Come back down to Earth
From corporate promotions to local events, Earth Day is often used as a platform by companies to promote their eco-friendly image. Let’s Deep Dive into how green these initiatives truly are.
🌱 As Earth Day approaches every year, we see companies shouting out about how they are trying to save the planet. But not all of them are being truthful.
🔎 For the most opportunistic, this could be seen as another great day in the year to greenwash their way to the heart of consumers.
🌍 The pervasive use of greenwashing as a sales tactic worsens environmental damage by fuelling unsustainable production and consumption.
👀 Watchdogs globally are watching industries closely, with some countries in Asia starting to tighten the rules for false sustainability claims.
QUOTABLE
“Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the Earth.”
— Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and essayist
BY THE NUMBERS
1970 Earth Day was conceived by US Senator Gaylord Nelson, who was inspired by the Vietnam War protestors to organise a nationwide demonstration on April 22, 1970.
70% In 2023, there was a 70 percent increase in greenwashing incidents globally compared to the year before.
88% Sustainability scepticism is high among Gen Z. Eighty-eight percent say they don’t believe ESG claims by brands.
2023 It was only in 2023 that policymakers in Asia-Pacific took steps towards regulating greenwashing, with South Korea being the first to impose fines of up to KRW2 million (US$2,300).
QUIZ
Earth Day falls on April 22 each year, but the theme changes yearly. Last year’s theme was Invest In Our Planet, what is the theme for 2024?
A. Investing In The Future
B. Defending Deforestation
C. Planet vs Plastics
Scroll to the bottom for the answer.
DID YOU KNOW?
Earth Day has its own anthem. The song was written in 2013 by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay Kumar and is recorded in eight world languages including six official United Nations languages.
THE EDIT
💵 Thinking green. Very often, when a company thinks about going green, they’re thinking about money.
🌐 Ramping up regulation. Countries around the world are taking steps to clamp down on greenwashing.
🤫 Hush hush. Companies are now greenhushing to dodge greenwashing accusations or to appease ESG-skeptic investors.
🔎 Eagle eye. Here are tips on how to tell if a brand’s climate pledge is genuine or not.
WATCH
This CBS News Special broadcast gives an insight into the reasons for the very first Earth Day.
KEY PLAYER
Jessi Baker MBE
Jessi Baker founded Provenance to help producers, manufacturers and retailers track the journey of people, places and ingredients behind their products. Using blockchain technology, it can look into a company’s supply chain to check its validity and impact, enabling transparency.
HONOUREE TO KNOW
Syed Zain Almohdzar
Syed Zain Almohdzar’s recycling platform Klean uses two kinds of AI-powered reverse vending machines and a rewards-based mobile app to incentivise consumers to recycle empty plastic bottles, aluminium cans and clean food containers. It currently has 60 machines in operation across Malaysia.
ONE FINAL THING
Well, it’s fortunate we’re celebrating Earth Day and not Earth Hour—the worldwide movement where we’re all encouraged to switch off non-essential electric lights to give the planet an hour of rest—because it seems there’s an unprecedented amount of content being rolled out on TV that we wouldn’t want to miss.
