Sustainability and environmental concerns seem to be some of the most talked about and pertinent themes among Generation Z customers these days. In order to comprehend this issue, I looked at the support that Gen Zers have for environmentally responsible products.
Read More: Environmental Advocacy Gen Z
A 2022 poll conducted by HeForShe and the Team Lewis Foundation found that young people throughout the world prioritize the health of the earth over gender equality and job prospects.
Digital natives with these objectives may approach daily life differently as a result of this mindset, prioritizing sustainability in their purchasing decisions, for example. For instance, individuals could decide to adopt a vegan diet and lifestyle, purchase used clothing to prevent overproduction, and patronize neighborhood businesses.
Thus, according to Bank of America (via CNBC), Gen Z will emerge as “the most disruptive generation ever”: No generation before them, in my judgment, has demonstrated the same level of interest in any social problem.
Viewing Everything From A Different Perspective
According to data from Verywellmind, Gen Z, which makes up 38% of the US population, is the group most concerned about global warming. Furthermore, the biggest worry among Gen Z and millennials is having a detrimental influence on the future of the planet (32% and 29%, respectively).
In actuality, social media serves as a window into the world: A vast amount of material is produced every day, both by associations and by users themselves, that might influence people’s knowledge and perspectives, particularly with regard to environmental concerns. Deloitte reports that Gen Z is leading the way in sustainable behavior, with 50% cutting back on purchases and 45% giving up on particular companies due to ethical or sustainability concerns. According to this study, younger generations are more driven to lessen pollution and the consequences of climate change.
Green TikTok Trends and Green Lifestyle
Generation Z is synonymous with TikTok. I think the platform captures the interests, habits, and tastes of a lot of younger people well. It is a genuine tool for communication that enables people to talk about public concerns.
TikTok claims to have “emerged as a top destination for conversations focused on the most urgent environment and sustainability issues, with an active and engaged community of creators committed to raising awareness, inspiring action, and restoring the planet,” in addition to covering subjects like LGBTQ+ and gender equality.
The number of views on videos that have been produced and include the hashtags #EarthDay and #NatureLover can be used to determine the number of young people who are passionate about this subject: The platform recorded more than 2 billion video views on material tagged with this hashtag in October 2021 compared to the previous year.
The same TikTok article claims that discussions about climate change have received over 20 billion views worldwide just in the last year.
Based on the quantity of views that have been recorded for each hashtag on TikTok as of this writing, let’s have a look at some statistics:
Views: 3.5 billion for #ecofriendly.
• 2.2 billion views for #climatechange.
• 21 billion views for #vegan.
1.6 billion views for #secondhand.
18.4 million views for the hashtag #environmentalawareness.
• 481.6 million views for #pollution.
Some of the most talked-about climate-related subjects on TikTok in 2021 and 2022, according to the company, include:
• Promoting sustainable lifestyles: Hashtags like #Upcycling, #Thrifting, and #PlantBased are used in this material.
• Education and awareness about climate change: Hashtags like #NatureLover are used by users to encourage responsible consumption and urge others to take action.
• Preserving the environment and healing the earth: The TikTok community frequently produces material that honors nature, promotes its preservation, and lowers pollution and waste.
From Green Buying Decisions To Social Media
Customers that are committed to sustainability could select eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and vegan clothing, as well as things made from recycled materials. Because of this, companies should change to appeal to Generation Z by promoting sustainability and environmental protection in their marketing initiatives. Nevertheless, I’ve discovered that these tactics only function when they are honest and open. Customers are frequently aware of greenwashing and fraudulent marketing that targets sustainability.
Transparency, in my opinion, is one of the greatest strategies to stand out from the competition and win over customers. Customers are likely to be willing to support businesses that are transparent about the origins of their ingredients, production processes, and direct environmental effect, as well as those who offer accurate figures and information.
Ultimately, one thing is certain: everything ought to begin with the ideas of decency, positivity, and humanity’s benefit. Which is why I refer to them as the Ethical Era.
