There’s nothing quite like a global crisis–climate change, for instance–to make everyday people feel powerless. Ikea Canada understands the temptation to throw up our hands in defeat when faced with rising sea levels and melting polar icecaps. But the retailer is asking each of us, instead, to enlist in the battle for a cleaner earth…
Paper-based packaging is having a moment. As the consequences of a climate crisis become more top of mind for consumers, brands in different categories are looking for ways to reduce their ecological footprint by making adjustments to their packaging. Brands are taking one of two routes: creating reusable packaging that can be maintained by the…
Key insights: The cooperative sold its newly-built headquarters to bolster a strong balance sheet that helped it survive the pandemic. This week, REI Co-op announced that it is set achieve its 14-year commitment that it set for itself back in 2006 to be carbon neutral this year, not an accolade many retailers can make in…
Reebok has found an unexpected way to promote its new eco-friendly performance sneakers: the brand partnered with a Boston-area farm to serve them up to customers with a side of fresh veggies. The first 50 buyers of the new design, called Forever Floatride Grow, will receive a half-bushel of produce in a sustainable wooden crate…
To all the wine snobs out there: everyone laughs at your labored and ridiculous descriptions of that glass of pinot noir you’re drinking, with its “playful top notes” and “hint of raked leaves.” Bonterra Organic Vineyards takes direct aim at this ripe-for-parody practice in a long-form ad, with characters sipping, swishing and raving about the…
Next to the oil industry, the apparel business–with its water use, fabric dyeing and high waste rate–is the most polluting business in existence, sending a quarter of the planet’s carbon emissions into the air. Increased consumer concern over this issue has led not only to the rise of ethical clothing brands such as Threads 4…
It’s no secret that the Covid-19 crisis has transformed daily life for virtually everyone. And according to new research, it looks as though the pandemic has also changed our priorities in ways that could have permanent consequences for the planet–a fact we’ve been abruptly reminded of as the West Coast battles wildfires covering more land…
LONDON–Most people know what air pollution is and that it can have serious implications for the environment, global warming and human health. But it’s quite hard to picture the noxious, mostly translucent gases in a tangible way. To bring the dangers of air pollution into focus, AMV BBDO in London has created a new digital…
Key Insight: The clean beauty brand is seeing skyrocketing scales aligning with increased consumer interest in sustainable products. Clean beauty brand Versed Skincare, which debuted exclusively in Target stores before embracing a DTC model, is launching a new Backup Plan acne control body mist with the help of three female athletes: WNBA’s L.A. Sparks power…
Another day, another epic fail from a brand putting on the diversity mantle or shouting about social distancing. Ads keep missing the goalposts on the climate emergency, diversity, ocean plastic–pick a theme. Behind every misstep is bad advice, lack of understanding or someone who didn’t listen. The majority of a company’s value is inevitably tied…
How do you measure the cost of climate change? While a comprehensive answer to that question may be impossible to find, New Belgium Brewing is trying to address it in one small way–by attempting to calculate what beer will cost after agriculture is significantly disrupted due to climate change. If the prices of barley, wheat…
Photos of milk jugs, water bottles and other debris washed up on the beach or scattered throughout the ocean are unsettling reminders of the deleterious effects our plastic consumption has on the world around us. Unfortunate as it may be, these images have become commonplace, so much so that we’ve perhaps become numb to them….
Since Covid-19 lockdowns began in March, eating meals at home has been the norm for many Americans, naturally causing an increase in dirty dishes. As hand-washing dishes can be a water waster–Energy Star reports one post-meal pre-rinse can waste up to 20 gallons–Finish is encouraging consumers who own dishwashers to put their plates directly into…
After delivering one of the most hilarious ads about working from home just two weeks ago, Apple has released another ad–only this time, it stars a baby and soothes with a lullaby about tackling environmental messes with planet-sized plans. This lullaby isn’t sung; it’s spoken. Cooing in a whisper, the narrator introduces the viewer to…
While it’s easy to understand that single-use plastic bags are detrimental to the environment, it’s also true that so far, we haven’t developed an alternative that can compete with low-density polyethylene bags when it comes to convenience and price–two of the strongest motivators for retailers and consumers alike. With that in mind, a new consortium…
While all Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water products claim to be fully recyclable, the bottled water brand has a contentious track record when it comes to sustainability. Back in January, Crystal Geyser admitted to illegally storing arsenic in eastern California and transporting the hazardous metallic wastewater to treatment plants. Following the 16-count indictment, CG Roxane,…
Verizon today unveiled a new, three-pronged business plan called Citizen Verizon that commits the company to sustainability, human prosperity and digital inclusion. The plan, which has been in the works for several years, has its roots in a 20-year-old commitment to corporate responsibility, according to Verizon’s head of brand development, Kristin McHugh. Those efforts were…
Scientists have come up with a diet hack for cows that can reduce the animals’ methane emissions by more than a third, and Burger King will be the first brand to sell the better-for-the-planet beef, starting today. Spoiler: A small dose of lemongrass leaves does the trick, cutting bovine emissions by 33% a day, according…
As consumer packaged goods companies look to present their products in ways that demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, many brands are targeting the packaging itself–either by cutting down on plastic, increasing recycled materials within packaging or creating compostable containers. To keep up with this trend, alcohol conglomerate Diageo announced today a new partnership with venture…
As the biggest fast food brand in the world, McDonald’s is responsible for a lot of waste-but with consumers becoming more concerned about environmental impact, the burger chain is looking to address that. McDonald’s has already banned plastic straws from U.K restaurants in favor of paper ones, and now it has done the same in…
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