Eco-Inertia : Groups Suggest Small First Steps Off the Couch for the ‘Reluctant Activist’

Activism is making a comeback, even among ordinarily inactive Americans.

Well, kind of. Like the way democracy is rehabilitating the Soviet Union: So far the prospect outshines the reality. A lot of people are just warming up to the idea that they might take personally such seemingly distant problems as ozone depletion and the destruction of rain forests.

Last summer, the Roper Organization reported that more than 75% of the American people now believe that we (presumably meaning all of us) should be making a major effort to improve environmental quality. But the same poll also reflected the downside of ‘90s activism: passivity. Put simply, most Americans aren’t acting on their beliefs. Only 22% polled by Roper said they actually were doing much of anything--not even a third of those who insisted we all should be doing more.

This is not surprising. Spouting off one’s beliefs is one thing, taking action another. “How to Make the World a Better Place: A Guide to Doing Good” (Morrow, $22.95), one of a caboodle of such “quick and easy” activist books published last year to satisfy what was perceived to be a growing public desire “to make a difference,” identifies the usual pitfalls to activism. Among them, misguided thinking such as: Don’t worry because someone else knows what to do and is in control. Or: If I can’t commit totally, I won’t do anything. Or: Technology and the free market will straighten out everything in time.

Inhibitions like these paint the profile of the 26% of respondents the Roper folks label “Sprouts.” Not as apathetic as stick-in-the-sludge “Basic Browns” (28%), nor as paranoid as “Grousers” (24%, who do nothing because they’re sure no one else is), Sprouts are concerned about the environment but aren’t convinced individuals can make a difference.

The remaining 22%? Equally divided between “True-Blue Greens,” who are community activists, real leaders whose lives are filled with commitment and involvement and environmentally appropriate activities; and the politically correct “Greenback Greens,” who drag their feet on involvement but are willing to foot more of the bill for a cleaner environment than the average American.

A tidy bit of pigeonholing. But common sense says there’s another category out there, one that’s not so neatly tabulated in opinion polls.

Somewhere among the Sprouts and Grousers and Greenback Greens is a group of would-be activists whose reluctance in such matters has more to do with inertia than ignorance or misconception. Unlike Sprouts, individual empowerment isn’t the issue for this group. Effort is. They know the planet needs rescue, that “there’s no way to peace because peace is the way,” that baby seals deserve a better fate than a bloody whack on the noggin, that tea pickers in India get rooked and babies in Africa starve.

But before they can move on any of these issues, they first must contend with the forces of gravity. For Reluctant Activists (as we shall call them) to take a stand requires first that they stand up--which may be asking too much.

No grand revelation, this. They are the reason why the overwhelming majority of how-to activism books emphasize “easy things you can do” on their covers, meant to encourage couch potatoes of social consciousness. But these activist authors overestimate the Reluctant Activists. Easy isn’t good enough.

Take the book “Two Minutes a Day for a Greener Planet” (Harper San Francisco, $7.95), promoted as “the easiest 235 steps everyone can take to save the Earth.” This would seem tailor-made for effortless activism; two minutes a day, arguably, isn’t much.

Marjorie Lamb, the Canadian environmental adviser who wrote the book, suggests, for instance, that people “fill the coffee pot with water the night before.” Logic: The water warms overnight to room temperature, reducing the energy needed the next morning to crank out a hot cup of joe. A small gain? Yes. But this suits Reluctant Activists nicely, inasmuch as it requires only a few extra memory cells and absolutely no extra effort.

Probably the most effortless of the recommended actions are the ones that require doing nothing--the modus operandi of Reluctant Activists.

Simply by not buying a particular product manufactured by a company whose policies or practices are unfair or endanger people or abuse the planet, one can all at once make a statement of principle, affect the coffers of major corporations, improve the world in a small way, and do so with no cost, no sacrifice and no effort.

All that’s required is to find out what products or companies to boycott--and hard-core activists are hard at work compiling those lists already.

