After an interesting week dealing with a negative social media experience, it left me thinking.
I get that people are time poor, often not aware, perhaps have more going on in their lives than is manageable and make their own choices regarding what they can do to be more sustainable.
I don't preach, I just offer information if asked, support like minded businesses, and work on our own sustainability at home and in my own business.
We can't all instantly be fully sustainable - there often has to be a gradual change, a learning curve for what works, what doesn't and what's achievable. We still have to function in the real world, (however I do believe that if we all don't start making even tiny efforts there won't be much of a real world left to live in) and I for one still do things like drive a car because I haven't quite got our vege patch up to the level where we can live off it and I still need to go to the supermarket, and we do so many other things like refusing single use plastic, takeaway coffee cups and straws that I feel semi-ok about the car.
The circles that I belong to in real life and on social media, are full of like minded individuals and businesses who are all interested in making a difference in a sustainable and/or ethical ways.
So when I joined a closed page only for Floral Business Owners, thinking this will be amazing for bouncing ideas, gaining advice on never-done before installations or what a particular greenery is in a Brides inspiration pic, and posted a question, I was shocked and dismayed at some of the replies.
Nervously (I am more of a passive social media person normally) I had posted my post - I had a Bride who was interested in having a more eco-friendly wedding, which encompassed the florals (cue us! this is what we do right?) Her requirements included a huge circlet of flowers - we are careful to use waste-free mechanics and so wire and floral foam, while normally a florists best friend, does not feature in our work. I have made plenty of flower crowns without wire, but nothing of this scale without wire or foam.
When I asked for tips on how to construct the piece without using wires, instead of being offered advice, all I initially got was a barrage of replies regarding the "crazy" bride, and using phrases such as "this just did my head in", "I hope you will be charging her lots for [the] headache" and "give me a break... this is just too much". People from all over the world really were letting rip and rolling their eyes about this Bride who wanted to make a difference.
People have different beliefs, thats fine, but it really saddened me that there were people out there (and in my own industry no less!!) that were actively bagging those who were trying to do their bit to be sustainable.
Thankfully there finally arrived some helpful comments, genius comments and supportive comments.
I know I should be focusing on these, but those horrible comments really baffled me.
What you beleive is never going to be exactly what the next person believes - but why do people feel they have to diss you for your choices and even worse - for trying to make our world a better place?
Just my opinion of course - take it or leave it - but surely we should be leaving beauty in our wake, not waste? And this goes for social media too. So much talk on social media is throw-away, wasteful, harmful and toxic.
I say, don't let that be our legacy.