I get annoyed every Earth Day. Visibly annoyed. 

I used to think that it was due to people shoving their ideas at me, either about how climate change is not real or about how they would never have kids because the world is going to catch on fire. It is tiring and frustrating because who wants to hear your opinion on the environment and sustainability? I would rather hear you talk about politics—which is insane. 

But since I don’t want to hear anyone’s opinions this year, as an empathetic and sane individual, I will share mine. It is unrequited, but this is vengeance for all of these years of being subjected to hearing you tell me about your new sustainable Lululemon collection. (Please don’t, ever again.) 

I realized that the reason for my annoyance was consumerism. Yeah, yeah, I know; I am not saying anything new, and no, I’m not advocating for communism. But come on! I’m tired of waking up every Earth Day and seeing ads everywhere of big companies making promises about reducing their carbon footprint or launching a new collection of recycled jeans… I don’t care if Ralph Lauren is launching a campaign on “western-inspired attire” based on vegan leather. Don’t even get me started on the merch. The interminable merch. The t-shirts of an Earth with googly eyes… stop. 

Earth Day backfired. It gave every company on Earth another holiday, which skyrocketed their sales, production, and pollution. 

What to do then? Two options: either continue having a carbon footprint of seven and a half Earths but do not deny it, nor try to buy the new non-sulfates, cruelty-free, vegan, zero-waste makeup line at Ulta to clean your conscience, OR actually be sustainable and buy handmade products from local people, avoid fast fashion, eat less meat… whatever. Just be honest with yourself. 

(If I walk into Salata and see half of San Antonio in there today, I will not recover).