Greenpeace Street Fundraisers and the Introvert
So what’re my answers to Greenpeace frat boy reps stopping me to talk about climate change and harangue me to sign their petition and give them money as I walk over to Starbucks to get a chai tea frappuccino to tide me over for the rest of the afternoon?
- Dear LORD, I hear about this at home all the time. Mitigation, adaptation, carbons sinks, carbon sources, sequestration, carbon credits, IPCC, Al Gore. I contribute by being a sounding board for a policy wonk. I am paying my dues.
- I ride the Metro.
- I was just on Oncewed.com (hat tip to the DC Pink Book Blog via the DC Blogs feed) looking at pre-owned wedding dresses. How’s that for eco-friendly? Also, my wedding won’t have flowers and my ring will be a Canadian emerald.
- I don’t drive all that much, but that’s about to change with a new car and (ta-da!) insurance. Is that bad? I swear it’s only so we don’t get stuck on Rockville Pike again.
- I just talked to your friend across the street.
Obviously, I do think climate change is a challenging problem that needs to be dealt with immediately (no Inhofe tendencies here). However, I am one of those people made hugely uncomfortable with strangers approaching me randomly to talk about any issue. It could be the annoying person at a mall kiosk (“Can I ask you a question?” is a really bad way to start a sales pitch because I just want to say, “You just did.”) or someone trying to inform me about an issue that’s already near and dear to my heart. I like getting my info at my pace, not in short attention span bites in between work and a Starbucks run. I also don’t like putting my name and signature just anywhere.
So, Greenpeace, I am actually taking steps to be a more responsible consumer – acting locally and thinking globally and all that jazz. I like to learn about these matters and think that education is the path towards personal responsibility, which is something that a lot of Americans should embrace, anyway. I’m not particularly responsive to your style because your extrovert ways grate on me. Just because I’m quiet and do my own thing calmly doesn’t mean I don’t care. It just means that not everyone responds positively to the same approach.
For example, scowls when I confirm I have a car? Nah, doesn’t help to make me comfortable talking to you. Just a thought!
“I am paying my dues.”
You certainly are. :)
I am not a fan of those folks, either. I love when they try to corner me when I’m on my way somewhere. “Do you care about the environment?” they ask.
Meanwhile, I’m usually on my way to some kind of environmental seminar or briefing. I spend all frigging day thinking about the environment (and then come home and bellyache about it to my poor gf). It’s my job, for God’s sakes.
But I must not care because I don’t want to take the time to sign some stupid kid’s petition.
Oh, man, those Greenpeace kids are annoying. There’s nothing like some privileged college kid in a polo shirt, blocking me from getting to my job, to make my blood boil. I care about the environment, but I would never go up to random strangers and hassle them – it’s rude and makes me think less of Greenpeace as an organization.
IP and Shannon: We’re not action-oriented, er, enough! That’s my takeaway message, at least; doesn’t matter what I do, but as long as I’m not loud about it, I’m wasting my time. Ah, youth: so idealistic and willing to make nuisances of themselves.
I treat all sidewalk beggars the same, even if they have clipboards.
Them: “Can I ask you a question?”
Me: “As long as it’s not about money.”
I’m concerned about the environment, and that includes my personal space.
If enviro-beggars persist, I tell them I can’t talk because I’m late for a Polar Bear barbecue.
Mike: Heh. I think I’ll need to try your polar bear line next time.