Better, cheaper clean technologies, "the biggest opportunity in the history of the world", Nike in court and thanks from 33_Zero

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We want to contribute to a community that shares our belief in change and commitment to a culture in which clean solutions are the most desirable products and services.

• 33_Zero is a strategic consultancy that works where net zero business innovations meet culture. Our clients make ideas from cultivated meat to circular fashion a reality

• Earthtopia is one of the largest eco-communities on TikTok and members work with brands on panels, workshops, research and eco-consul initiatives

The latest from net zero culture

Better, cheaper clean technologies will outcompete dirty legacies

Independent think tank, Rethink X, shares our optimism about the climate technologies coming down the line. We’re no longer limited to old, dirty and expensive technology - fossil fuels, combustion engines and animal agriculture. Instead, disruptions in energy, transportation, food and labour that are better and cheaper will outcompete the legacy technologies. And quickly. Their new YouTube series, ‘Brighter’, is an accessible introduction to their thinking. For more advanced reading, check out their latest white paper on precision fermentation.

“The biggest opportunity in the history of the world”

Bloomberg’s Zero podcast is worth your time with previous episodes featuring guests like Bill Gates (talking about his role in persuading Democrat outlier Joe Manchin to sign up to US climate bill, the Inflation Reduction Act). The latest episode has venture capital veteran, Dipender Saluja, talking about his firm, Capricorn Investments’ bets on clean tech. “Transforming energy is probably the biggest opportunity in the history of the world,” he says. “Investing for financial returns and social good is not only possible, I think it’s easier to do than not.”

Nike in court and the risk of sustainable fashion comms stasis

A topic on our mind since conducting the research has been the increasingly treacherous gulf between brand sustainability claims and consumer sensitivity to greenwashing. Nike found itself facing a lawsuit last month when a plaintiff complained claims of ‘sustainability’ and ‘recycled fibers’ were misleading. This chimes with the more active voices among our interviewees who knee-jerk cynicism before so much as reading into sustainability claims from polluting categories. In fact, many see due diligence on claims as a wasted effort. Consumers need to know what they’re buying and brands need to communicate the important progress many are making. We dread the thought of this impasse leading to stasis. It’s an area we want to navigate with brand partners by drawing on voices in the Earthtopia community to test and evolve effective net zero communications.

“The marketing of imperfect, incremental solutions”

We enjoyed this LinkedIn post of ‘22 honest reflections on the state of sustainable fashion marketing’ from reliably on-point sustainable fashion consultant, Ed Stoner. Particularly salient in light of the previous topic in discussion is #6: ‘Sustainable fashion marketing’ is the marketing of imperfect, incremental solutions.’

CRISPR sausages

FDA approval has been granted to researchers at Washington State University to use CRISPR gene editing in the breeding of pigs for human consumption. How does this break ground towards net zero? Well, CRISPR technology could be a solution to bring lab-grown cultivated meat to scale. An approval in this space granted to University research - rather than the private sector - sends a powerful public message encouraging trust in CRISPR technology which primes the ground for the rise of meat agriculture alternatives.

Ammunition for that “yeah but China…” person at the table

Finally, to help you optimists head off the “doesn’t matter what we do” cynics, keep the above chart to hand. It shows China could be seven years ahead of their 2030 emissions target.

Working with Earthtopia

Earthtopia is one of the largest eco-communities on TikTok with a far bigger audience than Greenpeace or Extinction Rebellion. We’ve worked with organisations like the UN, COP26 & The Earthshot Prize, as well as partnering with brands including Netflix, Nike, Nandos, YouTube & eBay.

How we work with brands:

• Half-day workshops with 4- 6 members of the community assessing your sustainability initiatives, comms campaigns or NPD
  Designed with you, led by a brand strategist and written-up for practical impact

• Bespoke qual research with 2 – 3 hrs immersion with each participant and audio & video outputs

  Mobile ethnographies that take you inside the customer’s world, with content filmed by video-native TikTok creators

• Our community is focussed on progress, they want to applaud corporate behaviour because they know we won’t succeed without it

  Counter the ‘Greenwashing’ default with credible endorsement from the most influential voices with the biggest communities

Email jamesp@33seconds.co to find out more.