Would you like to find out more about "sustainable shame" and how we behave in a healthier and more environmentally friendly way when we feel ashamed? Then you've come to the right place!
Shame is an innate characteristic of us humans - only the triggers differ. They range from embarrassment and awkwardness to humiliation - moments that ultimately make you want to literally sink into the ground. Such feelings of shame are expressed, for example, by blushing or averting one's eyes.
This unpleasant feeling, which reaches its peak when we are with other people, is actually a good thing. Shame protects the boundaries of our intimacy and helps us, as a kind of moral police, to adhere to the applicable norms.
However, you can feel ashamed of many socially accepted things. And a certain feeling of guilt or a guilty conscience can increase the inner drive to do the wrong thing. to make one's own lifestyle more sustainable.
In this article, I would like to present some examples of so-called environmental shame and show you how this emotion counteracts ecological grievances. Let's go!
1. Flight Shame
Probably the best-known lasting shame is flight shame. It has already made it into the German dictionaries and describes the guilty conscience many people feel about using a commercial airplane. The feeling of shame is triggered by the fact that they are aware of the climate-damaging consequences of their air travel are, but they still compete.
On closer inspection, this feeling confirms the increased Environmental awareness in our society, which is extremely positive. Those who are ashamed of flyingshould try to use public transportation and last but not least to Deutsche Bahn* and other European rail companies.
This is not always possible. In such cases, it is advisable to sustainable to flyfor example by using a CO2 compensation or the personal climate budget is maintained over the year.
2. Meat Shame
Another environmental shame is meat shame. Eating meat, for example, is not an option due to the environmentally destructive Consequences of meat productionthe cause of many nutritional diseases, the Factory farming and the consciously accepted suffering of animals.
Accordingly, many meat eaters feel bad. After all, they want the Protect nature, stay healthy and Animals lovebut still eat meat. Accordingly, they often reflexively justify meat consumption with phrases like "I only eat very little meat" or "... only good meat".
This unpleasant feeling of shame can be prevented by vegan lifestyle familiarize yourself with it. For example, read the Book "Vegan is nonsense (is available here*) and use the Vegan & Easy" cookbook (is available here*) to open the door to the plant-based kitchen.
This prevents animal suffering and exploitation, protects the planet and promotes social health. And there are so many other good Reasons to go vegan. The potentially guilty conscience can even contribute to the fact that your Thinking and acting in harmony again and you feel more comfortable.
3. Smoking Shame
Smoking can also trigger feelings of shame if it affects others. For example, because the toxic smoke blows in someone's facebecause you smells unpleasant or because a Cigarette butts in the environment lands and there becomes a danger to soil, water and animals.
The public act of shaming often leads to people being stop smoking. For example, immediately after throwing a cigarette on the ground, criticized by a stranger for will.
I know from my environment that Book "Stop smoking at last!" by Allen Carr (is available here*) has helped extremely with the Quit smoking.
Whether it's the risk of lung cancer, a poorer appearance or high costs, it's important to be aware of the many dangerous Disadvantages of smoking aware to become.
4. Car Shame
In my view, another lasting shame is car shame. People are ashamed of being drive a lot by carinstead of preferring the more environmentally friendly public transportation or the bicycle.
Driving too climate-damaging, sprint-eating, prestige SUVs can make you feel uncomfortable. Above all, because you are affecting the future of your own children and grandchildren.
Try to use public transport or your bike (Here you'll find a large selection*) on the road. But I also have a car myself - However, I prefer to drive electric with green electricity and whenever possible, I also carpool. These are just two of countless Tips to travel more environmentally friendly by car without feeling bad.
5. Palm Oil Shame
A rather unknown environmental shame is also the bad conscience of consuming food and cosmetics with palm oil. Finally need species-rich rainforests make way for palm oil plantations. The endangered orangutan is representative of the decline in biodiversity and thousands of animal species that are suffering as a result of high human palm oil consumption.
If you want to use your sense of shame in a positive way, you should Prefer food and cosmetics without palm oilto make a real difference. It is easier to recognize them, for example, with the App Codecheck.
Tip: How else you can save the rainforests you can find out in the linked article.
6. Plastic Shame
Plastic shame is the bad feeling of often using disposable plastic items. Plastic cups, cutlery, stirrers or straws only have a short useful life and are literally produced to be thrown away. As the resulting plastic garbage in the environment. lands, kills animals and does not simply disappear on its own, social pressure has arisen to act in a more environmentally friendly way.
