Behavior Change amd the Environment - Essay Example

..” Personally, I consider this idea as an expression of Pollan’s sense of responsibility toward the environment that primarily focuses on individual, conscientious action toward environmental welfare. This is because, throughout the article, Pollan provides suggestions on how to reduce one’s carbon footprints such as having a garden in the backyard. Pollan also suggests, in the later part of the article, that behavioral change for environmental welfare is an expression of independence, “to find ways to provide ourselves without diminishing the world” (255).

Pollan also argues that although behavioral change may seem a futile effort, it is still a viable solution to the problem and this idea is grounded on the “chain reaction of behavioral change” wherein the action of a single person encourages other people to do the same. In Greed in the Name of Green, Hesse asserts that “going green” is not merely buying organic products; rather, it is reducing the consumption of environmentally hazardous products. Throughout the article, Hesse maintains a sarcastic tone because she humorously criticizes the buying patterns of the consumers without them realizing the actual reason of doing such change.

In the article, Hesse cites several instances wherein consumers change their buying patterns with the belief that those changes are environmentally beneficial. However, in retrospect, behavioral change is commonly undergone because “going green” has become a trend. Relatively, Hesse concludes that “when wannabe environmentalist tries to change purchasing habits without also altering their consumer mind-set, something gets lost in translation” (248). While reading the two articles, I realized that it is really necessary to evaluate our behaviors as consumers, particularly in relation to environmental welfare and protection.

Although I realize that behavioral change may seem insufficient in recovering the deteriorating resources of the Earth, I would still go with the idea that behavior modification is a viable solution to the existing environmental problems. This is because behavioral change is a reasonable initiative to do, and it also benefits both the environment and the consumers. The Merits of Bothering to Change Consumer Behavior In the article Behavioral Analysis and Environmental Protection, Lehman and Geller assert that the lack of environmental concern and the increasing prevalence of non-eco-friendly products and services account to the destruction of the environment (14).

Specifically, the materials used and the manner of production and transportation cause the increase in the carbon dioxide concentration of the Earth, which, in turn, increases the temperature by .6 degrees Celsius in the past 150 years. Lehman and Geller also report that the death of 800,000 people annually is attributable to air pollution (15). Considering this case, Lehman and Geller suggest that if human behavior is the reason of the increasing environmental deterioration, it may also be the reason for environmental recovery (13).

The emergence of natural calamities and extreme weather conditions is enough reason to encourage people to change their buying behaviors and make environmentally conscious decisions. While reading the articles by Hesse and Pollan, I was able to derive three benefits of behavioral change for environmental welfare. Specifically, behavioral change