I don’t like to stereotype, so I will just generalize and paint with a broad brush instead: Men and women often have different impacts on the environment. Let’s explore some of the ways we are different, and some of the ways we can learn from each other.
First, one of the good (OK, not as bad) things men do while inhabiting this planet with 8 billion other people (50 million more men than women). Men use shoes to cover their feet. I have seven pairs: mud boots, hiking boots, ski boots, X-C ski boots, ice climbing boots, tennis shoes (not used for tennis), and sandals. More pairs could be useful, but more of anything means more materials used, more energy to transport, and more end-of-life disposal to contend with. By the time my shoes are worn out, even other guys question why I am still wearing them. If your shoe collection outnumbers your age, it may be time to go on a not-buying, wearing-out-what-you-have binge.
Clothing now accounts for 8% of climate change, and fast fashion is a big part of the increased impact. Wearing an item a few times and then donating it is usually just as bad as throwing it out — often worse. Two-thirds of the 60,000 tons of used clothing sent to Chile each year is discarded in the Atacama Desert because it can’t be resold, or even given away. These leftovers are not jeans and flannel shirts, they are polyester party dresses and other frilly “fun” clothing. Most have been purchased and donated by women. Many men wear things out — and, speaking from personal experience, continue to wear them. (“Of course I wasn’t planning to wear these shorts to the party.”) Closets have gotten bigger (bigger than bedrooms used to be), and an empty space begs to be filled with things that won’t get used. Don’t fall into the trap — or get lost in your closet. Here’s the club scene I’m hoping/expecting for the more sustainable future. “Nicole, what a nice flannel shirt — and jeans, too. So vintage! So sustainable!! So trendy!!!”
But guys have their own special sets of behaviors that come with an oversized impact on the planet. Vroom, VRoom, VROom, VROOm, VROOM!! The sound of an internal combustion engine roaring has long been associated with men. Testosterone, or lack of, may drive this desire for noise, but a focus on speed and acceleration coincides with a bigger impact on the environment. There is no car that is more efficient at 75 mph than at 65 — sorry. And rushing from stoplight to stoplight doesn’t save any time, but it does wear out a lot of brakes and wastes a lot of fuel. There is a fix here, though: electricity. Several guy friends swore they would never drive a wimpy, slow EV — until they drove one. Acceleration is still a waste — of electricity, not gas — but no petroleum-powered pollution producer can even get close to the rocket-like takeoff of an EV. And when you do slow down — “The light is red, honey” — you recharge the battery instead of wearing out the brake pads. And if you really miss the vroom sounds, several car companies now offer dead-dinosaur-burning sounds to play on the stereo — inside the car where you can revel in them, while less-vroom-loving people stroll around listening to the birds (and bees).
And guys, let’s talk about that triple patty burger. Meat — especially beef and lamb — have a supersized impact on the environment. From feedlot manure emissions to methane-saturated cow burps and the use of three-quarters of our farmland for raising animals and their feed, that steak is the elephant hidden in the food chain. I won’t ask you to go cold turkey (although turkey and chicken do have one-tenth the impact of beef per serving), but moderation and culinary exploration can greatly reduce planetary exploitation. A little meat in a big stew is better for you and the earth — and hey, better for the animals too. At your next tailgater or backyard barbeque, try something different on the skewer. Tomato, pepper, onion, chicken, potato, carrot, tomato, beef… tofu (marinated). Meat substitutes are improving, and trying new things can be eye- and mouth-opening. You may even have room for a salad.
