Would you go to an inconvenience store?

Why do convenience stores exist?

Let’s examine the first part: “Convenience”. As someone who likes to think smart and not as hard, meaning my methods are typically straight to the point with no intention to reinvent the wheel, convenience is still a weird word for me. When actions/routines/processes get broken down to their most basic forms, we really lose an aspect of normalcy. Which, you could argue, is perfectly fine because F traditions anyway.

Living in Oakland for a year really introduced me to this whole situation. I grew up in suburbia, and went to college in a municipal suburbia, so I was shocked when I found myself surrounded by liquor stores / convenience stores / bodegas (I’ve heard them be called that?). It was a trip because wow, alcohol is across the street. You can run out multiple times to get what you need in record time. Tuna for lunch? Of course the store across the street will have the salt and vinegar chips I need.

But I’ve found this process does somewhat set up a cycle of instant gratification, and I think ultimately promotes the “convenience” behaviour cycle. We literally need to refuel with food and water (and whatever junk is sold in those stores), so they are effectively providing an essential service. But when things get easier and easier, priorities and values begin to slip away.

So I’m not saying “let’s axe convenience stores” or anything. I most certainly run downstairs and cross the street to go to my corner store for the occasional bag of hot chip, and they have a really good bottle of sake there, which goes well with almost any beer I’ve found. Is this problematic behaviour? I am supporting a local business…

I’ve recognized that there’s a necessary balance that needs to be struck between my ability to do things just because I can, and purposefully making a decision to not to do those things, similarly, just because I can. Does that make sense? Like quitting an addictive source. Or at least, cutting down on it.

Can people get addicted to convenience?

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yesssssss.

Convenience is the American way. There are dollar stores that often provide the lowest quality products and people support them because they are easily accessible, affordable, and ignorable. Yeah, once that plastic toy has served its purpose, it’s in the trash to be forgotten forever. Or at least ignored in a box in an attic, only to be tossed 5–10 years later.

It’s so effortlessly and innocuously ingrained in the average American’s lifestyle. I watched a video the other day where a guy was listing ways to “convince” parents (if cohabiting with them) to adopt better, more environmentally sustainable habits. He had a few good points, like watching documentaries together and to make sure not to dump a ton of information on them at once, etc. Because our parents are from a different generation, the concept is embedded so deeply into their beings and they quite honestly don’t know it any other way. Growing up in the age of the internet and unlimited information, Millennials, Zennials, and Gen Z’s are starting to learn it “another” way, literally. So as a result, the child has become the adult. And I think the frustration we feel now can help us identify with maybe what our parents went through trying to potty train us.

Anyway, definitely not all people from the last two generations are super “woke”, but often ambivalent to common sustainability precautions. Some people I’ve met have staunchly refuted and rebelled against gentle guidelines I’ve provided to them. “Hey, do you mind putting your water bottle in the recycling? Because it’s recyclable.” They look at me like I have a second head, which simply conveys to me, “hell no, I’m not sticking my hand in there to fish it out. That ship has sailed and I will never think about this interaction or you ever again.”

You bet I’ve been labeled a “hippie” a number of times. And I think about it, like, are you f*cking kidding me? First of all, why are you saying that like it’s a bad thing?? Second of all, calling someone a hippie is just like calling someone a nerd. It holds effectively no meaning because aspects of hippie and nerd culture is so interwoven into today’s society. And then third of all, f*ck you. Pick that mother f*cking water bottle out of the trash and put it in the recycling bin, you useless f*ck. Get the hell out of my face.

Does convenience make space for indifference?

People treat this (and this being the future of our existence) like it’s a joke. I’ve been laughed at. I’ve had older couples look at me with pity, like I’m mentally disabled and they feel bad (??) for me. I’m just really confused why it’s so hard to remember the “gentle guidelines” or take this whole thing seriously.

Maybe I’ve dealt with a disproportionate amount of bastards or just have a voice or face that pisses people off… But I live in the Bay Area. This is supposed to be a progressive place — if not THE most progressive place in the United States. And what’s sad is, if there’s thousands of people here who don’t care, in a progressive city like San Francisco, how do you think it’s going in conservative areas, where everyone’s high on climate change hoax conspiracies?

People don’t care simply because it’s not convenient, and they have “bigger fish to fry” than learning a new behaviour. Governments and corporations literally have to give people treats and gold stars for “going above and beyond” for injecting sustainable environmentalism practices into their business or whatever. For example, if you want to get your building LEED Certified, you can get easy points toward whichever LEED level you’re shooting for just by putting in three stream bins on every floor of the building. Do you really think the architects or civil engineers would care in the slightest if it didn’t aid them reach LEED Gold? Maybe if they know what’s good for them (in the most un-ominous way possible).

I would just super recommend evaluating your instinctive behaviours. Or just be conscious of them at least. “Hey, I eat pre-packaged pastries everyday. Maybe I should consider buying in bulk or going somewhere else to buy them where they’re fresh AND not enclosed in plastic.” Just think about it.