♂️ GreenGrowBros: How Male Dominance Is Sabotaging Our Survival

Originally published in The Jester - an amateurish, satirical, and critical student newspaper.

Ah, the Green Growth Men of environmental courses—always ready to dominate group discussions with reminders about “economic factors.” Their next carbon credit start-up might buy them a Tesla, but sadly, it will not save us from collapse. A cursory glance at ecofeminist critiques—or even a touch of self-awareness—would make that painfully clear. Yet they stride through the halls of academia and corporate boardrooms, selling a dream of "sustainable development" that somehow involves more profits, more status, and absolutely no sacrifice.

These men—let’s call them the GreenGrowBros—have mastered the art of marketing sustainability as an extension of dominating masculinity. Forget saving the planet for the sake of, you know, survival. No, the Earth must be saved for status. Picture billboards of dark, brooding electric trucks and energy-efficient tech in black and metallic hues—environmental justice, but make it manly.

Here’s the thing about that kind of masculinity: it’s fragile. Like a precarious tower of Jenga blocks, it constantly needs shoring up. Threaten a man’s meaty status, and studies show he might lash out. Like the Norwegian army, which refused Meatless Monday. Or the general mansplaining of climate breakdown as a "natural cycle."

The roots of this fragility run deep. Hegemonic masculinity thrives on dominance—over women, over nature, over emotions. To keep up appearances, men are socialised to suppress vulnerability (because feelings are for wimps), reject care work (that’s women’s stuff), and pursue the breadwinner status at all costs. This is why the GreenGrowBros would rather fire mirrors into space to deflect sunlight than admit that maybe, just maybe, infinite economic growth is incompatible with a finite planet.

Admitting that would require introspection, which we blokes can avoid like period parties. Speaking of reflection, maybe it’s time to look in the mirror—not the kind you launch into orbit, but one that reveals what masculinity has become.

The Three Faces of Man

1. The Industrial Breadwinner
   Behold, the rugged coal miner of yore, romanticised as the backbone of the nation. Never mind that his livelihood destroyed ecosystems and lungs alike. Today, this archetype clings to denial because admitting there’s a climate crisis would threaten not just his job but his identity. You’re more likely to find these macho men behind a gas-guzzling vanity project than on top of their housework.
2. The Ecomodern Saviour
   Enter the tech bro: Arnold Schwarzenegger flaunting an electric Hummer, Elon Musk promising Mars colonies, and Bill Gates investing in carbon capture—because nothing says "saving the planet" like turning it into a side hustle. These men have it all—money, power, and a deep conviction that technology will solve everything. Care work? Maybe we could get a robot to do that. Why support care workers when we can invest in flashy existential threats? Am I right, ladies?
3. The Warm Gentleman
   The rarest breed: men who prioritise care, community, and sufficiency over dominance. These men recognise that living well with low consumption isn’t about deprivation but redefining well-being. They champion collective action and holistic living, offering a glimpse of what masculinity could look like—if only they weren’t so busy waiting for women to applaud them.

Here’s the kicker: dismantling patriarchy isn’t just good for women—it’s good for men, too. Masculinity based on domination traps men in a vicious loop of isolation and suffering, contributing to higher rates of suicide, workplace injuries, and mental health issues. One of Western society’s biggest killers is suicide among middle-aged men. If they get fired, divorced, or neoliberal society rips them off, then their identity crisis sends them into nihilism.

But framing this in terms of men’s "interests" is tricky. After all, when you’re used to privilege, equality can feel like oppression. The solution isn’t about retreating from masculinity but redefining it. The warm man instead focuses on the bravery of challenging the status quo. He rejects the luxuries of another big-breasted advert for the simple joys of repairing and nurturing the home. In doing so, masculine industries—cars, fossil fuels, hyper-consumerism—will begin to scale down and make way for a simpler way of living. Some GreenGrowBros will be unwilling to let go of their toys—it can be hard, I know. Don’t worry. We’ll walk out of that man-cave together.

The evolution of masculinity will not be passive and apologetic but a model that balances power and vulnerability. For example, men’s groups like the Mankind Project are a great way to open up and challenge yourself to step up. In doing so, they build emotional resilience and collective accountability. Chances are that you'll make some new mates after a bit of a cry around the fire. Real ones. And in turn, you can offer your ear to another man (It’s okay; you don’t have to make eye contact). Say you are there for him. Come thick or thin.

The GreenGrowBros may scoff, but the real revolution won’t come from billionaires with electric trucks, phallic rockets, and ESG stocks. It will come from men willing to hold themselves accountable for their actions.

So, dear GreenGrowBros, turn down that FinTech job and pick up a broom. The planet—and humanity—might just thank you.

If you liked this post, please share it and subscribe for more.