Bite someone

I’ve heard several people say they got “bitten” by the sustainability bug. It’s the point where you start finding it hard to unsee things that fall into a climate category – some people can recall when, as well as who or what bit them.

When it bites hard, you not only start thinking about what you can do to fix it in your regular life, but you find ways to incorporate it into your work as well.

For a soloist, our biggest impacts can often happen through our suppliers, and through our clients.

A cool thing: rather than waiting for others to experience their own lightbulb moment, you can manufacture it for them… by just going ahead and biting them.

Be honest about where you’re heading with your business, how you’re moving towards a more climate-conscious position, and the steps you’re taking to get there.

Publish your goals like this; explain to new or potential clients why they’re not a great fit for working with you; explain to suppliers why you might consider alternatives. Not as a threat, but as an encouragement for them to step up their climate game.

The signals you send are the kinds of things that can bite people (in that good way, of course).

Even if you’re not the one who bites them, you may find – as I’ve found on many occasions – that they’re kind of thinking about this stuff already, and a nudge from outside their bubble was all they needed to get rolling.

In short: Talk about the steps you’re taking towards a more climate-conscious position, even if you haven’t started yet.