Richard Walker: Why sustainability can’t just be a middle-class concern

Richard Walker Headshots 8

It’s hard to disagree with Sir David Attenborough’s assertions that humanity has made a “tragic, desperate mess” of the planet and that we all need to “look after the natural world”. Encouragingly, he believes that we can all “live the way you want to live – just don’t waste”.

His advice resonates with people of all ages, notably our switched-on and maybe even striking schoolkids, but naturally makes more sense to those who can actually afford to live the way they want.

Because no matter how much you care about the fate of the ice caps or orangutans, they must inevitably slip down your list of priorities if you spend most of each day worrying about how you are going to put food on the table for your family.

We live in a supposedly rich country but it has more food banks than branches of McDonald’s, and 4.1 million children are classified as living in poverty – a situation made far worse by the disastrously botched introduction of Universal Credit.

Subscription content

Please sign in now if you have a subscription or are already registered with us.

Retail Week

Register for free to continue reading

Retail-Week.com provides premium, in-depth intelligence that helps retailers judge risks, spot opportunities and identify what they need to do to win in the digital economy.

Register today for a taste of our high-quality intelligence and enjoy:

  • Two free article views per calendar month on Retail-Week.com
  • Detailed analysis of current trends and events 
  • Exclusive newsletters
  • In-depth reports, videos, interviews and much more

Discover Retail Week register now

Please note, if you have recently purchased a subscription, it may take a few minutes before your account is updated.