ENVIRONMENTAL MANUAL

environmental awareness and Action manual

Maritza Barrios Macías A00836821

START

PERSONAL DIMENSION

“Climate change is natural and normal—it’s happened at other points in history.” (Nerger,2021)

“It’s so cold outside. Sure could use some of that global warming.” (Earthday, 2018)

So, What can I DO?

CITIZEN DIMENSION

"I just shared the post about the fires, so I've done my part".

Spreading disinformation using ‘distract and delay’ tactics to hold us back and delay action.

So, What can I DO?

PROFESSIONAL DIMENSION

"We just care to increase our profits, so we'll find the cheapiest ways to produce."

"Climate change is not that urgent or significant enough to change our entire company"

So, What can I DO?

CONSUMER DIMENSION

"I buy new furniture at IKEA whenever mine is ugly or broken because they care about the environment and have all their certifications"

“I buy from the Conscious Collection because the ad said it's sustainable clothes.”

So, What can I DO?

REFERENCES:

Albeck-Ripka, L. (n..d.). How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprintBancroft, L. (2023, January 24). Five commitments your company can make towards combating climate change. Airswift. https://www.airswift.com/blog/five-commitments-your-company-can-make-towards-combating-climate-change Bowen, F., Aragon-Correa, J. (2014). Greenwashing in Corporate Environmentalism Research and Practice. Organization; Environment, 27(2), 107–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026614537078 Building Green. (2011). The Nine Types of Greenwashing. https://www.buildinggreen.com/ news-article/nine-types-greenwashing Cole, S. (2021, November 18). The Roundup. The Roundup. https://theroundup.org/why-are-sustainable-products-more-expensive/#:~:text=In%20conclusion%2C%20eco%2Dfriendly%20products,can%20adhere%20to%20eco%20certifications. Confino, J. (2013, September 12). Report shows companies still don’t take climate change seriously. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/blog/cdp-report-companies-emissions-failing David Suzuki Foundation. (2019, November 18). Top 10 things you can do about climate change. https://davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/top-10-ways-can-stop-climate-change/ Designs, A. (2020, October 12). 4 Benefits of Reducing Waste in the Workplace. Allé Designs. https://www.alleofficesolutions.com/blog/4-benefits-of-reducing-waste-in-the-workplace/ Douglas, M. (2018, May 26). How to Stop Consumerism (and Why We Should). Grotto Network. https://grottonetwork.com/make-an-impact/volunteer/how-to-stop-consumerism/ EARTHDAY.ORG. (2021, January 15). 2020 ties for warmest year on record - Earth Day %. Earth Day. https://www.earthday.org/2020-ties-for-warmest-year-on-record/

Fleming, M. (2022, May 16). Rampant climate disinformation online is distorting dangers, delaying climate action. Medium. https://medium.com/we-the-peoples/rampant-climate-disinformation-online-is-distorting-dangers-delaying-climate-action-375b5b11cf9b Friedrich, J. (2014, May 21). The History of Carbon Dioxide Emissions. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/insights/history-carbon-dioxide-emissions#:~:text=Carbon%20dioxide%20(CO%E2%82%82)%20emissions%20from,they%20were%20in%201850%201 Gavett, G.. (n.d.). Companies Still Couldn’t Care Less About Climate Change. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved July 30, 2023, from https://hbr.org/2014/02/companies-still-couldnt-care-less-about-climate-change Global Witness. (n.d.). What is climate disinformation? https://www.globalwitness.org/en/blog/what-climate-disinformation/ Ivey Business Journal. THE TOP TEN REASONS WHY BUSINESSES AREN’T MORE SUSTAINABLE. (2011, January 1). https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/the-top-ten-reasons-why-businesses-arent-more-sustainable/#:~:text=Consumers%20do%20not%20consistently%20factor,neatly%20into%20the%20business%20case. Karney, R. (2015, October 16). The Hill. The Hill. https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/257085-consumer-education-crucial-to-combat-climate-change/ Macquarie University. (2020, November 26). What is “slacktivism” and can it change the world? The Lighthouse. https://lighthouse.mq.edu.au/article/november-2020/What-is-slacktivism-and-can-it-change-the-world National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). (2018, March 9). What’s the Difference Between Weather and Climate? https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/weather-vs-climate#:~:text=Whereas%20weather%20refers%20to%20short,regions%20can%20have%20different%20climates. Nerger, M. (2021, November 1). 6 Claims Made by Climate Change Skeptics—and How to Respond. Rainforest Alliance. https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/everyday-actions/6-claims-made-by-climate-change-skeptics-and-how-to-respond/ ​​Newsroom, E. (2014, August 31). Zero waste: Top 20 tips to reduce waste in the workplace. Edie. https://www.edie.net/zero-waste-top-20-tips-to-reduce-waste-in-the-workplace/ Robinson, D. (2022, July 17). 10 Companies Called Out For Greenwashing. Earth.Org. https://earth.org/greenwashing-companies-corporations/

