Issue #25: Earth Day and Greenwashing
How to see through the "Green Screen" of Earth Day content
Happy Earth Day!
In This Issue
Earth Day
Greenwashing
Companies Walking The Talk
Why This Matters
Quick Climate Action
Earth Day
Celebrated on April 22nd, Earth Day is a globally recognized annual event that began in 1970. And while every year politicians and corporations gain good press about changes they’ll make to improve the world, it seems like change is slow and the speed of news is fast.
I try to remove my cynical outlook on days like this, but it’s difficult. Especially when things like greenwashing or corporate sales in the name of Earth Day happen.
Greenwashing
Perhaps you’ve heard the term “greenwashing” before, but if you haven’t, it’s a term to describe marketing that’s used to push corporate environmentalism with little substance.
For example, remember when Volkswagen said they had “clean diesel” engines? Then it turned out, they were actually terrible for the environment? Well, VW is now trying to turn the corner after paying for their deception - literary and figuratively. But is their campaign for being all electric this decade just more greenwashing? Up for debate.
Which brings us to today’s Earth Day and marketing. Here’s what my email (that’s used to get promo emails only so my personal email isn’t clogged up) inbox looks like this morning.
This is just a snapshot. There are more.
And this still wasn’t all of them.
So, the question is - how many of these companies are exploiting our mental focus on Earth Day to make more sales, and which of these are actually trying to do some good?
It’s actually extremely difficult to separate this complexity. It’s why I’m referring to it as “the green screen.”
In moviemaking, they use a green screen to provide a backdrop that is replaced in post-production with a visual element that needs to be created with a computer.
In a marketing sense, it’s a simple use of a graphic, image, or phrasing, to sell you on a product or service that is “green” and environmentally friendly.
There are absolutely companies that are selling things that are legitimately environmentally friendly, or green, but there are plenty of others trying to sell you on your conscious.
Companies Walking The Talk
Let’s look at a few of the emails I received and talk just about the ones that are walking the talk.
Sonos
Sonos published this email on the 16th, almost a week before Earth Day. There is not a single thing in this email discussing a sale of Sonos products. All the links go to published pages on their website about how they’re making efforts to hit their environmental initiatives.
In addition, Sonos links to their ESG report. (If you’re unfamiliar with ESG metrics, check out Issue #20 from February this year.)
United By Blue
This is a sales-push email, but the company itself is pushing its reusable products. United By Blue also publishes their mission, their environmental initiatives, and results of their work. You can read their impact report on their website.
https://unitedbyblue.com/blogs/united-by-blue-journal/the-2021-impact-report
Trade Coffee
While this is also a sales email, it puts the effort to promote vetted coffee roasters who source their beans with sustainable growers and organically certified processes.
with further details about these coffees, their roasters, and the sustainable practices.
Trade Coffee uses recyclable cardboard for shipping, work with roasters who source sustainably, and helps smaller local roasters reach larger audiences. They still have work to do to expand their efforts, but they’re on the right path it seems.
Cotopaxi
This email from Cotopaxi is wonderful. It isn’t a sales-centric email. It wants to share the impact and legitimize their efforts with tangible evidence. Coincidentally, they are excited to share that Climate Neutral verified their certification again. (I just wrote about CN in Issue #24.)
When you click this email, it leads you to the best landing page I’ve seen yet with the most detail I’ve seen yet. I am thrilled to see results like this, and even I have to admit it has sold me that next time I need outdoor gear, I’ll keep Cotopaxi in mind as a company to consider.
All The Others
I don’t want to talk about the following companies and their email campaigns at length. But, these are the companies with campaigns that felt like throwing up “the green screen” to me, trying to sell something with little thought into why its “green” or “sustainable.”
Qdoba
Crate & Barrel
Outside Magazine’s The Commerce Crew
SylvanSport
Why This Matters
The odds are good that you get a LOT of emails, and probably many from companies you’ve purchased goods from, or looked at online.
And my hope of this email is that you take the time to discern which companies are doing things for the right reasons and not just to sell something because it is Earth Day.
Just like making sustainable living choices, choosing the right companies to support also takes considerable effort.
Quick Climate Action
Hello to Remark and their great Chrome extension, UnF*** the Future.
“Get snarky, one-minute climate actions when you’re reading depressing news.”
Seriously, super quick and easy things you can do that make a difference today. Do it.
Thank you for reading, thank you to our Earth, and thank you to those who strive to do the right thing for the right reasons.
-Michael