I’ve worked with Wei Tao before on a Green Carnival within the NUS (National University of Singapore) campus. Great to see how they managed to get the students and lecturers involved in the event, promoting green awareness AND action within campus itself. Always takes a small step to walk a distance. Recently I received an email from him in protest against an advertisement he saw in the papers. It was the same ad that disturbed me. I’m glad to see action taken. From what I know, we’re still waiting for response from the relevant company.
This was sent to promo@fraserscentrepoint.com; ir@fraserandneave.com
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Dear Sir/Madam
We refer to the advertisement on page 36 of The Straits Times, 8 March 2008, Saturday, entitled, “Do you know you can save Planet Earth?“
While we are glad to see environmental initiatives happening at a corporate level, we are extremely concerned with the way this advertisement uses environmentalism. The following statements stand out:
Shop To Save Planet Earth
With a minimum of $100 spent, you can get a $5 Metro Voucher.
Green Winnings
Spend a minimum of $50 and stand a chance to bring home these exciting prizes. What’s more, you could be the lucky winner of our grand prize, a Chevrolet Spark 1.0L!
While it has been the practice of business entities to encourage the purchase of their products, and even as it becomes increasingly common that businesses publicize their environmental efforts while doing so, these two statements stand out from the norm. Excessive consumption leads to higher carbon emissions and an increased strain on Earth’s natural resources. These statements go completely against the grain in its suggestion that consumption saves the planet. They do not explain how consumption helps the environment.
We understand that part of the agenda of this initiative is to encourage the use of reusable bags. However, the result of increased usage of reusable bags does not offset the additional ecological footprints increased consumption brings about. Moreover, buyers qualify for these reusable bags only if they meet the condition of “minimum spending”. While we do not possess the data to show it, it is likely that a good portion of buyers would not meet this level of spending and therefore do not qualify for such environmentally friendly bags.
Furthermore, the use of reusable bags, while important, is in fact of relatively less concern than excessive consumption. It is undeniable that current levels of consumption are unsustainable and will damage the environment we live in severely if carried on. While we recognize that companies exist for the purpose of profit, and that it is through the encouragement of consumption that companies gain this profit, the advertisement misleads the public into the belief that increased consumption is in itself an environmentally friendly practice.
It is with a significant sense of urgency that we raise this issue. This advertisement reaches a vast readership that must be credited with the intelligence to tell if an advertisement is simply greenwashing. Allowing this advertisement to run without explicitly explaining the link between purchases and environmental sustainability suggests insincerity on the part of the corporations involved in it. This will cause cynicism in the public mind and jeopardize belief in and willingness to participate in genuine sustainable practices in the long run.
It will also damage the reputations of the companies involved as they will be perceived as insincere companies who would buy an environmental lie thinking it would improve their profit margin.
Therefore, we hope that the companies involved in the advertisement will rethink this advertisement campaign with haste to prevent further damage to the environmentalist cause, the environment itself and their own reputations.
We would like, however, to express appreciation, despite the misleading advertisement herein mentioned, towards the companies with regards to the recycling workshops and exhibitions organised.
We, the undersigned, comprising five student organisations, await your favourable reply.
Yours Sincerely,
ONG Weitao (MR)/LOO Deliang (MR)/Alexander YANG (MR)
On behalf of:
NUS Students’ Union Students Against Violation of the Earth (SAVE)
NUS Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Student Movement
NUS Southeast Asian Studies Society
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