In a world led by corporate motives, a businessman funds researchers to produce studies supporting their green claims. These rushed and compliant studies aid in 'Green Washing', intensifying Earth's woes. Earth, personified, endures this harm. Global spending on corporate sustainability research reached $100 billion, up from $50 billion in 2020, according to Figueires and Bloomberg (2023).
Drawing and deviating from the Milgram experiment, which highlighted obedience to authority, modern corporations use 'Green Washing' to exaggerate eco-friendliness. Researchers, influenced by funding, inadvertently create reports that often worsen environmental issues—a situation termed Green Bashing.
The skit critiques the blind allegiance of researchers to corporate power. It emphasizes the peril of academic research becoming a corporate puppet. The core issue: researchers' detachment from real environmental challenges.
The pivotal question: Can we ignite a genuine bond between researchers and Earth's sustainability? If researchers felt the environmental urgency, might they resist corporate green washing agendas?
Reference:
Figueires, C., & Bloomberg, M. (2023). Corporate sustainability research: A global perspective. Nature Sustainability, 6(6), 600-604. doi:10.1038/s41893-023-00712-2