To hope or not to hope at the butchery shop

I went to get my meat at the butchery, getting it put directly into reusable plastic containers, as I always do now. A new employee served me, and I explained what I wanted to do that was different and why (zero waste). He used tongs a few times, then used a sheet of plastic to grab and weigh one of the meats, which he then threw away. I (uncomfortably) asked him if he could use tongs next time, otherwise it defeated the whole purpose.

He said he would, but also communicated to me that he couldn't see what difference it made. "One person doesn't make a difference", he said, saying he did know each person's "carbon footprint" was great. "But there's too much greed", he said. I did try to tell him, we had to try, saying frankly that if we didn't we were all fucked (probably too loudly, in the shop). I told him that slavery used to be accepted - and if it weren't for all the conservationalists nothing would be saved. "There's good and there's evil." But then I scanned his soul, looking into his eyes. He had no hope. There was no point trying, at least until he was open to it - maybe even a few years from now.

I would have told him that if you give up you are assured failure. At least if you try there is hope.

Later... it has surfaced that I actually found that annoying. If you can't help, at least don't discourage those that are!