8 environmental influencers you should follow

Sustainability is the zeitgeist of social media today, with people left and right dropping ‘eco’, ‘green’, ‘ethical’ and ‘sustainable’ into every other sentence. I’m excited about more and more people talking about saving our planet – when I was younger people thought I was crazy for wanting to save water and electricity – but now brands as big as H&M and Primark are jumping on the sustainability bandwagon.

It may appear that everyone on Instagram is an expert on the matter, but there are several true experts we should all be listening to, whether on Instagram, Twitter or long-form blogs. With the rise of misinformation and ill-researched facts thrown about online, it’s important to know where to go for the real facts and figures. Here are some of my favourites!

Give them a follow, share their posts and show your support – we can all do our bit.

Clare Press

Clare Press aka ‘Mrs Press’ is Australian Vogue’s editor-at-large, and host of the ‘Wardrobe Crisis‘ podcast. In 2018, she was made Global Ambassador for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Make Fashion Circular initiative.

She talks extensively about circular fashion and how modern fashion needs to catch up with the way the world is changing, especially in regards to supply chain ethics and legislation around clothing production. She is a journalist and author of three books, her latest of which, ‘Rise & Resist, How to change the world‘, was published in 2018.

View this post on Instagram

Just strolling down the @econylbrand carpet with @hassanpierre from @maisondemode 💚 So… for everyone who asked about my dress. It’s made from many metres of hand-loomed Kota Doria muslin by wonderful @benjamingarg . The cloth was woven in Kethun, India, then pigment-dyed in Melbourne. This colouring process requires less water and lower temperatures. Benjamin made this dress especially for me, moving house & getting flu in the middle of the process. He ended up posting it because it wasn’t quite finished by my last trip to Melbourne – & it got lost! Cue several days of fraught post-office hunting. Can you believe they found the package the day before I flew?! The #slowfashion gods were smiling on us. So pleased & proud to wear this magic dress. Kota Doria is an Indian handloom tradition of translucent muslins once supported by royal patronage and produced in towns and villages in and around Kota city [south eastern Rajasthan]. Kota saris are the lightest cotton saris, and the weaves vary according to yarn gauges, while the different fine check patterns are known as Khats. "These handicrafts are made with blossomed heart and peace of mind, which is equivalent to meditation," says Benjamin. The designer, who hails from a village called Mudki in the Indian state of Punjab, studied fashion in Melbourne and was a standout graduate from RMIT’s fashion Masters program last year. Thank you Ben for dressing me for the @greencarpetfashionawards 💚💚

A post shared by Clare Press (@mrspress) on

Aja Barber

Journalist and fashion consultant Aja Barber writes about intersectionality in feminism and ethical fashion, both of which are closely connected. Follow her on Instagram for knowledgable and honest stories and posts about sustainability and intersectionality.

My only critique would be that she doesn’t have a blog or podcast, but her captions could be described as ‘micro-blogging’ – if you want to learn and want to think, Aja is for you.

View this post on Instagram

Mean⁣ Bully⁣ Idiot⁣ Evil⁣ Unkind⁣ Bitchy⁣ ⁣ These are words I’ve been called in 48 hours on the internet as a person doing what I do. I’ve been accused of censorship for monitoring my comments (I truly believe in every persons right to do so especially if this person is doing their anti racism work … a person not doing their work often mistakes legit criticism surrounding race for “bullying”).⁣ ⁣ All of these phrases are loaded but especially “bully”. Calling black people bullies is like the oldest, dirtiest trick in the playbook. But I’m not a fan of being called “mean” either. I answer literally every message in my inbox. Upwards of 100 a day and I give as good as I get. If I sense that you’re not being respectful of me, my space or my time (or others in my circle) I’ll say as much and move on to those who are. Surprisingly I don’t have endless hours of the day to argue with folks who make it their mission to misunderstand what I’m saying. If I did, I’d get nothing done. When did this become a crime? Or is it only a crime when you’re a black woman with boundaries?⁣ How am I the bully when it’s you who’s in my inbox? I’ve learned recently on the internet that black women blocking people is censorship but when a white woman accusing her engages in the same behavior, it’s her right. Continued in the comments because this is long. ⁣ (Image description: I chose this photo because it was taken by a @beforeandagain_ and it’s absolute magic … she and @sheflourished_ are true artists … but also it shows me in the softness of the sunlight wearing a purple jumpsuit from Stalf. Women of color are often portrayed as “hard” or “mean” or “tough” on the internet when in actuality we simply have boundaries like the next person. And they’re far higher than the next person because often we are taken for granted).

