Ban-er Headlines and Ban-wagons

I caught up on some lifestyle publications over the weekend.

Unsurprisingly, most had one, or more, pieces on matters green. And often, as is the way, they were focusing on individuals. Fair enough. The efforts of people are what interests us most (though the activities of rich, part-time yummie mates of yummie Islington journos are wearing a tad thin... for me at least).

However, while a few were about those who were making or doing something positive and/or proactive, the huge majority were pretty negative.

Not in terms of criticism of the person. Far from it. But almost without exception these were folk who had coordinated a protest or ban.

Now in itself this is also not always a bad thing. There are certainly things that need considering. and bringing them to broader attention can be lauded.

But in too many cases I felt the person was getting a lot more credit 'for saving the planet' than they deserved, because there was a) little or no consideration of the enviROI consequences, which too me were often potentially negative, or b) a total lack of positive alternatives put forward, at least in terms of things that seemed any 'better'.

I'd really like to see our media spend a little more time looking at the issues more broadly and deeply before jumping on a' ban-wagon', and for sure focusing much more on clearly positive issues and those involved with them.