Becoming an Ecoholic

Interview with Adria Vasil: Author of Ecoholic—a book about making the planet a greener place.

Interview by Krista Oulton Welsh

Adria Vasil, Author of Ecoholic

YW: What is an ecoholic?

AV: We define ecoholic as being addicted to the planet—but really, it’s anyone on this earth. We need air to breathe and grow crops; so technically, we’re in a relationship with the earth that cannot be broken, as much as we are out of touch with that. An ecoholic is someone who cares to make the planet a greener place.

YW: Then you can be an ecoholic without having to be a hardcore environmentalist, chaining yourself to trees?

AV: Definitely. I think I ride that line. I try to hand people a welcoming approach and say, “We’re all environmentalists.” I think people would rather be part of a less judgmental, gentler group. In fact, 80% of all Canadians now call themselves environmentalists. I was a little surprised by that originally. I think Canadians want to have a role; they’re worried about the state of the air near them, the water near them, the climate long-term, and they manifest that in different ways. It could just be that they are reaching for a phosphate-free detergent, or that they want to take one step further and volunteer.

YW: Are people actually doing the small things that you’re suggesting?

AV: There’s definitely a gap between talk and action. Unfortunately, all the polls keep saying that. There are people that definitely care; it’s a matter of showing them that the changes they can make don’t have to involve throwing their entire lifestyle and routine out the window. It’s about starting with small steps. Obviously, it’s better not to drive, but if you are going to drive, then carpool. And if you can’t carpool, than make sure you’re not driving aggressively. I try to meet people where they’re at. If you tell someone who drives every day to give up driving entirely, there’s no way they’re going to want to green their life at all. But if you say, “let’s do it one step at a time; let’s see how you like taking the train one day, or see how you like carpooling for a while,” then you’ll see that people are more receptive.

You’d need six planets for one Canadian if everyone lived like the average Canadian lives.

YW: So we can still maintain our privileged lifestyle and be green?

AV: It’s true that western society, by consuming so much, has created this enormous footprint, and that you’d need six planets for one Canadian if everyone lived like the average Canadian lives. It won’t do us any good to tell people they have to give up their life. Maybe, in fifty years, they’ll have no choice, and the government will mandate it.

In England, right now, they’re talking about bringing in a carbon credit card by 2013, where everyone will have a carbon credit of five tonnes of greenhouse gas per year to use. If they go over that, they’ll have to pay a fine. That’s something that has to be brought in at a legislated level. The Brits are ready for it. Canadians are not.

YW: Do you think that it might take a catastrophe on our own land to spur Canadians into changing?

AV: Definitely. When major events start happening close to home, we’ll see Canadians wanting to change their behaviour to make it greener. When we had that really warm winter last year, we saw more Canadian’s greening than we did this year, when we had more of a typical cold Canadian winter.

YW: Are you satisfied with the pace of change being so slow?

When major events start happening close to home, we’ll see Canadians wanting to change their behaviour to make it greener.

AV: No, I think we have to pick it up.

YW: But you don’t want to scare people.

AV: You have to be careful about creating environmental depression, environmental anxiety, and environmental backlash. I talk to people who say, “If we’re all going to die, and the planet is doomed, then why should I care, and why can’t I just continue doing what I am going to do?” I’ve heard this, again and again. That’s why I really try not to come out with apocalyptic messages of gloom and doom. I do believe in our power to change. I just think that we’re moving a little slower at the beginning and, as we start realizing that the situation is more dire than we thought, then we will change our behaviour accordingly, especially when the government steps in.

YW: What is the role of government? How much actual government intervention would you like to see?

AV: I think it’s definitely the government’s job to create an even playing field for everyone. They should regulate what is recyclable and biodegradable. It’s important to know when you see the word ‘eco-friendly’ that it actually means something. Otherwise, we’re going to start seeing a backlash, and, instead, people will think, “Well, green products, they’re bogus; what’s the point of spending an extra $5 on them, since they’re all just marketing hype?” It’s very important for the government to take a strong role in regulating, and actually enforce those regulations. That’s another problem in the environmental world: you might have some strong regulations in certain areas, but there is a definite lack of enforcement and lack of budget for the green sectors. We need more of those.