Earth Day reclaimed: activists fight corporate takeover of the movement

Climate activists advocate for a return to Earth Day's protest roots, opposing the commercial exploitation of the event.

Kristin Hostetter reports for Outside.

In short:

  • Earth Day began in 1970 as a significant protest and has since morphed into a marketing tool for companies.
  • Activists emphasize the day's origins and the need to focus on genuine environmental change rather than superficial corporate shows.
  • Despite the commercialization, the activists interviewed maintain that Earth Day can still inspire valuable ecological behaviors and community actions.

Key quote:

"I urge anyone who wants to take action for climate to see the undeniable link to social justice.

— Pattie Gonia, co-founder of The Outdoorist Oath

Why this matters:

Understanding the shift from Earth Day's activist roots to corporate greenwashing is important for distinguishing genuine community actions over superficial corporate initiatives. Read more: Earth Day: Amidst the greenwashing, it's still a good thing..

About the author(s):

EHN Curators
EHN Curators
Articles curated and summarized by the Environmental Health News' curation team. Some AI-based tools helped produce this text, with human oversight, fact checking and editing.

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