Back in the day, being environmentally conscious was synonymous with being a treehugger or hippie. Today, this movement has entered into the mainstream through the rise of veganism, the increasing popularity of sustainable alternatives, and Greta Thunberg’s valiant quest to save the world amidst the looming collapse of ecosystems that stands to permanently alter our planet. So it’s no surprise that the biggest trend of 2019, “VSCO girl-hood” has attracted bandwagon fans from every nook and cranny of the internet. 

The Generation Z style is exemplified by this group of teenagers, as the VSCO (pronounced “visco”) girl. The name tips its hat to the photo editing app, VSCO, where users can apply preset filters to their photos. The label stuck earlier this year, becoming a meme on Tik Tok and Instagram. The hashtag yields teens and tweens toting metal waterbottles and touting metal straws, and are deemed ‘environmentally conscious’.  However, beneath the surface, we can’t help but wonder whether the trend is actually aiding our environment in any way.

The Good 

Green Goes Mainstream

From “save the turtles” to “go vegan”, VSCO girls can be quite vocal about being environmentally conscious online. Whether it’s through twitter or IG, or even just having a turtle sticker on their Hydro Flask, VSCO girls have the potential to bring awareness to vital issues. Following and promoting low waste or vegan lifestyles, and being vocal about the environmental benefits of these lifestyle changes to their relatives and friends are subtle cues that sustainability is growing to be more of a hot button issue. And the more mainstream this environmental crisis becomes, the more conversations about what we can all do as individuals to reduce our own carbon and plastic footprints. Right? 

These dialogues may result in action, but lest we forget the most substantial impact on our environment and futures will come from corporate responsibility, policy change, constituent engagement, and military reform. So while spurring conversations and individual advocacy is very important, make sure to check the voting records of your politicians, register to vote, or volunteer for a candidate you feel is passionate about the environment. Reading The Green New Deal doesn’t hurt either. 

Metal Straws, Hydro Flasks & Kankens

With Birks on her feet, a Fjallraven Kanken bag on her back, and a Hydro Flask in hand, the VSCO Girl evidences her love for the planet. Re-Kanken backpacks are made entirely from polyester recycled from plastic bottles. Stainless steel water bottle company Hydro Flask is helping to preserve national parks, along with eliminating reliance on single use plastic bottles. Metal straws are also crucial substitutes, comparatively when you are replacing single use plastic straws (even though most people have the ability to lift a cup up to their lips). It’s evident that millennials and Gen Zers are succeeding in making parts of the green movement conspicuous and mainstream, so much so that 53% of millennials say they prefer purchasing products that are eco-friendly in 2018.  VSCO girls may have the power to raise that statistic by creating an even larger mass appeal for these green products. 

The Bad

Carefree Consumption

Rolling Stone distinctly notes, “the VSCO girl can be summarized less by who she is and more by what she buys.”   These individuals are, in fact, walking advertisements for puka shell necklaces, scrunchies, Birkenstocks and Mario Badescu products. It’s pretty counterintuitive to keep purchasing to fit a trend -- even if those purchases are deemed “eco-friendly”. As green-washing becomes more and more prevalent, checking out each company one supports prior to making a purchase is a good move.

The more you buy, the more raw materials are used and carbon is emitted -- an overall net negative for our planet. An emphasis on social media encourages people to buy more and not “rewear outfits”, and lest we touch upon the pressure on teens to look polished and made up. In the spirit of rebellion, why not rewear your outfits proudly, and be ahead of the trend of the VSCO girl. If you are intent on making a purchase, support these sustainable brands instead:

 CotoPaxi backpacks, United by Blue backpacks, and Patagonia backpacks are all certified B Corps. B Corps go through a rigorous certification process to ensure that their business model inspires social and environmental change as a means to improve the human condition, increase social consciousness, and alleviate poverty. 

Rely on the GoodonYou app for recommendations on where to shop, if you are intent on purchasing something new. Keep in mind that consignment shopping is substantially more cost effective, and you contribute to a circular, rather than a linear economy. You can get sustainable clothing at your doorstep in an endless amount of ways, including the very popular option of bidding for thrifted/vintage pieces on Instagram. If your tastes are a bit more, refined, check out the The REAL REAL for luxury consigned items. 

About ¼ the price of a Hydroflask, this Gaiam Waterbottle leaves you with 30 dollars to go spend on some vegan food. 

Lastly, Check out these recycled, handmade scrunchies or these straws made of HAY. Etsy gives you the opportunity to support small, independent businesses. 

Self-Righteous Sustainability 

Standing on a soapbox for clout? Sounds like a VSCO girl to me. Despite seemingly good intentions, the ubiquity of the fad has lent itself to “sAvE tHe TuRtles!!” memes. Critics say that these trendsetters don’t have an actual care for the environment, that their “environmental consciousness” is unhelpful, and they’re just doing it for the ‘gram. Whether that is factual or not, we believe that you’re going to have to do more than just write “save the turtles” in your bio to rescue the green sea turtles. 

The “I” in Intersectional 

If you consider yourself to be a VSCO girl, check your privilege. Being totally ‘on-brand’ can cost $229.89 for an outfit and some accessories. Hydroflasks cost close to $40, which puts ‘stylish sustainability’ out of reach for a large chunk of teens, and adults alike. Instead of using a stainless steel canteen upsold and marketed for trend chasers, stop by your local Marshalls or TJ Maxx and get one for $5. Or use a jar, at the end of the day you’re using a sealable container to hold a liquid! 

IPhones: almost every VSCO girl has one, and they’re usually covered in stickers. Not only can buying the newest model can be a financial burden for many, it also exhausts more of the planet’s resources. Science says that frequent cellphone upgrades contribute to the built in obsoleteness of Apple’s products. The energy for material mining for gold and the so-called rare-earth elements like yttrium, lanthanium and several others that today are almost exclusively available only from China (Belkhir, 2018). The resulting ICT Carbon Footprint is unnecessarily high, and until tech companies use renewable energy to source their products, keep your phone for as long as you can. 

The Green

The Bottom Line: Leverage your Instagram followers. The platform you have is a social evil, for sure, but while you’re there, why not educate your followers? The issues you care about matter, so make yourself heard. Whether those issues are civic engagement (get out the vote!), the carbon footprint of red meat (don’t let your friends that follow niche dietician accounts that make claims counter to the consensus of the scientific community get to you!) or how easily your friends and family could make small changes to eliminate a ton of plastic waste from their lifestyle (buh bye starbucks cups - hello stylish canteen). Now VSCO girl or not - have those conversations and make those ripples and waves. And that’s the tea. 

Written by: Margaret Cyr, Laura Matusheski