Zippie

Zippie is a term that originated in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, used to describe young, upwardly-mobile professionals, typically in their twenties or early thirties, who were perceived as being environmentally conscious, socially liberal, and embracing new technologies. The term is an acronym for "Zero Income People, Promoting Investment in the Environment." This is somewhat ironic, as the Zippie lifestyle was generally associated with disposable income and conspicuous consumption, albeit of "green" or ethically sourced products.

The Zippie label was often used by media and marketing professionals to categorize and target a specific demographic. While the initial focus was on environmentalism, the term also encompassed other aspects of modern, urban living, such as healthy eating, fitness, travel, and cultural pursuits.

The Zippie phenomenon was seen as a reaction against the more materialistic values of the 1980s "yuppie" (Young Urban Professional) generation, although some saw it simply as a rebranded version with an added layer of environmental awareness. The Zippie ethos emphasized sustainability and ethical consumption, though often criticized for its superficiality.

The term "Zippie" has largely fallen out of common usage, with more contemporary terms like "eco-conscious consumer" or "ethical consumer" now being more widely employed to describe individuals with similar values. While not entirely extinct, the term is mostly relegated to historical or sociological contexts discussing late 20th-century lifestyle trends.