Be the change you wish to see in the world

This picture recently came up in my Instagram feed ...

Image from Instagram

... and someone in the comments wanted to know where they could buy the sign as they are setting up a zero waste shop.

But ...

Whilst the message is spot on, it seems completely ironic to me that someone setting up a zero waste shop should be asking where they can buy a sign that would have be transported with associated packaging materials.   So I suggested that to be true to their cause they should really should be making a sign themselves from local stuff that would otherwise go into landfill.  They replied that they would not know how to even start making a sign like that and anyway zero waste is not about not buying anything new.  I further replied that perhaps a better solution would be to get someone local to make the sign, maybe a school or college, thus helping to build local networks and spread the zero waste message.  In our journey to save the planet we may not stop be able to stop buying things but we do need to look for sustainable alternativese.

Sadly though, I am not sure they were overly impressed with my comments.  For daring to air my opinions the person setting up the zero waste shop has now removed their comments both asking where to buy the sign and their inability to make their own .... and blocked me from their Instagram account.

We are all entitled to our opinions and I was not rude.   I simply added what I felt was a valid point and I believe that anyone in business needs to be able to deal with feedback.  Blocking them is hardly a constructive way of going about this.

What do you think - was I wrong to add my viewpoint and were my comments valid?  Feedback welcome!