Accountability and Sustainability in the Instagram Age
Abby Davidson
Instagram has become a space for activists and educators to share information about sustainability with their followers and take part in challenges such as Oxfam’s ‘Second Hand September’. From sustainable alternatives to conscious living choices, the vast array of information available to those who look for it, can help raise awareness around issues that are otherwise not discussed. In the words of creator Josie Barnes (@josie_goes_thrifting);
“Instagram seemed to be the best platform for it [sustainability]…it’s trying to create a better world for the next generation…with social media it’s just easier”
Several sustainable Instagram creators have provided an insight into their own sustainability journeys and how sharing it online has changed how they live. One of these is Cara Cullip (@eco.cara).
Cara explains that their sustainability is a personal journey; “sustainability to me is about making the best choice I can in terms of how my consumption affects the environment. I work within my limits because I know pushing myself too far will have negative results.”
Cara shares about sustainability because it’s their lifestyle; “I couldn’t post about anything else even if I wanted to. It’s the clothes I actually wear, products I actually use and it’s enjoyable to talk about things I care about…I share content about sustainable fashion choices, beauty products and general lifestyle tips.” What’s more, they hope to be able to “encourage others to make a more sustainable choice in their lives.”
Another creator, Elinor (@consciouslyelle), has a similar story. They share positive news stories, sustainable changes and a love for nature on their account to keep themselves and others “motivated to keep trying”. Elinor also reveals something insightful about being a sustainable creator; “I want to share the message that an imperfect sustainable lifestyle is what most of us follow - there is no such thing as perfection.”
Creator Zena Huggins (@whatzenawears) is honest about their experiences and shares; “sustainability to me means trying to rewear what you love, sell what you don’t and shop small/independently with brands that care about the lifecycle of a product (when you shop). I try and live by this, but I still buy from some less sustainable brands because I’m not perfect”.
Awareness ≠ equal blame
For many of these creators it is important to recognise that raising awareness does not mean they are putting blame on the individual. It appears that many Instagram users have begun to equate sustainability content to judgement, whether it is the intention of creators or not. However, it is clear that most sustainability creators only intend to educate others and share their own journeys.
Creator Devon (@ecotintedglasses) sheds some light on why this may be the case; “I think there are certain stereotypes of environmentalists, and some people are worried that they’ll be penalised if they aren’t completely ‘eco’ or doing it right. Environmentalism is for everyone.”
Cara suggests that the community has little part to play in the guilt that some people are feeling; “I’ve never seen anybody in the community place blame or pressure on people because we know it’s ineffective and basically a waste of time. I feel like people are generally put off more by not wanting to change - we are all creatures of habit after all.”
Elinor recognises that some people do feel put off by the sustainability community because they feel pressure or blame, saying; “I don’t think this is encouraging people to start trying” to live more sustainably.
Individual Accountability
Individual accountability is a term that finds itself floating around sustainable conversations. It is the idea that a person should take ownership of what happens as a result of their choices and actions. The creators that shared their thoughts have different ideas of how individuals should be held accountable when it comes to sustainability.
Sustainable fashion and travel creator Sam (@snap_dragonfly) suggests that individuals should at the very least be aware of their actions and how they create demand; “companies should be at the forefront of change, but as an individual you have so much influence… a company will not produce something that is not in demand and customers drive the demand.” Sam is honest about their own journey; “If I make a mistake I do hesitate to post about it as we all want to be ‘perfectly’ sustainable but it’s impossible and it’s best to show your full transparent journey than to lie.”
Cara considers individual accountability as something that works on a personal level; “I like to hold myself, close relatives or friends accountable, but not others… Ideally I’d love for everyone to take personal accountability but it’s not realistic, and it also offends people to be told ‘you’re the problem’ and it’s just not conducive to change.” While they agree that most pollution is caused by big companies and their practises, they argue that supply and demand does have a part to play.
Josie reflects on how they see individual accountability in the people around them; “my friends have ended up saying to me that I’ve actually made them start shopping second hand… I think I have slowly started changing people’s perspectives… I think it should be about progressive change.” They also considered the impact of large influencers; “I do think influencers like Molly Mae should be held accountable… to change the way ordinary people consume fashion we have to target influencers.”
Creator Elinor believes that although we can all make changes where we can, “individuals shouldn’t be held accountable for climate change and hold the weight of the world on their shoulders. We must hold the fossil fuel industry accountable and demand change from Governments and those in power.”
They make an important point relating to online action; “I do not judge people on how they live, we know very little about other people’s lives and their online presence only shows a snippet of it.”
Cara offers an alternative approach for creators struggling to avoid negativity in their content. They share with their student audience “more suggestions as to why a sustainable lifestyle is better, rather than why a regular lifestyle is worse… If I only posted about how fast-fashion damaged the environment, I don’t think anyone would give a toss because all students are aware of that already.”
The Community
Many of these creators enjoy and rely on the community for encouragement and inspiration. Sam believes that building the community is the best way to “support/educate each other” and introduce new people to sustainability.
Devon feels that through the community they’ve “learnt how multi-faceted environmentalism is.” Sam said of the community; “It is the strongest and most incredible community here [on Instagram]. It all stems from positivity and trying to make things better.”
Commenting on the community, Cara shares a positive experience from accounts big and small; “It’s not just an interest in fashion or lifestyle, it goes a lot deeper and connects us all.”
Why Does it all Matter?
Devon gives an eloquent summary of what many of these creators have expressed:
“I want the everyday individual to feel empowered to act in the fight against climate change. I want to demonstrate that environmentalism isn’t a closed gate that only some can access, I want to show that environmentalism is a celebration of the small conscious changes we can all achieve to build a better world that sustains, includes and connects”
Featured image courtesy of @ecotintedglasses on Instagram
Abby Davidson is Deputy Head at The Scoop and a Liberal Arts student at Queen’s University Belfast