How to Make your Friends Care about the Environment

Dear tree friends,

Sharing passions or hobbies with friends is special. It brings us closer together, which is why we want to make our loved ones care about our interests. However, as environmental enthusiasts, this can be a bit tricky. Our friends may be disinterested in environmental discussions or may feel completely disconnected to the topic of climate change.

We know it very well - working for an eco-tech company, our friends may easily label us as the environmental fanatics that will make a difference for them. Our friends will take on a more passive role when it comes to the environment. They may only occasionally inform themselves, be a bit lazier when it comes to recycling, or even dislike the topic as a whole. This interest regarding our shared home, planet earth, is not only a pity but can also be dangerous.

For good reason, you yourself may feel extremely passionate about the environment and climate change. Caring about the environment means caring about our well-being. Earth is our only home and similar to keeping your house clean, we must keep the planet clean. Protecting the environment means protecting humanity. Raising awareness about sustainability, climate change, and our impact on the environment is tough. We do not want to give our friends climate anxiety or make the topic redundant. The question then becomes:  How can I make my friends care more about the environment?

Some of us have been overwhelmed by big headlines and daunting figures about the environment and climate change. This leads to some of our friends being desensitized to these issues as they see themselves outside of the problem because they believe they are not affected by it or cannot control it. This is far from the truth when it comes to the environment. To change this, we need to bring the issue closer to home and resensitize our friends to the importance of the topic. This is not going to be easy, however, it is definitely going to be worth it!

Here are a few ways you can start:

Be Patient

The first step for spreading awareness and inciting care is to stay patient. Your friends are also just humans with their own personal problems and desires. Every journey will have challenges we must overcome. With patience, we can create a safe space for development. Do not assume the role of an impatient critic. We cannot expect our friends to immediately change their ways or to remain perfectly consistent. Instead, we must create a positive atmosphere where we embrace milestones, however small they may seem.

Bring it Closer to Home

Highlight the ways your friends already care about the environment. By doing this, they will have an appreciation for personal experiences and this translates to being conscious about large scale issues. The protection of the environment not only ensures our well-being, the environment makes us happy. Think about the way you feel when surrounded by nature. Think about how invincible you feel after completing a challenging hike, how at peace you are when walking your dog in a forest, how refreshing it feels to dive into the cold ocean waters on a hot day, or how simply charming lavender fields are. We take these experiences for granted. When we raise awareness about these feelings, we place a greater value on the environment. 

Use Easy Formats

We can admit it, we all get a bit lazy sometimes. Sharing long reports or articles for your friends to read will probably result in annoyance rather than enjoyment. Thankfully, the digital age has provided us with digestible news, aesthetic infographics, and comprehensive discussions. Share the information you find most important or intriguing at first. Then, you can introduce your friends to simple solutions they can easily implement into their lifestyles, like our tree bundles which can be a great start to their environmental journey. Make sure to also share positive news and developments to prevent any anxieties or disillusionment with the cause. Be especially aware of fake news and articles that harp on shock value.

Learn Together

You are probably not an expert yourself, so there is no reason to look down on friends that are a bit less well versed on the topic. Do not be condescending - embrace the joint learning experience to continue developing your own understanding and appreciation of the environment. Enjoy activities that allow you to grow together: go to the farmers market, go on walks in the woods, take care of a pot of basil together, or take a vegetarian cooking class.

Hopefully, these tips will allow you to open up the conversation to encourage your friends to become more aware of their actions and to realize what the environment truly means to them. It is challenging to make others as passionate as you are about any topic. However, caring about the environment is collectively important. If we all become more appreciative and caring, we can save the planet together! 

We wish you all good luck everyone! Please share your experiences with us on Instagram @growmytree

From Trees with Love

Grow My Tree