Let’s face it: women are more environmentally efficient than men physically. First, women are smaller. They take up less space and generate less waste than men, consuming only about 2/3 the calories in an average day. Women also live longer, on average almost 6 years longer than men, which allows for increased productivity. Women metabolize fat more efficiently, sweat less and are better long-distance runners than men. But women are efficient on a larger scale as well.
92% of vacations
91% of new homes
66% of personal computers
80% of healthcare expenditure
65% o new cars
89% of bank accounts
93% of food purchases
93% of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals
Over half the US gross domestic product, about $5 trillion annually, is spent by women, and women also dominate the online market. Does all this financial data equal clout with major retailers? In terms of marketing targets, yes. However, some critics have spoken out against the green movement for women, saying that promoting more environmentally-friendly practices create more housework for women, the majority of whom work outside the home in the U.S.
One such critic is the French feminist Elisabeth Badinter. The heavy environmental toll of having children is mostly due to labor-saving but wasteful conveniences like pre-packaged baby food, disposable diapers and cheap pre-made meals. These “family helpers” have been promoted as time savers to women and Badinter claims that by rejecting them as wreaking havoc on the environment condemns women to do still more work at home.
Badinter does not address, however, why American men have not stepped up to the plate to help with green practices in raising their children. It has long been known that even women who work as much as their husbands do, still do more of the housework, especially that relating to the children. If the husband is committed to environment causes, perhaps it’s his turn to start changing and washing cloth diapers, grinding homemade baby food and cooking healthy dinners night after night.
Women certainly lead in the environmental movement in developing countries. The Chipko movement was brought about by Indian women who depended on the local forest for survival protesting the clearcutting by hanging onto trees (similar to the method of Julia Butterfly and the redwoods in California.) Recently, the Green Belt movement, led by Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai has become well-known. It started small: a couple of women planted 7 trees in the backyard of Maathai’s house. But by 2005, 30 million trees had been planted by participants, on both public and private lands. The movement focuses on environmental restoration together with economic growth. Maathai tries to empower women along with revitalizing Kenya’s forests.
Women authors like Rachel Carson, who wrote “Silent Spring,” heralded the environmental movement by showing the dangers of chemical pollution. All in all, as a woman, next time you make an environmentally conscious decision, you are in excellent company.
I’d have to agree with that one. Although I do try sometimes I just don’t have the drive to go out of my way to be green. Good thing my wife is a green nut and follows behind me at times lol.