“The revolution will not be televised”, but it can be liked, reposted, and extensively commented on.

If you sign petitions, write long texts on social media, and comment on posts in favor of noble causes. Research, reflect, and engage in initiatives directly from your smartphone screen; you may be an armchair activist.

But don’t worry, this is not necessarily bad. We at Simple wrote a little summary to keep you updated with this topic so you don’t fall into any traps.

SLACKTIVISM - WHERE IT ALL STARTED

Slacktivism originated in 1995 and was one of the precursors of this online activist movement. Initially, it was something positive, but after a while, people started noticing that there were few concrete actions behind those clicks. Campaigns that were only seeking engagement, people supporting them to ease their conscience. The result: actions limited to a nice speech and relieved people without any accountability.

NEW GENERATIONS - NEW FORMS OF ACTIVISM

If being actively engaged in social causes was seen before as cool and exclusive to a small group, today, for Gen Z, it is a basic requirement and closely connected with how we consume products or services in our daily lives. “What does this company really bring to the table?”

A brand needs a purpose beyond its profit. Plus, they must not use a cause for self-promotion. When this happens around sustainability, it’s called greenwashing.

SLACKTIVISM: TURNING IT INTO A POSITIVE THING

It’s not about stopping getting involved in causes via smartphone from your couch. But to delve deeper into the subject and investigate data and facts. A way to check how legitimate initiatives supported by a company are is to look for results and continuous impact. Knowing that your purchase can help someone or something is always great.

Here are some ways to get involved:

• Sign and share verified petitions;
• Support projects by buying from brands that redirect part of their profits to NGOs and social and environmental projects;
• Look for companies that reduce the environmental impact of their supply chain;
• Share real actions with real people, bringing awareness to a cause;
• Research causes beyond the ones you have a natural affinity towards or already participate in. It’s always good to broaden your horizons. 

INITIATIVE FOR THE OCEANS: SIMPLE ORGANIC + SEA SHEPHERD BRAZIL

On the topic of genuine actions, Simple Organic has recently partaken in something unprecedented. From the alliance between Sea Shepherd Brazil and Scuba Diving International, a new project 100% funded by us is born: Simple + You For the OCEAN.

The Rede contra Redes [Net against (fishing) nets] project took UK divers experienced in removing ghost nets from the seabed to Brazil to train local divers. These divers will train others, exponentially increasing training and cleanup operations like a true net of people fighting for marine life.

Not every sustainability action is to get clicks and online engagement. For us at Simple Organic, the environment is an everyday matter.

DO YOU LIKE TO SUPPORT IMPORTANT CAUSES FROM HOME? TELL US IN THE COMMENT SECTION!