Is it ‘girly’ to recycle, shop sustainably?

[n2doc]

Is green the new pink?

That’s what what one survey indicates after finding that 82 percent of Americans say they associate earth-friendly efforts with femininity.

The survey, conducted by OgilvyEarth, determined there’s a gender gap when it comes to recycling and sustainability.

The OgilvyEarth survey suggests the perception that being earth-friendly is “girly” might be one reason that sustainability efforts fail. For starters, the survey determined that more men self identified as “green rejecters.”

more
http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/04/29/is-it-girly-to-recycle-shop-sustainably/

[RKP5637]

1. Well, I guess I'm in the "girly" crowd! n/t

[WillParkinson]

2. We try to be very green in our house...

Paul has a compost bin, he'll be planting his own vegetables when it gets a bit warmer outside. At work I'm the one in the department who rides herd over the others to ensure that what is recyclable gets put into the proper place.

People who just toss out stuff that can be recycled need to be working in the city dump so they can get a first hand look at what happens to all their trash.

[RKP5637]

20. We also have just about everything used in the house. Around here it's

amazing what one can find in estate sales and garage sales. Exceptionally fine furniture goes for a fraction of the new cost. I'm also very talented in rebuilding/restoring things. Appliances, electronics, all sorts of things can be found for a fraction of the cost new thus getting more life out of good stuff. Same thing for thrift shops. I've taken to buying clothes at thrift shops.

Recently I found, for example, very high quality dress shirts at about $3 each on sale in a thrift shops, etc. And the profits go to help battered women, homeless and people in need of help.

We also donate a lot of things to Habitat. They are always willing to accept anything that is usable/sellable.

Cell phones get returned to, for example, Verizon. Verizon, as one example, has deals with manufacturers wherein cell phones are refurbished and given away to help people in need, generally battered women. They will take any cell phone, even from different carriers. Thus, out of landfills.

There are so many ways to help anymore. If that makes me a "girly" man for any study, then fine, I am a total "girly" man and quite happy.

[saras]

3. Damn right, and good thing it is

Becoming more sustainable is necessary to our survival as a species.

Becoming more 'girly' is necessary to our survival as a species, and closely allied to the above.

There is no way to hide this with 'green' muscle cars and 'green' weapons and 'green' systems of industrial domination and exploitation.

[RKP5637]

4. +1, n/t

[Odin2005]

15. Bigoted stereotype of men FAIL.

The "macho" men are actually the ones who are the LEAST secure in their masculinity, while us sensitive guys are the most secure.

[RKP5637]

19. Exactly!!! The "macho" men almost always have

underlying masculinity insecurities. "Real" men are NOT "macho" men. In times of crisis I would always rather be surrounded by sensitive guys than some asshole lamebrain trying to prove what a "macho" man he was with a caveman mentality.

[RandomThoughts]

5. So is it a culture thought they are saying.

That it is wimpy, or not tough to not want to trash the planet?

maybe the girlie types can defend the environment, and those that want to be macho can go after the polluters.

shrug.

I wonder how that thought occurs. Does that make sense to anyone?

[bananas]

17. "those that want to be macho can go after the polluters"

Well said.
Guys protect their turf and their women.

[kristopher]

21. I agree with them, it is "girly"

Or at least, it is by its nature, feminine. (IMO) Life has two modes it seeks energy and it maximizes the use of energy it has. The role of seeking energy is one controlled by classic masculine attributes and the role of sustaining is one controlled by classic feminine attributes (I'm not talking about cultural attributes but biological and related to reproduction).

So while "girly" as used in this sense is meant to be pejorative, it is used in that pejorative sense by a masculine system that seeks to maintain control of the cultural decision-making apparatus. To use a bit of jargon, as I see it, in the human system the political economy is controlled by the masculine and the domestic economy is controlled by the feminine. While both realms always influence our beliefs about what is "normal" the *control* of social norms bounces between these two sectors in response to the need for expansion or developing sustainability. As to the US in particular, for the most part we have been on an expansionist march since the first wave of immigrants landed in N.America from Europe.