Consider the recent boycott that forced canners to market “dolphin-safe” tuna. Or the Save the Elephants campaign that has practically closed down ivory-carving factories in Beijing and Canton, according to Animals’ Agenda magazine.

War machine makers? Racist governments? Global polluters? Whatever the offense or issue, boycotts are probably under way. One easy and cheap (about $10) source of information on the status of dozens of such boycotts is the Nation Boycott Newsletter (NBN), in Seattle. Phone: (206) 523-0421.

Here’s another approach: Promoted as “the Green gift of the ‘90s,” the Earth Basket is an alternative to sending flowers or fruits and cheeses on special occasions.

It is lined with Eco-pack, an environment-friendly packing material, and stuffed with an assortment of consciousness-raising products, including a copy of “The Recycler’s Handbook”; a non-disposable shopping tote; a vegetable scrubber to remove pesticides; a cedar sachet to substitute for mothballs, among other pro-planet stuff.

It can be delivered anywhere in the country. Prices range upward from $39.99--no more expensive than a dozen long-stems that would wilt in a week anyway. To order, call (800) EARTH-49.

Speaking of rain forests, this is one more cause that poses some low-exertion possibilities for Reluctant Activists. Start with “The Rainforest Book: How You Can Save the World’s Rainforests” (Living Planet Press, $5.95).

Or you might adopt an acre of rain forest through the Adopt-an-Acre program of the Nature Conservancy (1815 Lynn St., Arlington, Va. 22209). This helps to pay for protection of threatened territory and supports the acquisition of these ecologically beneficial jungles for safekeeping. All this for only $30.

Too much? For $5 less, Reluctant Activists can add “Guardian of the Amazon” to their credentials, via the World Wildlife Fund (60 St. Clair Ave. E., Suite 201, Toronto, Ontario M4T 1N5). The money goes toward guarding the land and teaching locals how to harvest without destroying it.

There are brands of commonly purchased products that help to support the rain forests--and environmentalism in general--either through contributions from profits or by being produced in a non-destructive manner. Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream, for example, features one flavor called Rain Forest Buttercrunch, made from Brazil nuts harvested properly in the Amazon.

Eating as a political act is a Reluctant Activist’s cup of tea, which, by the way, is one of many Third World grocery products that can be purchased through alternative trade organizations. These are groups that try to minimize economic and environmental rape of Third World producers.

One such organization is Co-op America, which will send a free catalogue on request. Phone (800) 424-2667. This group makes responsible consumerism a breeze by locating and marketing such products as organic cashews that help to reforest Honduras and coffee that helps support farmers’ cooperatives in Nicaragua.

As in most things today, the telephone has made the activist world so much smaller and manageable. Enter the era of 900-number activism. USA-EARTH, (900) 872-3278, mails out letters of protest to designated government officials and corporate heads on a variety of issues. Cost: $1.99 the first minute and 99 cents each subsequent minute.

Another company targeting the Reluctant Activist is the Write Cause (P.O. Box 751328, Petaluma, Calif. 94975). For $35 annually, Reluctant Activists receive a monthly newsletter summarizing the hottest issues relating to animal treatment and environmental protection. They check off the issues that get them hot, return the form to the Write Cause in the stamped and addressed envelope provided, and within two weeks, get “personalized” letters, pre-addressed to the offending corporations or agency, awaiting a signature.

Almost as easy is a new product called EarthCards (Conari Press, $6.95), which includes 32 postcards with preprinted messages on a range of environmental issues: rain forest preservation, global warming, toxic waste. They are pre-addressed to movers and shakers, CEOs and politicians, who are in positions to make a difference. All one need do is choose the message, sign a name, lick a stamp and drop a card in the mailbox. As the EarthCards booklet says, to be an effective activist “you don’t have to research the issues in depth . . . or write a whole letter or look up any addresses.” In fact, you don’t have to do much at all.