Williams’ article, “Buying into the Green Movement,” discusses the alleged belief that purchasing environmentally green products will save the planet from disaster. While his argument is valid, his generalisation about the thoughts of the general public seem unreliable.
Williams’ main argument is that members of the public are, quite literally, buying into the idea of green consumerism. He points out that many people believe that they can combat the world’s environmental problems simply by purchasing green products instead of their usual ones. He goes on to explain that such purchases will make little or no difference to the state of the planet and that much larger issues have to be taken into account.
The author’s purpose in making this argument is, presumably, to encourage readers to reconsider their views on reducing their carbon footprints. Williams wants people to realise that purchasing green products alone is not going to solve environmental problems and that, moreover, such small issues are distracting people from the larger scale of the problem.
The reasons Williams gives to support his argument mainly centre around the fashionable image of buying into the green movement. He speaks of magazine covers depicting celebrities who have purchased the latest environmentally friendly product and comments on how being green is turning into a trend rather than a serious life choice.
Williams’ article makes for interesting reading. Hi argument that green consumerism is not likely to save the planet, is valid. However, he appears to favour the view that the public believe it will be enough to help the environment, rather than the alternative that it is simply another way of being environmentally mindful.