I think the recent attack on women's rights is in response to the cost to society of masculine control being extended far past the point where its costs outweighs its benefits. It is my belief that the most important battle in the environmental movement is the one to assert with finality that control of reproductive processes is the unalterable and unchallenged right of women.

Just some musings on my part.

[RandomThoughts]

22. On the topic of womens rights,

Most women's rights issues, have been caused by men wanting to control women, and long ago own women.

So that is interesting to say men want to control, note also the other post on 'men' protecting 'their' women.

The most fascinating example of that is those that say men can not control 'urges' so women have to cover themselves. Although I do believe in modesty, as chosen by the women, although not by unthought on tradition.

Why not make men where blinders or not be allowed to walk looking around when around women.

In truth, most of those issues do not let a person learn and develop a way to manage what a few can not manage, and try to punish those that do not hurt society, for what a few might do. And the funniest part of mandatory covering, is the men in those societies when women were to dress modest, found that same feeling in that wear, and then when they covered up more, still found the same feelings, and then when they wear burkas, those that only see women in Burkas still have the same feelings when seeing only a small part of the face like the eyes. Because the problem is in the men, not the women.

Although it is hard to imagine, there are people in countries where women wear burkas, that think the shape when in a certain posture at a fruit stand, or the look of a glance in the eyes is sexy, and it has the same feeling as someone in other countries seeing a lady in a bikini. Because it is in there minds.

Control over someone by limiting freedom is punishing many, for the acts of a few, to make it easier for society to be ran by a few. And actually has little effect.

[CrispyQ]

6. There's nothing 'girly' about being kind to your Mother.

;)

[napoleon_in_rags]

7. That's a serious problem.

Its true, marketing efforts have effectively tied things like big gas burning car to expression of manliness. My female friend acknowledged it, but also pointed out that the minute our culture starts zooming in on bodies instead of possessions as the definition of manliness, its the guys who ride their bikes everywhere who will be getting the attention.

[ixion]

8. It's actually manly, in an old-fashioned sort of way

just sayin'...

[pscot]

9. Why has Ogilvy Earth Survey retreated

to a server in South Africa, and why are environmental attitudes in Durban shaping what Amerikans think?

[tech9413]

10. If it is then I guess I'm "girly"

When it comes to being green, I consider the old saw "you don't shit where you eat". I don't want to poison the world that sustains me knowing that it will be my own demise.

[BadgerKid]

11. Would anyone call the Native Americans girly?

I think OgilvyEarth needs to take a step back from sensationalism and the promoting of gender pigeonholing and generally being negative.

perhaps 75% of my trash is recyclables, and I was taking those to the recycling center myself before the city mandated curb-side recycling.

[jwirr]

12. While many men share in housework it may be that women do a lot

of the recycling. I know that in my family it just happens that the women are in charge of it and the men do other things like food production, yard work etc. Just a division of labor and not seen as girly or not.

[RoccoR5955]

13. Lack of responsibility for the planet is no substitute for actual genitalia.

WTF is wrong with these people. How can you equate concern for the planet with a person's sexuality? It's just a stupid idea.

[Odin2005]

14. This is a serious problem. There are a lot of guys who...

...will refuse to do anything that is regarded as feminine no matter how much they care about the environment, peer pressure is simply too strong. Few men will buy an electric car if it gets them labeled "wussy".

I have also noticed that all the GW Deniers I know are men.

[bananas]

16. "Spaceship Earth" works better for guys

We're on a billion-year voyage through the galaxy...
Earth is the mothership, there are planets to explore, and resources in the local quadrant to resupply the crew...
Whether you're designing race cars, airplanes, or rockets, efficiency is key to performance...

[bananas]

18. The April Photo Contest Theme "Negative Space" relates to this

Matter is male, space is female (space = empty space = where matter isn't = not matter = doesn't matter (to guy logic))
Space is the place, right here right now (to female logic)

April Photo Contest Theme: Negative Space
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&biw=1196&bih=674&q=site%3Ademocraticunderground.com+photo+contest+negative+space&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

Top Vote Getters: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x966146
1st Place
Another Misty Morning
Photographer: Celebration


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