A post shared by Aja Barber (@ajabarber) on

Venetia Falconer

A name that keeps appearing on my ‘to follow’ lists, Venetia is a very vocal advocate of slow fashion, sharing hints and tips to reduce waste and live more sustainably. Venetia pulls no punches when taking about the ‘sustainable collections’ of fast fashion brands, so if you’re looking for an honest voice that cuts through a lot of noise, Venetia is your woman.

If you prefer to listen rather than scroll, Venetia also hosts the ‘Talking Tastebuds‘ podcast, in which she interviews various guests about their relationship with food, sustainability, mental health and well-being.

View this post on Instagram

THE TIME IS NOW | 🌎🌍🌏 ⁣ My heart is full and my body is charged after being in the company of so many outraged, courageous and passionate students striking against our climate breakdown.⁣ ⁣ It’s my 30th birthday tomorrow and I feel so grateful to have experienced planet Earth at a time which frankly, future generations won’t have the opportunity to do so. It is a matter of URGENCY that communities, governments, organisations and businesses take DRASTIC measures to prevent global heating. ⁣ ⁣ Ice caps are melting, forests are burning, entire species are dying and millions of people are being displaced by climate disasters. ⁣ ⁣ We need faith, we need courage and we need to make a stand. ⁣ ⁣ WHO’S WITH ME? ⁣✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻

A post shared by Venetia La Manna (@venetialamanna) on

Natural Resources Defense Council

Not a person but an organisation committed to safeguarding the Earth. The NRDC works on a broad range of issues, from race to gender equality to sustainability projects. Follow them on Instagram to see what they’re up to and show your support.

My favourite thing about this account is that it shares a huge amount of easily digestible information, that if you so wish, you can visit their ‘like shop’ page and read up on. It’s a clever way of linking pages, petitions, blog posts and charities in one place.

View this post on Instagram

NEW: Our latest report confirms that race bears the strongest relationship to slow and ineffective enforcement of the federal drinking water law in communities across the nation. We analyzed EPA data that confirms there is unequal access to safe drinking water, based most strongly on race, a scientific conclusion that mirrors the lived experience of people of color and low-income residents in the U.S. Drinking water systems that constantly violated the law for years were 40% more likely to occur in places with higher percentages of residents who were people of color, according to EPA data from 2016-2019 analyzed in the report. Kristi Pullen Fedinick, PhD, Director of Science and Data at NRDC: “As a scientist, I was surprised to find that race had the strongest relationship to the length of time people had to live with drinking water violations. But as a black woman, I was not surprised at all.” Visit the link in our bio to read the full report. #environmentaljustice #race #drinkingwater #water #discrimination #segregation #racism #safedrinkingwater

A post shared by NRDC (@nrdc_org) on

Greta Thunberg

The girl of the moment, 16 year old Greta Thunberg shot to fame last August, when she began protesting outside Swedish Parliament during school hours with a sign painted with the words, “Skolstrejk for Klimatet” (“School Strike for Climate”).

Follow Greta on Instagram to keep up to date with her powerful speeches and activism. Following Greta is truly humbling – this 16 year old does more than the vast majority of us and can act as an inspiration to all. Read more about #ChildrenVsClimateCrisis here, and if you’d like to strike too, follow Fridays for Future, the page for international weekly  climate strikes.

Blue Ollis

Blue is a low-waste vegan who shared advice on how we can all cut plastic, eat better and reduce our environmental impact. Whether you’re into Instagram, YouTube or would prefer to read a blog, Blue has it all.

If you’re looking for inspiration of vegan recipes, she has also launched a range of ebooks, perfect for anyone looking to reduce the environmental impact of their diet, or just incorporate some more veggies!

