For years, the green space of environmentalism has been stereotyped as a “White Space,” only accounting for the voices and issues of white people. An article by media consultant and writer Rachel Jones talks about how people of color and ethnic groups have been excluded from decisions made towards environmental issues, conservation, and public health. In recent years, minorities have taken it upon themselves to raise their voice, changing the environmentalist space to cater to every race and gender.

As a BBC report emphasizes, we need as many people to participate in conservation efforts because CO2 levels in the atmosphere reached 417 parts per million, a new record high for modern humans. There’s an increasing prevalence of deforestation and rising sea levels. The problem is that lots of people still refrain from eco-conscious lifestyles because of this so-called “environmentalist stereotype”. These stereotypes also include the idea that the movement is only for the wealthy and that these people must make big lifestyle changes that take away certain comforts people are accustomed to. It is important to change the misconceptions and reclaim green spaces as universal rather than privileged spaces. Here are some of the ways you can do that:

Help in Raising Awareness

Because some stereotypes on environmentalism are still prevalent today, people tend to form an unconscious bias against the movement. This is a prejudice against a thing, person, or group. The reason this exists is that people do not understand certain beliefs — it may be a foreign or irrelevant concept to them. When you help people understand and come to grips with how they’re personally affected by climate change and a deteriorating planet, they’ll be more receptive.

In ‘No One is Too Small to Make a Difference’, a collection of speeches by activist Greta Thunberg, there are lots of points on why people should consider environmentalism. It’s informative while also combating any misgivings on the movement. It’s a great source of valid and transformative information. Help educate people on environmental issues because it’ll simultaneously take away the negative stigma around the movement.

Don’t Be Afraid to Stick to Your Values

Combating stereotypes can mean taking accountability and owning your beliefs. This may be difficult to do because not everyone will share the same thoughts, but it is important to not let others’ opinions dictate how you live your life. The book ‘The Courage to Be Disliked’ discusses concepts of self-forgiveness, self-care, and mind decluttering. These help you gain a liberating way of thinking, allowing you to develop the courage to not only change for the better but also create it.

You can’t control how people see environmentalism, but you can control how you embody it. Taking pride in being an environmentalist who truly cares about their impact on their surroundings will help change the way people see the practice and remove old stereotypes. There will always be stereotypes but your actions and behavior can help gradually change the negative into a positive.

Live a Minimalist Lifestyle

Minimalism can be summarized in three words: less is more. In our previous post ‘Is Minimalism Worth Pursuing?’, we talk about how minimalism is the practice of not purchasing items for the sake of buying them but rather for practicality. Happiness should not and does not rely on material things. Practicing a minimalist lifestyle can also be a form of conscious consumerism.

This doesn’t mean that people should not buy things they want; it means to purchase things after careful thought and consideration instead. This fights the stereotype that environmentalism is performative and reinforces the fact that true eco-friendly lifestyles take real issues like waste production and greenhouse gasses from manufacturing into account. This is also a highly accessible practice today that can encourage more people into eco-conscious habits, particularly with conscious products readily available online such as on the Fashion Hedge shop.


Combating stereotypes and apprehensions against environmentalism may be difficult, but the movement is evolving. It’s becoming more inclusive and comprehensive. It’s also becoming increasingly relevant in today’s world where time is of the essence to save the Earth.

This post was written by Christopher Jenkins