By Russ Stoddard in environmental impact — Apr 30, 2024

Are You Part of the 1%?

There are a lot of hardworking, fun, and soulful folks who people the 5,200 business members in the 1% for the Planet community. Photo credit: Sunski.

It's the last day of Earth Month 🌍, people – so we're celebrating with an issue chock-full of positive developments, positive organizations, and positive people working on climate action.

If you were part of the 1% back in 2011 that wasn't part of the 99% constituting the Occupy movement, it definitely had a negative connotation.

These days being part of the 1% has a positive glow as it increasingly means you belong to 1% for the Planet and have joined thousands of businesses committed to using their financial resources to save the planet.

One of the best business decisions I ever made for my impact company was to join 1% for the Planet.

I'd circled around edges of joining this community for a long time. On top of being a certified B Corp, it seemed like a big commitment - for every Benjamin Franklin your business generates, one dollar goes to environmental nonprofits. And that's regardless of whether you have a year that's profitable – or not.

I waded into the stream as a founding member of a program 1% created for individuals. I saw how it worked, met some rad people, then signed up my business, Oliver Russell. (The program for individual members no longer exists.)

Here's how it works: 1% for the Planet has more than 5,200 business members in 110 countries who commit to giving at least 1% of their annual sales to environmental nonprofits. At least half must be financial support for 1% gor the Planet partner nonprofits; you can also fulfill the remainder through a mix of in-kind donations, employee volunteer time, and 1% for the Planet advertising donations.

And here's why it's been a good business decision: It's a big time saver and ensures our impact aligns tightly with our SDG-13 Climate Action commitment.

Budgeting, of course, is a snap. Just plug in 1% of projected sales for your donation expense and away you go.

No muss, no fuss – it streamlines the decision-making process. All the nonprofits on the platform have been vetted, so I have confidence in the efficacy and focus of the organizations I'm supporting.

It also narrows the selection set by categorizing the type of environmental impact. For Oliver Russell, SDG13 - Climate Action, is one of our target impact areas, so we're able to quickly screen organizations that specialize in this outcome.

1% for the Planet CEO Kate Williams shares a laugh with 1% co-founder Yvon Chouinard at the annual Global Summit. (1% co-founder Craig Mathews in blue jacket.) photo credit Duft Watterson.)

Here's a clever benefit: When approached for donations by nonprofits, I can now respond that we give through 1% – so if they'd like to be considered, their organization should pursue inclusion in the environmental partners hosted on the platform.

So – saves time and increases our impact. And 1% for the Planet does an effective job of certifying that your donations (or other fulfilling commitments) actually happened.

Oh, and did I mention the human aspects of this organization? Those who "people" the member businesses are first rate. The annual 1% Global Summit (held this year in San Diego) is among the best business conferences I've attended. And the folks who run 1% are sharp, personable, and exceptionally service oriented.

All in all, a great investment.

With the need to address climate change and other environmental challenges so utterly urgent, and the funding for environmental nonprofits so weak, I can't think of a better organization to support if you're in the business of creating environmental impact.

So far, 1% for the Planet members have generated $620 million in donations for nonprofits. The organization has set an ambitious goal of reaching $1 billion in certified impact by 2027. So whaddya say? Why not celebrate Earth Month this year by making the commitment – and I'll hope to see you in San Diego!

Godspeed, friends.

Russ

P.S. Thanks to reader Kim Allchurch-Flick who purchased three fundraising wristbands for Storyteller Cafe, which we featured last week and offered to match member contributions. Nice work, Kim – we'll be donating $45 to match your generosity.

💬 Quote of the Week

“How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.” Yvon Chouinard, co-founder of 1% for the Planet.

I'm a sucker for poetry - and beautiful book covers.

💥 Quick Hits

• Humor cuts through climate clutter – Comedians and climate activists Nicole Conlan + Rollie Williams co-host the podcast The Climate Denier's Podcast; it's worth a listen.

• A reality check for Hollywood – From the good people of Good Energy, the Climate Reality Check is a tool to help assess whether our climate reality is being represented in films, TV shows, and other narratives.

• The attitude behavior gap on climate action – How can we bridge the chasm between our desire for climate change and our actions about it? A think piece from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

• ⬆️ How your company can bridge that behavior gap – Sign up as a member of 1% for the Planet (see above 😉) and commit 1% of your revenues to nonprofits working on climate action and the environment. Money talks and B.S.🚶

• Need a de-stresser? – Take a deep breath and a walk in the woods - poetry is here to help you. Poet Laureate of the United States Ada Limón has you covered with the signature project of her current tenure, You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World, an anthology including works by 50 of the most acclaimed poets working today. #EarthMonth is also #PoetryMonth. Methinks this not a coincidence 😉

❎ Greenwashing

Do you have a favorite example of corporate greenwashing? If so, please send it to me - just reply to this email. We'll be publishing a special greenwashing issue in the near future. 🙏

🤔 Trivia Time

Of the thirteen Oscar-nominated films for 2024 analyzed by the Climate Reality Check, how many included climate change in their story worlds?

• 0

• 3

• 6

• 7

Today's trivia answer can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.‌‌‌‌‌

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Trivia Answer

Three of the Oscar nominated films included climate change in their story worlds. Those films were: Barbie, Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One, and Nyad.

For more context: Thirty-one fictional, feature-length films received Oscar nominations in 2024. Of those, thirteen fit the inclusion criteria of the Climate Reality Check: stories set in the present or near future, on Earth, in this universe. Those films were: Barbie, American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Past Lives, May December, Nyad, Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One, The Creator, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Io Capitano, Perfect Days, The Teachers’ Lounge, and Godzilla Minus One.