View this post on Instagram

Social media can be a very serious place. With topics like climate change, animal rights and human freedom raised it can be a vortex of downbeat communication. As a dyslexic I am hyper aware of the intricacies of language and have been brought up in a household and culture that appreciates playing with the boundaries of words and upturning the rules for comic relief. Tongue and cheek humour, satire, sarcasm and puns are an innate part of my communication style that I often mute on social platforms for fear of being misunderstood or in case they invalidate the conversation at hand. But where would we be without humour? Without comical rhetoric or creative wordplay? Comedy adds a much needed balance to society and especially in times of fear and depression it brings fresh air to an otherwise serious world. It’s a form of expression that is too often sidelined, ignored or reprimanded as a means of silencing a creative perspective. Our history shows that in dictator-led countries creative expression is first to go. Stand ups provide political perspectives that help form our societal debates because humour is a way to convey serious topics and harsh realities that cannot be addressed in other ways. It pushes boundaries and conventions and creates an open space for free speech. It also allows for moments of relief from a congested and stifled reality littered with global violence and stale journalism. As a dyslexic my expression has often been silenced as my mind naturally explodes with comical repartee, hyperbole, surreal imagery, irony and quick quips. This is something dangerous to the ego of others. They might smite you for your wit through lack of understanding, which can often lead to fear, for breaking social norms, which can lead to feelings of vulnerability, or for shining a light on something they wish to keep hidden. This is why comics have lead a brave and important role in our histories and continue to break the status quo and remould our evolving future. Dyslexic comedy geniuses include Eddie Izzard, Whoopi Goldberg, Ruby Wax and Robin Williams. Don’t let a world where solemnity is prevalent steal your humour.

A post shared by Blue • she/her (@blueollis) on

Bea Johnson 

Described as the “Mother of the Zero Waste lifestyle movement”, Bea has been waste-free since 2008 – long before zero-waste was known to the average consumer! Her book, Zero Waste Home provides ways of reducing household waste and shared how she transformed her family’s home to the zero-waste lifestyle, with an amazing one litre of rubbish put out per year!

Read her 100 top tips here, or follow her on Instagram to keep up to date with what she’s up to – recently she has packed up and will be touring the US and Canada to share her message.

View this post on Instagram

Pantry stocked for my boys✔ Carry-on packed✔ Zizou tucked in✔ Am on my way to Vietnam 🇻🇳 for talks, interviews, the launch of #zerowastehome translated to Vietnamese -and hopefully the beginning of something bigger! I've been wanting to bring my message to this country since I visited it a couple of years ago. So much litter and yet so many available waste-free alternatives everywhere -so much potential for zero waste where people already know how to live simply… Which part of the world🌏 has surprised you for having lots of litter but at the same time lots of unpackaged options? (Link to the events in the profile) #zerowaste #zerodechet #unpackaged #bulk #ZWHtour #zerowastehomebook #zerowastelifestyle #refill #ZWH

A post shared by Bea Johnson (@zerowastehome) on

James Whitlow Delano

Photographer and climate activist James founded Everyday Climate Change, a collective of photographers who are capturing the everyday effects of climate change. His page acts as a quasi-photo journal, each picture with a short story behind it.

Both pages share information from experts about a particular topic, from racism in India to receding glaciers, accompanied by a beautiful (and often concerning) photo. Follow James on Instagram or check out his website.

View this post on Instagram

Climate Change in the Italian Alps: Simone "Simun" Laurent, an ethnic-Walser dairy farmer in the valley outside Gressoney Saint-Jean, leads his dairy cow outside his barn past his son. Climate change in Gressoney means a shorter snow season. More precipitation will arrive as rain. The Alps are the "water tower" of Europe. Glacial ice and winter snow store water, slowly releasing it, feeding rivers upon which European nations have depended upon in the warmer months, since before Roman times. Receding glaciers mean less water stored up to feed rivers, especially in times of summer drought. Also, rain water drains away more quickly and is not stored in the Alps' glaciers. Farmers and livestock pastoralists, like Simone, will find less grass in high meadows in summer to fatten up his cows to produce milk he uses to make Toma cheese. Outside Gressoney Saint-Jean, Val D'Aosta, ItalyIronically, climate change brought the Walser, who speak a dialect of German, to the Gressoney Valley in the first place. During the 12th and 13th centuries Walser clans crossed the high Alpine passes from Switzerland, searching for virgin land, when there was less mountain ice than there is today, during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) c. 950 CE – 1250 CE. While this is clear evidence of naturally-occurring cycles of climate change, the temperatures are actually higher now, and now the pace of warming is turbocharged by carbon levels that are much higher today because of human activity. So, climate equilibrium is a long way off but one thing is for sure, it will be much warmer than during the MWP. Funded by @spacenomore Published by @washingtonpost #climatechange #globalwarming #italy #dairy #foodsecurity #alps #spacenomore #washingtonpost

A post shared by jameswhitlowdelano (@jameswhitlowdelano) on

Thank you for reading! Who are some of your favourite people to follow on this subject?

Advertisement

3 thoughts on “8 environmental influencers you should follow”

  2. Pingback: Compulsory race tees – time to get shirty? – food fitness flora

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s