FThe Environment Excuse. (2023, February 4). What is the Environment Excuse? https://www.theenvironmentexcuse.org/?utm_source=search&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=EE-2023&gclid=CjwKCAjwlJimBhAsEiwA1hrp5mK2geSMHTLOjJ3YkBLpz10a1hSFtVtSezmfperfI-LFbHCmg72zpxoCbokQAvD_BwE#food United Nations. (2022). How Indigenous Peoples Enrich Climate Action. UNFCCC. https://unfccc.int/news/how-indigenous-peoples-enrich-climate-action World Wildlife Fund. (n.d.). What You Can Do to Fight Climate Change. https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/what-you-can-do-to-fight-climate-change

Slacktivism

Slacktivism relies upon the bare minimum of work required to elicit a feel-good effect, and to appease the need of doing one’s part for a movement. (Bowen and Aragon-Correa, 2014)​For example, Kim Kardashian tweeting "This is so sad" in response to a sea full of plastic post. Yes, she is acknowledging the issue, but she "merely comments on the distressing footage without any attempt at modeling further action". (Bowen and Aragon-Correa, 2014)

"Social media is changing the way we protest."Dr Justine Lloyd, Senior Lecturer in social movements in Macquarie University's Department of Sociology,

Greenwashing

IKEA was considered a beacon of a major corporation being sustainable before June 2020 when the furniture retailer was linked with illegal logging in Ukraine. In a report by NGO Earthsight, the wood certification scheme IKEA uses, Forest Stewardship Council, was described as an organisation that greenwashes the timber industry. It was accused of failing to catch IKEA’s sourcing of conflict wood, and act on it (Robinson, 2022). This type of greenwashing is called rallying benhind a lower standard.

Climate and weather

First of all, climate and weather ARE NOT the same. According to National Centers for Environmental Information (2018), "whereas weather refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere, climate describes what the weather is like over a long period of time in a specific area. Different regions can have different climates. "

Just because it’s cold right now doesn’t mean global warming isn’t happening. The last seven years have been the hottest seven years on record, and that’s counting the bitter polar vortexes that have driven Arctic air down across North America during that period. (Earthday, 2021)

2020 warmest year on record

Companies don't care

The vast majority of respondents in a new Sloan and BCG survey say climate change isn’t a significant issue (11%) even though 67% agree that it is real (which is still a pretty sad number in 2014. And of the 27% who acknowledge that climate change is a risk to their businesses, only 9% say their companies are prepared for the risk. (Gavett, n.d.) Despite all of the damage they have caused, most of them still refuse to act and implement strategies to reduce their impact.

Companies don't take climate change seriously

Greenwashing

IKEA was considered a beacon of a major corporation being sustainable before June 2020 when the furniture retailer was linked with illegal logging in Ukraine. In a report by NGO Earthsight, the wood certification scheme IKEA uses, Forest Stewardship Council, was described as an organisation that greenwashes the timber industry. It was accused of failing to catch IKEA’s sourcing of conflict wood, and act on it (Robinson, 2022). This type of greenwashing is called rallying benhind a lower standard.

Yes, there have been warming and cooling periods during the Earth's history. Nevertheless, we as humans are emitting greenhouse gasses at a much higher rate than before. This has led to environmental problems. (Nerger, 2021)

According to Friedrich (2014), "recent data reveals that global CO₂ emissions were 150 times higher in 2011 than they were in 1850".

The History of CO2 emissions

These are subtler narratives but are no less damaging: even though they don't deny the existence of climate warming, they attack the measures to combat the crisis, question the integrity of climate scientists, and argue that environmentalists are alarmist. (Global Witness, n.d.)Some examples are:

• “Renewable energy doesn’t work”
• “Environmentalists are hysterical”
• “Net Zero is bad for the economy”

According to Fleming (2022), "climate action is being undermined by bad actors seeking to deflect, distract, and deny efforts to save the planet. Disinformation, spread via social media, is their weapon of choice."

Climate change denials getting more sophisticated

Why Sustainable Products Can Cost More?

• Cost of sustainable materials
• Cost of following ethical practices
• Cost of environmentally friendly packaging
• Cost of eco certification
• Less consumer demand (Cole, 2021)

Unfortunately, those companies that try leading the sustainability frontier often end up losing, which may discourage other companies to act (Ivey Business Journal, 2011). To learn more:

Why businesses aren't more sustainable

Greenwashing

IKEA was considered a beacon of a major corporation being sustainable before June 2020 when the furniture retailer was linked with illegal logging in Ukraine. In a report by NGO Earthsight, the wood certification scheme IKEA uses, Forest Stewardship Council, was described as an organisation that greenwashes the timber industry. It was accused of failing to catch IKEA’s sourcing of conflict wood, and act on it (Robinson, 2022). This type of greenwashing is called rallying benhind a lower standard.

Greenwashing

IKEA was considered a beacon of a major corporation being sustainable before June 2020 when the furniture retailer was linked with illegal logging in Ukraine. In a report by NGO Earthsight, the wood certification scheme IKEA uses, Forest Stewardship Council, was described as an organisation that greenwashes the timber industry. It was accused of failing to catch IKEA’s sourcing of conflict wood, and act on it (Robinson, 2022). This type of greenwashing is called rallying benhind a lower standard.