Sustainability Influencer: @ Go Green Save Green

Sustainability Influencer: @ Go Green Save Green | Ep 72

Long-form and ‘doom and gloom’ content on sustainability arguably lack efficacy because readers either lose focus or end up feeling completely disempowered. Today’s guest is Ariel Maldonado and she is switching things up by using the format of memes on her Instagram page, @gogreensavegreen. You might be wondering why we are talking about memes today but, to practice sustainable packaging, you need to be well-informed. This is where Ariel fits in, so make sure to follow her! We chat with our guest about how she got obsessed with the environment and began to search for a way that she could join the sustainability movement. She talks about why she chose to start an Instagram account and how the type of content she posted evolved over time. We hear why memes are so effective due to the fact that they are to the point, humorous, and don’t make people feel like they are being attacked. We speak about various themes in the sustainability conversation, such as informed consumption, alternatives to plastic, and mono cropping, and Ariel shares her ideas based on the research she has done for her account. Our conversation also covers Ariel’s thoughts on where she wants to go next, and she shares her hope to not just educate her audience, but to help drive action. Great ideas and projects are so much more powerful when they reach large audiences, so tune in to hear how Ariel is working to achieve this goal today!

Key Points From This Episode:

How Ariel became interested in sustainability and began to share her research on Instagram.
The evolution of Ariel’s Instagram page and why she decided to use memes as a medium.
Why Ariel does not see herself as an ‘influencer’, even though she has a large audience.
Ariel’s thoughts on pursuing volunteer coordinating and where she might go next.
The stress of creating long-form content and why Ariel finds memes to be so effective.
Her experience with sponsorships and why she doesn’t want her page to be focused on making money.
Why Ariel prefers reusable water bottles and her thoughts on how damaging plastic is.
How the research and activism Ariel does has influenced the way she shops.
The confusion involved in shopping sustainably and how Ariel can use her voice to help.
Ariel’s wish to go beyond educating and help people to take action.
The scam of carbon offset projects and how mono-cropped trees often kill ecosystems.
Where to go online to find out more about Ariel and Go Green Save Green.