we were babies.

So when do we stop trusting those guys instead?

When do we refuse to support any brand when we find out about that is doing such terrible wrong to the Earth, people, or animals? When do we realize that trying harder to be green is our biggest chance- the best hope for a better world?

We’re at a point in history where a deeper decision truly has to be made. Are we going to stay trapped in companies and ways of living that we know for sure are doing wrong, for fear of trusting another? Or are we going to reclaim our personal and collective power, and do our best to live by our morals- to start to feel better about ourselves and the situation?.

Skepticism is a very very important part of life. But it cannot take over. Ask questions! Seek truth! And have conversations with people whose viewpoints differ from yours. No matter who you are and what you believe in!

Anytime you’re ready. We’ll be here with the trustworthy resources, companies you need. Just come on back!