A few weeks ago I wrote a column about the environment and guilt. A study reported that people are feeling increasingly guilty about their environmental behavior.

 

I said then that I hoped it didn't translate into a going green backlash. Sure enough, there is evidence that now that's exactly what's happening.

 

The Columbia Journalism Review quoted a study by the Shelton Group and various articles in publications like the New York Times that people are increasingly feeling overwhelmed by all the articles and information about being green, to the point where people are giving up and becoming cynical about all messages. Phrases like "green noise," "green fatigue" and "eco anxiety" are coming into use.

 

One article talks about a woman whose desk is a mess because she doesn't want to use a bulletin board, believing that the glues usually used are toxic. Another woman washes herself in her daughter's used bath water to conserve resources, and (surprise) she has experienced a markedly decreased sex life as a result.

 

People want to recycle, but they hear that some recyclables end up in landfills. Energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs contain toxic mercury. Every well-intentioned move, it can seem, has an unintended bad side effect.

 

The idea of green noise -- that so much talk about being environmentally friendly is increasing skepticism -- was the topic of our Waste News poll question last week. It got a lot of response, and the overwhelming majority said they are becoming more skeptical.

 

It's similar to what is happening with nutrition. Every day there's a new study that finds something new that's bad for you or contradicts the good evidence of before.

 

My suggestion for "green fatigue" is the same as for "nutrition fatigue" -- go with moderation and balance, and you can't go wrong. Whether as consumers or businesses, we should do what we can for the planet. But if going to extremes makes us short-circuit or lose sight of everything else that's important, that's not going to do anyone a whole lot of good.

 

We should push ourselves. We also should know our limitations.

 

Allan Gerlat is editor of Waste News. Past installments of this column are collected in the Inbox archive.

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