Anyone wishing to avoid this embarrassment should try as far as possible to live plastic free. For example with the Switching to reusable alternativessuch as glasses or Stainless steel drinking straws. (is available here*)
Go to Zero Waste Basic Equipment also include this stainless steel drinking bottle* and this CoffeeToGo mug*. And also This backpack made from marine litter* counteracts the feeling of shame in two ways.
7. Consumption Shame
Anyone who constantly buys new clothes, stores online or consumes cheaply produced goods feels bad from time to time. Provided that you exploitative and destructive backgrounds the Fast Fashion Industry and is asked by others why they are still supported. This public exposure can bring about a change in thinking.
A minimalist lifestyle helps you, only consume the things you really need. In addition, it leads you to value your own consumer goods more and, for example, your personal Reduce food waste.
At this point I can warmly recommend the Book "The Minimalism Project" by Christof Hermann* recommend. It gives you the inspiration and practical ideas you need to have less and be more.
In addition, the Motivation course "Clearing out made easy" from the household fairy* has already helped many readers to focus more on the things they really need.
One more thing: Consumer shame could also be used to Parcel shame derive. He describes the fact that Consequences of constant online orders for regional retailers Knowing and yet not changing anything.
8. Gravel Garden Shame
As a lasting shame, I would also like to list the increasing criticism of gravel garden owners. Gravel and crushed stone, instead of soil and plants. This comfortable garden trend is partly responsible for the species extinction. Above all because bees, birds and other animal species have no food and less shelter.
With the Book "Gardens of horror" by Ulf Soltau* and its eponymous Facebook page there is even a humorous movement that collects particularly bad gravel gardens for amusement.
If you want to counteract this environmental shame, you should specifically choose a cheerful, colorful and Create sustainable garden. For example, with deadwood and Wildflower cornerswith trees, hedges and collected rainwater. Birds, beetles, wild bees and many other animals are happy about this.
Sow for example these organic flower seeds* in your garden to create a beautiful Big humming and buzzing to provide.
9. Cruise Shame
The "floating villages" are real environmental killers and are quite rightly despised because they have a massive CO2 emissions cause and the climate change drive forward.
Anyone who talks about an upcoming cruise almost automatically adds "I know it's not sustainable and so..." to their own story. - triggered by a lasting sense of shame that points to the catastrophically bad image of cruises is attributable to this.
Instead of sinking into the ground, it would be better to look into the background of cruise tourism and more environmentally friendly vacation options, as well as the sustainable travel employ
I can offer you my Book "Sustainable travel for beginners (is available here*) as a practical guide.
10. Social Media Shame
Many people are also ashamed of hanging out too much on social media instead of valuing their time and using it more wisely. Digital networking may bring people together - but the typical Social media dangers also include, that the networks isolateown Extremely shorten attention span and in the end also consume an incredible amount of electricity.
Accordingly, excessive social media consumption is rather a sign of comfort and low self-control - which leads to a certain sense of shame here and there.
This problem is often solved with a Smartphone addiction linked. What you can do about a possible cell phone addiction and the bad conscience, you can learn in the linked article.
The best in my opinion Book on the subject is "How to Break Up With Your Phone" by Catherine Price*. It raises awareness of the problem - and gives clear practical tips for solutions.
Using lasting shame to effect positive change
Shame is a good thing. Those who are not ashamed of anything are at risk of being ostracized by society. Consider possible Shame as an opportunityinstead of suppressing them and suffering more and more as a result. Being ashamed means admitting mistakes, protecting your privacy and ultimately protecting yourself and your relationships with others.
You don't have to be ashamed of ignorantly disrespecting the environment. But if you know the effects and consequences of your actionsyour decency should help you to act sensibly and in solidarity. After all, both you and everyone else suffer from ignorance and environmentally damaging behavior.
Of course: not everyone is ashamed of their behavior! But if YOU at one point or another feel a certain sense of shameit is your moral values that want to help you act more sustainably. 🙂
"The first indicator of idiocy is the complete lack of shame."
Sigmund Freud, Austrian physician (1856-1939)
Do you have any questions, tips or your own experiences with the psychological phenomenon of environmental shame that you would like to share? Then please write me a comment.
Stay sustainable,
PS: Do you know the feeling of cognitive dissonance? In the linked article you can now find out more about the unpleasant emotional state caused by incompatible thoughts.
