The latest trend in society is all about being environmentally friendly. Vegetarians and vegans are on the rise, along with organic produce stocking the shelves of our grocery stores. We are becoming more conscious about the environment and how we are contributing to it.

There is nothing wrong with any of these types of beliefs. There is, however, an issue with people who just say they agree with such things, merely pretending they are eco-friendly citizens. Being environmentally friendly has turned into a fad, rather than a personal choice to help save the Earth.

Humans love to follow the latest trends. A celebrity was seen wearing this certain brand of sunglasses and soon that brand is the hottest item on the market. We have it in our heads that following along with a fad makes us look good. When that fad has something to do with protecting the environment, we believe that it makes us look like a better person.

Eco-friendliness has become a mask to some people. It is only worn when we are in front of others and want to show off how much we care about the environment. Those who wear this mask can easily become hypocritical when it comes to making environmentally friendly choices.

One common refrain is that people pride themselves on going organic. These kinds of food choices help local farms and are supposed to be much healthier than preserved foods. When at a dining center, students are increasingly drawn to the salad bar instead of the pizza stand.

By eating a salad, they put up the front that they are eating healthy and are eating things from farms, which may seem more eco-friendly than processed food. However, many of these so-called healthy foods, like packaged apple slices, come from who knows where.

That packaged produce is full of preservatives and the processing that goes into it is not the best option for your health or the environment. Fresh, organic produce is a better option for the consumer and the environment. Unfortunately, the option of choosing fresh, local produce is too often overlooked.

There are also those who are concerned with landfills overflowing. Unknowingly, though, these people may contribute to the problem. An easy solution to help address this problem is recycling items instead of throwing them away. Many have recycling bins to remind us that we need to recycle.

Unfortunately, these containers can be used to point out to others that they recycle. Instead of doing it because it is the right thing to do, they are placed to say “Look! I care about the environment!” As soon as that bin is out of sight, it can easily be out of mind, and recyclable material may well be thrown away as simple trash.

It may seem like less of a hassle to do so, but if the concern were actually valid to someone, wouldn’t they try to recycle at all times, never litter or try a composting system at home? Of course, this is a much bigger commitment than a nifty recycling container.

Large cities are also seen as pollution powerhouses. No one wants to walk outside into smog caused by factories. It is easy to rant about how poor the air quality is, but when it comes time to take action, we fail to do so. We often forget that we too may be contributing to the cause. By not carpooling, using public transportation, riding a bike or walking where we need to go, we are helping contribute to the problem.

These problems concerning the environment can sometimes be seen as the only issues that have to do with eco-responsibility, but another way in which we can care about our home, the earth, is by paying attention to the things that live among us.

Constantly we are bombarded with images of animals being abused. TV commercials plead to us asking for our help. Seeing those poor animals strikes a soft spot, so we try and convince others to stop animal cruelty. Unfortunately for the animals being abused, animal cruelty only seems to matter when we see pictures or videos of it.

The presence of it is out there, but it is often ignored when it comes to purchasing a fur coat or makeup that is tested on animals. We can easily cast this disparity off by saying that the animals helping us get those products are treated differently than those that appear on the screen. This is wishful thinking to say the least. The same feeling we get when watching those commercials should stay with us for all animal rights concerns.

Caring about the environment and the things that reside in it is important. We can all make a difference in this fight by making our lives more eco-friendly. However, we should not use this issue to enhance our own appearance. If we want to be the change, we need to be all in or all out.