The world’s first Earth Day events started in 1970; it was the 51st anniversary this year on April 22nd. Supporting environmental protection activities, Earth Day includes numerous events held around the globe. Last year more than 100 million people participated in what has been called one of the largest mass mobilizations ever! The climate demands our attention.
Many companies are using creative ways to get our focus on Mother Earth this year. Restaurant Panera is recognizing the growing use of biking during the pandemic and how Panera fits in by copying its signature bread bowl shape into a bicycle basket. The bike is olive green and the basket is bread-brown, making it easy to cart around foods and goods. Panera was the first chain to label its food to show carbon footprint as well as nutrition and calorie counts. According to the company “if every Panera customer ordered a Cool Food item on April 22 it would – compared to the average American diet – reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking more than 1,100 passenger vehicles off the road for one year.”
Another Earth Day event was burger chain Carl’s Jr. teaming up with Beyond Meat at one of Carl’s Jr. Los Angeles restaurant. It gave away free plant-based burgers and offered faux meat sandwiches for $5 via an email promotion. Carl’s Jr. already carries a Beyond Meat burger patty and has sold more than 12 million Beyond Meat burgers. The event was intended to draw in younger, flexitarian-diet customers. According to a University of Michigan research study, Beyond Meats “products need 46% less energy, generate 90% less greenhouse gas emissions than a standard beef patty, and have 99% less impact on water scarcity and 93% less impact on land use.”
How will you embrace the environment?
Group Activities and Discussion Questions:
- Quiz students on their knowledge of Earth Day: https://www.earthday.org/
- View video from the first Earth Day from CBS News: https://youtu.be/WbwC281uzUs
- Additional videos on YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWeBkq4KGaN7N8PMWgfOLw
- Discuss the promotions being done by companies such as Panera and Carl’s Jr.,
- Panera video: https://youtu.be/uqcWXh2WqOc
- Beyond Meat’s site: https://www.beyondmeat.com/whats-new/go-beyond-this-earth-day/
- Students could also quickly research Earth Day news stories on their laptops and phones.
- Divide students into teams. Have each team develop an Earth Day advertisement for a product of their choice.
- What are the key messages?
Source: Ad Week
