All the examples you mention are on the "futile" side of actions to take though. Like, if someone is driving a fossil car anyway, sharing a ride is very eco-fri

All the examples you mention are on the "futile" side of actions to take though. Like, if someone is driving a fossil car anyway, sharing a ride is very eco-friendly. There is very little extra CO2 emitted by you getting into the car. However, you can buy an electric car yourself (and share rides with it). Noone would think you an ass for that. For those with a house, noone thinks you are an ass for installing solar panels on the roof. Same with not taking a plane on your next vacation, at least noone at work should get upset by that (and friends/family can hopefully more easily understand it). On the disposable plastics side, going for the vegetarian option with disposable cutlery is orders of magnitude more eco-friendly than meat with reusable cutlery. And vegetarianism is somewhat socially accepted. While on the topic of symbolic actions, talking about it like a "50% meat reduction" that has an easier chance of spreading socially may do more good in this world than being strict about it -- better to have some influence and have 4 people reduce 50% than 1 person reduce 100%. Again, the option that rubs people less socially may be the rational optimum on the whole. I.e., "conforming" doesn't mean you have to hide your concern for the environment, it just means it is better to focus on rational actions that actually make a difference (that others can easily understand), rather than symbol statements that have little actual effect. The latter is what makes one feel like an ass.