This has been a tumultuous year for the earth. There were drastic changes and several challenges. It’s more important now than ever to take care of the environment. In September 2019, we saw the largest global protest for climate change with around 4 million people in attendance. This growing concern for climate change has led to a lot of environment protection initiatives. The EU and China have placed restrictions on single-use plastics. The World Economic Forum announced a One Trillion Trees Initiative. This really shows that changes in policy can be induced by raising awareness and taking initiative for causes that matter.

One of the most common ways that organizations create such conversations is through awareness campaigns, a major component of which is video. These days video is one of the most effective ways to leave a lasting impact on audiences. This Earth Day, you might want to talk about sustainability, pollution control or any other environment friendly subjects on your own business channels. Here is a list of green campaign videos that will both inspire and inform in just a few minutes.

What people get wrong about climate change

Vox created this informative video with the aim to change the perspective people have on climate change. The video explains the climate change timeline and how humanity and agriculture play a part in it. It tells us that the earth is not what’s in danger here; it has the ability to restore itself and prevail. It’s civilization as a whole that might be at stake because the current climatic system is necessary for its survival. The video’s art style is appealing, with its muted colors and engaging mix of real footage and infographics. The voiceover is just the right balance of casual and professional.

Join the global game of #BeatPlasticPollution tag!

The UN Environment Programme created an innovative campaign for World Environment Day 2018. They used the #BeatPlasticPollution theme to create a global game of online tag. The idea was to encourage people to be more cautious of the way they consume plastic and try to encourage positive change. They did this by involving celebrities and creating a high-impact video. Having Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Felton and others talk about practical measures to reduce plastic consumption allowed the campaign to retain its message in a viral video format.

The Lonely Dodo

The Lonely Dodo is a short animated film created by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. This video encourages people to donate to the charity through the story of the last ever Dodo bird. The dodo bird’s story humanizes endangered species by showing how lonely they might get if they can’t find others of their kind. The video directs attention toward a list of critically endangered species such as the pink pigeon, the pied tamarin and ploughshare tortoise. Starring Stephen Fry, a long time advocate of the trust, the film is emotional but heartwarming and humorous at the same time.

What really happens to the plastic you throw away

TED-Ed does a great job of creating short animated “lesson” videos that simplify a lot of different concepts for people to understand quickly. This wonderfully animated video tells viewers why it’s important to recycle whatever plastics they use instead of just throwing them away. It leads us through the life cycles of three discarded bottles, showing us that they may cause harm if they are not properly recycled. Having real knowledge about the consequences of one’s actions often leads to behavior change. The video doesn’t make use of any scare tactics and lays out the information in a conversational way.

The Giant – Compulsory Inflight Movie (Palau Pledge)

The Palau Pledge is one of the most beautiful environment conservation campaigns of recent times. The Clio award winning campaign is geared toward- getting the tourists visiting the island to take responsibility for the conservation of nature. Palau is the 13th smallest country in the world but it is overrun by tens of thousands of tourists.

These tourists are represented in this video by a well-meaning but clumsy giant that is causing immense environmental damage. The local children then teach the giant to be mindful of their island and promise to be responsible. This inflight short introduces passengers to Palau’s unique entry visa process that requires applicants to sign a pledge to avoid all the behaviors that cause damage to the environment, animal and plant life of the island. With its whimsical animation and stunning visuals, this video was bound to be effective.

Although we have a long way to go, it is evident that if we continue making environment-friendly efforts, the earth can heal. This Earth Day if you are taking a step, however small, to protect the environment share it in the comments below and spread the message.