Written by Hannah Westwood
What is Eco-Ableism?
Eco-ableism is the discrimination in favour of able-bodied people, relating to issues concerning the environment. It relates to able-bodied people not recognising that not everyone has access to, or is able to make sustainable choices. It is an issue that is unfortunately prevalent throughout the community, and it is only through educating ourselves and challenging eco-ableism where we see it that we will be able to make positive change.
A pertinent example of eco-ableism is the fight against plastic straws. Whilst for many, these are obsolete as a suitable alternative is just drinking out of the glass or using a reusable straw, this is not the case for everyone. For some people with a physical disability, it is impossible to drink without the aid of a straw. However, with straw bans becoming widespread, from on the national level to certain restaurants, this may prevent certain people from being able to access drinks whilst out and about. Of course, there are reusable options out there, such as metal or bamboo straws, but these are not always viable alternatives, due to the fact that many are not repositionable, and can be a choking hazard.
Another key issue relating to eco-ableism is shaming. This is where people shame individuals for using a non-environmentally friendly product (such as a plastic straw) without understanding the reasons behind this. This can come in many forms, from individuals making comments to sweeping statements such as “there’s no need for plastic straws any more and anyone who uses them has no regard for the environment”. Therefore, we must be careful about the discourse we have around certain subject and sustainable products, and acknowledge that there are people who do need single-use items, but still care about the environment.
Face Masks and Eco-Ableism
An issue which is particularly topical in relation to eco-ableism at the moment is disposable face masks. Whilst we want to encourage people to use a reusable, washable face mask, we must recognise that this is simply not possible for everyone. Using a fabric mask and washing it is a privilege. Individuals with immune issues often need to wear a single-use face mask because even through washing, it is nearly impossible to sterilise reusable fabric face masks.
You may be aware that the university is supplying safety packs to all students. These packs include, among other things a reusable face mask and a disposable face mask. We have been working with the social impact team to discuss with the university whether it is necessary to supply both in the packs. We involved our followers in this conversation, suggesting that there was no need for disposable masks. We now recognise that this was an act of eco-ableism, as whilst many of us are able to use reusable masks, this is simply not the case for everyone.
The safety packs have already been made up and are being passed out with both types of masks in them. If you get one of these packs and do not need the disposable mask, we urge you to keep it in its packaging, as we are working on a way to collect these masks and pass them onto immuno-compromised students who do need them, as several masks are much more useful to them than just the one. Currently, we are arranging for drop of points to be created in Oadby, city living and on campus. We will post an update across our social medias when it is possible to donate your mask if you do not need it.
What Can We Do?
Eco-ableism is something that we need to challenge where we see it, and we constantly need to be challenging our own behaviours. It is only through educating ourselves and others that we will begin to change behaviours. Therefore, we urge you to continue educating yourself and others around you, and acknowledge instances in the past where you may have participated in behaviours relating to eco-ableism.
We want to thank one of our followers who pointed out our eco-ableism in relation to face masks and opened the conversation on this. We are committed to making our society open and inclusive, and we are always willing to learn more and become better. If you want to learn more about eco-ableism, we recommend checking out this blog post, written by Tasha, one of our followers. It gives an in-depth account of several products disabled people need to use (and why) that contain single-use plastic. It will help you to educate yourself to understand the needs of disabled people and the impact that eco-ableism can have.