CNN Sells Its Soul, and Everything Else, on Earth Day
There was a time when Earth Day was a day of protest, specifically of the impacts of 150 years of industrial development. On the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans — 10% of the U.S. population at the time — mobilized to call for greater protections for the planet.
Fifty-four years later, the day of protest – or at least of introspection – has become something else. “Shop these Earth Day deals for savings on sustainable products,” reads a headline on CNN Underscored, the network’s “affiliate marketing” section which claims independence from the CNN newsroom.
The article, if that’s what we should call it, touts the “40 best Earth Day sales,” for footwear and other fashion items, luxury linens, Swedish dishcloths, and a brand of toilet paper called Who Gives A Crap (featuring “Free carbon neutral shipping on most orders over $25!”). Some of these products are arguably eco-friendly, but it’s an argument that requires a robust imagination. Sending cut flowers to someone, for example, is the antithesis of whatever else Earth Day is supposed to stand for, but you can do it here and “get 25% off plus $10 of shipping with code CNNEARTH.”
CNN has expanded the idea of Earth Day into Earth Week, pushing “products to help you spend more time in nature and exclusive deals all week,” and of course it isn’t alone in commercializing the sentiment. The shopping site retailmenot.com touts all manner of products for the eco-conscious (or not): apparel, beauty products, baby clothes, multivitamins, and a lot more stuff that is maybe enviro-friendly if you squint just right. “Some organizations (and retailers) celebrate all April long, calling it Earth Month. Don’t stop the party!”
The concept of Earth Month is innovative, but why stop there? Earth Year is the future, in which we all shop ourselves into oblivion for 365 days straight. Who gives a crap, indeed. But seriously, if you really need to commemorate the day – or week, or month – by buying stuff, then why not buy a tree and plant it.
Photo Credit: NASA
