Earth Day is fast approaching on 22 April and this year’s theme is Invest In Our Planet. Sustainability isn’t just a trend – it’s a necessary lifestyle to combat the climate crisis, and key terms to look out for are climate grief, eco-anxiety, and sustainable swaps. Just look at the boom of eco TikTok, where influencers are tackling eco-activism. Brands and influencers have taken note by making eco-friendly changes (think less fast fashion), working with sustainable companies and introducing green collections. Earth Day is the perfect time to showcase these changes.
Why brands should celebrate Earth Day
Given the latest instalment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, it’s more important than ever to celebrate Earth Day and for brands to commit to a more sustainable and green future. As filmmaker Finn Harries summarises in an Instagram Reel about the IPCC report, “it is within our power and capacity to make the changes that are necessary”, but sustainable and real change is needed. As a brand wanting to partner with influencers for Earth Day, it’s important to note that those actively combating climate change are already calling out brands for only releasing eco-friendly collections for the occasion. It’s important to remember consumers want to see sustainable change all year long, not just for one day.
Ahead of Earth Day, here are 15 influencers covering sustainability, climate change and environmental issues…
1. Emma Slade Edmondson: she is a sustainability activist who promotes slow fashion and also co-hosts the podcast Mixed Up, which covers race and identity with Nicole Ocran. She is also the founder of ESE Consultancy and has participated in events such as Plastic Free July, and secondhand September.
2. Roxy Pope and Ben Pook: better known as So Vegan, they are an influencer couple who produce food content, they are also sustainability advocates. Although they mainly share plant-based recipes, they also have a daughter, Maya (born in 2021) and have partnered with brands to discuss sustainable options for babies, such as reusable nappies and buying a second-hand buggy.
3. Luke Mackley and Tyler Whitworth: they are a sustainable travel couple who love vegan food and previously participated in #ZeroWasteJuly. As they outline on their blog, they aim to promote a conscious and mindful lifestyle and for brands who wish to work with them, they must meet at least one of the following principles: vegan, eco-friendly or sustainable products; low carbon emission travel; plastic-free; give back to a cause, community or organisation; raise mental health awareness; not tested on animals; independently owned, local or family-run business; use natural or organic materials or re-purposed or recycled materials; slow and conscious production; no child/forced labour; or are an one percent for the planet partner.
4. Rachael Cooney: she is a micro-influencer and sustainable advocate who is currently renovating her home and has attempted to do this as sustainably as possible by using reclaimed and second-hand pieces (she loves Facebook Marketplace). She is also the co-founder of More This, an ethical directory of sustainable brands.
5. Demi Colleen: she is a vegan influencer and veterinary nurse who covers sustainability, dopamine dressing and skincare. She often promotes colourful eco-friendly fashion and shares her favourite ethical brands on Instagram Stories. As Colleen shared at a recent panel, she doesn’t strive for perfection, but that said, she does seem to work with like-minded brands that are typically eco-conscious and celebrates Earth Day.
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6. Jack Harries: over the years, the filmmaker has pivoted to focusing on climate change content. With his partner Alice Aedy and twin brother Finn, he runs the platform Earthrise, which documents the stories of young people who are tackling climate change, and is a climate storyteller on YouTube. For COP26, he created the YouTube Original series Seat At The Table and is currently working on a documentary exploring eco-anxiety.
7. Bianca Foley: she is a sustainable fashion influencer who co-hosts the podcast Sustainably Influenced with Charlotte Williams. Most recently, she was named as a judge for Marie Claire UK’s Sustainability Awards 2022. Foley has taken part in “no new clothes” challenges and frequently shares tips to help people live in a more eco-conscious way.
8. Tom Hunt: he is an eco-chef and food writer focused on sustainability. He is also a sustainability consultant and practices “Root to Fruit” eating, that is, eating seasonally and producing zero waste through recycling and composting. For the next six months, Hunt and his family will be living in an old caravan in Cornwall. This will include no gas, plumbing or mains electricity, and they also won’t be using any plastic.
9. Chloe Plumstead: the lifestyle influencer has been making sustainable swaps for the past year in terms of fashion by encouraging people to wear what they already have and consume less fast fashion through her #CareToRewear hashtag. On Instagram, she does a ‘rental spotlight’ series to promote fashion rental brands and during the holiday season, she encouraged people to gift a tree by working with Treedom. As someone who has been slowly integrating more sustainable swaps in her content, she could discuss her journey towards being more green.
10. Venetia and Max La Manna: They are an influencer couple who are focused on sustainability. She is a fair fashion campaigner and he is a zero-waste chef. Venetia isn’t afraid to call out fast fashion brands – she protested outside PrettyLittleThing’s fashion show and does a cooking series to criticise brands such as H&M. She is vegan and is also the co-founder of the platform Remember Who Made Them, which promotes garment workers’ rights and ethical fashion. Meanwhile, Max shares vegan recipes on TikTok and Instagram and went plant-based in 2012.
11. Beatrice Turner: she shares “imperfect sustainable living” content on Instagram, which is focused on parenting and ethical fashion content. She also covers this on her blog, The Fair Edit, which has covered conscious ideas for Christmas and advice for a capsule wardrobe. She also shares eco-friendly DIYs and calls out brands for greenwashing.
12. Immy Lucas: she is a vegan and sustainable lifestyle YouTuber who shares recipes, eco-friendly DIYs to reuse old items, sustainable swaps and tips. She often discusses zero-waste living and eats seasonally.
13. Jim and Jordan: known as Our Cornish Adventure, they are a sustainable travel couple. They live in a caravan in Cornwall and are vlogging the build of their dream home. They have hosted workshops teaching sustainable life skills, and prefer to work with independent and sustainable brands.
14. Joycelyn Longdon: she is an activist academic and the founder of Climate in Colour, which is focused on the intersection between climate change and social justice. She is currently working towards her PhD and MRes at the University of Cambridge and is in Ghana for the next two months to Ghana to complete community-centred fieldwork.
15. Julius Roberts: he is a sustainable Instagrammer who combines sustainable living with food. He uses his platform to cover slow food, seasonality and animal welfare. This consists of recipes, gardening inspiration and photos from his farm in Sussex.
By Caroline Edwards and Dina Zubi, staff writers for CORQ. Picture credit: Emma Slade Edmonson via Instagram.
