YPulse has said it for years, and it still rings true: Gen Z cares about the planet. Climate change and environmental issues consistently rank among the top causes teens and young adults say they’re passionate about, shaping everything from the content they engage with to the brands they say they want to support. Sustainability has become part of their identity—woven into aesthetics, conversations, and even the expectation that companies should be doing something to help. But as much as the mindset is there, the follow-through isn’t always so straightforward. As inflation is stretching budgets and the cost of living keeps climbing, Gen Z is forced to make trade-offs in real time. That’s where things get murky: what they want to do and what they can afford to don’t always line up. Sustainable options are often more expensive, less accessible, or simply less convenient—and for a gen that’s highly price-conscious, those barriers matter. And while some sustainable choices have become the norm—like water bottles and reusable bags—they’ve shifted away from...