Deep Breaths: "Change is in the air" with #EthicalHour
Change is possible when we lead with purpose.
Discover how a growing number of businesses are taking action to build a better world.
Written by Irin Nuul-Ha. Edited by Angela Wallace
We are proud to have partnered this week with Ethical Hour, founded by Sian Conway, to champion meaningful, positive change for World Environment Day 2019. We joined a global Twitter chat on Monday and an amazing article outlining this year’s World Environment Day impact was published Wednesday. AWIA is thrilled to be featured in this article (read more here). We’re especially proud that our involvement with Ethical Hour helped fund 56 days of access to a solar cooker and solar lighting for a family in India.
World Environment Day
World Environment Day is a global initiative for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment, founded by the UN in 1974. This year’s theme is air pollution which has seen less attention than other climate issues over the last four decades. More than 90% of the world’s population is breathing polluted air, which puts the well-being of more than 6 billion people at risk. We’re not trying to create a pollutant-free environment (because that wouldn’t be realistic), but create a “better and more sustainable world” for all, to minimize negative health impacts and mitigate the more severe sources of air pollution.
In order to tackle these issues, we must realize that there is a strong connection with social justice. People living in impoverished countries are disproportionately affected and businesses have an enormous power to change this. One of many ways is through their buying power - for instance, businesses can choose how they deliver their products to consumers and to support the workers’ quality of life. Businesses can create a positive impact by embracing their role in creating a “new normal” that encourages more responsible consumption and production, where people and planet can coexist without hurting human and planetary health.
Thankfully, there are increasing number of brands who are putting much effort into creating quality products that do no harm and some of the industry leaders include: Melissa Kimbell of Awake Organics, who is making beauty products with food grade, organic and sustainable ingredients. Anna Herman of Eco INC., an eco-fashion designer, who asks her suppliers the tough questions to ensure the highest ethical and eco standards are met. Jess Lohmann of Ethical Brand Marketing, who works with animal and planet-saving leaders who are protecting endangered species through their impact business.
Of course, we’re doing our part at AWIA (Angela Wallace Impact Agency), partnering with courageous founders to empower and equip them to build brave brands and tackle the climate crisis first hand by scaling sustainable consumer product businesses for a better world.
