earthday

Rethinking Earth Day

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Should We Even Celebrate?

We got to a point where rethinking Earth Day becomes crucial. Indeed, if we continue at this pace, in a future devoid of resources, Earth Day will be remembered for the countless celebrations. But should we even celebrate?

Earth Day significance


April 22nd marks the annual recurrence of World Earth Day 2024, a global event dedicated to raising awareness and promoting environmental protection. This day is a powerful reminder of the critical need for conservation and sustainability efforts. The purpose is to inspire collective action towards a healthier planet and a more sustainable future.

Earth Day marketing

However, we received emails inviting us to purchase products to save the planet! Is this truly the extent of our commemoration? Another opportunity for product promotion? Is increasing sales an effective strategy against global warming? Is it the means to safeguard our planet? Earth Day promotions sound really weird!

For those striving for a sustainable lifestyle, which transcends the hollow slogans bombarding us incessantly, Earth Day holds no celebrations. In truth, there is little cause for celebration. What’s to commemorate? The devastation wrought by humanity? Or perhaps a brief respite? Certainly not!

climate change -Image of a melting planet earth - Killing me softly by Gianluca Traina
Killing me softly by Gianluca Traina

The true purpose: rethinking Earth Day

The aim is to raise public consciousness, to instil the understanding that we have but one planet, and we must preserve and protect it. Mother Earth requires time to heal from the havoc we wreak daily, from the mountains of waste generated by our economic system, by our way of life! The devastation is the byproduct of progress, something we seem unwilling to relinquish. 

Let’s face it. Unfortunately, Earth Day has become the ultimate marketing strategy to drive sales! But sustainable growth is a myth. Similarly, there can be no sustainable fashion or sustainable tourism without a significant reduction in consumption! “What is needed in the first instance are reduced levels of consumption, not just changed patterns.” – Herman E. Daly.

In conclusion, brands may push marketing gimmicks to celebrate Earth Day 2024. Tourism, fashion, or any other industry may create its own sustainable bubble. But we will neither address nor solve any issue unless we are wholeheartedly committed – every day – to saving the planet by curbing our consumption.

So, let’s be serious: rethinking Earth Day means nothing to celebrate. We must raise awareness and take action!

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Earth Day 2023

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Do we really care about the earth?

Saturday, April 22, we celebrated Earth Day 2023. Even though it may seem absurd, some brands used this day to release promotions to sell more products! Maybe the purpose of this day is not clear. Or people just don’t care.

Why do we celebrate Earth Day?

Earth Day was established in 1969 when US Senator Gaylord Nelson witnessed a natural disaster caused by the explosion of an oil well next to Santa Barbara, California.

What is the purpose?

For those involved in achieving a sustainable lifestyle, which goes beyond the empty slogan bombarding us at any one time, Earth Day doesn’t mean a celebration. In fact, there is nothing to celebrate! What’s the point of celebrating? The destruction humans bring? Or maybe give it a pause for one day? Surely not!

The purpose is to raise public awareness. Therefore, making people understand we only have one planet, and we must preserve it. Protect it. We need to give mother earth time to heal herself from the mess we massively put out on a daily basis. So the tons of waste which is the byproduct of our economic system. Of our lifestyle! The byproduct of progress: something we cannot renounce.

But if we follow people who promote sustainable growth, green growth, sustainable fashion, and sustainable tourism, we go nowhere. Indeed, as Herman E. Daly said:

We expected any day to hear about “sustainable sustainability.”

Herman E. Daly

Earth Day 2023 & marketing

We received newsletters offering promotions: shop now, and get your discount to celebrate Earth Day! Really, this is it? Another chance for promoting products? For marketing? Is selling more an effective strategy for fighting global warming? Is it the strategy to protect our planet?

Let’s be serious. It’s just marketing to sell more! There’s no such thing as sustainable growth. Likewise, there’s no such thing as sustainable fashion or sustainable tourism without a dramatic reduction in consumption!

“What is needed in the first instance are reduced levels of consumption, not just changed patterns.”

Herman E. Daly

In the end, brands can play with marketing to celebrate the Earth Day 2023. Tourism, fashion, and any other industry can make their sustainable bubbles. But we won’t solve any problem unless we are not committed – every day – to save the planet by reducing our consumption.

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Earth day?

Mass marketing, hashtags and behaviour

On April 22, while everyone proudly shared the hashtag Earth Day, the news said that in Europe, six million tons of garments end up in landfills every year. Yes, it’s not a good moment to read newspapers because whatever the field, humans are not shining for responsible behaviour.

Even if we feel very sad about that news, we are not surprised. Indeed one of our latest posts was about the lack of coherence in our society. And scrolling through our blog, you’ll find many other posts on this topic. On the one hand, people talk like they care about sustainability, while on the other, they buy fast fashion or any cheap product. The habit is ‘consume and throw away’ quickly.

In general, sustainability sells, and if it’s greenwashing, it sells even more!

Earth Day & the culture of waste

This matter has to do with the ‘buy and toss’ culture launched, promoted and pushed by corporations. They did it intentionally by using persuasion and with the help of marketing. Yes, marketing can do magic! Furthermore, knowing they could count not only on the weakness of individuals but also on people who don’t read and don’t think at all.

This is the modern way of purchasing clothing which is also done via Instagram or TikTok. The cheapest ones are the most successful. “It’s cheap, I buy it, I’ll wear it once and throw it away!”
What if they will not wear it? They won’t feel guilty getting rid of it because it’s cheap. In fact, there are garments still with the price tag in landfills!

That is toxic behaviour that tells a lot about the decadence of European culture. Our parents and grandparents used to buy a few quality clothes that lasted a lifetime, got repaired and passed on to the other family members. Now, people buy very cheap products made to auto destroy in the shortest time possible. And which, unfortunately, don’t disappear but instead compromise our environment.

If we do not refocus our culture, if we are not open to change, and put some effort into shifting our consuming habits, it’s better to avoid the hashtag to celebrate Earth Day.

Hashtags work for marketing but will not save the earth. Our actions will.

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