Sustainable Socials
We harness the power of social media to reach millions of people in Virginia and around the world with fun, realistic content that everyone can relate to and implement in their own lives.
Traditional channels often leave environmental groups “preaching to the choir,” ignoring large portions of the population, particularly youth. To reach new audiences and inspire younger generations, social media holds more power than any other medium. More than half the world’s population uses social media for more than 2.5 hours a day, and in 2023, short-form videos are expected to account for more than 80% of all web traffic.
Our dedication to making content accessible to all people is reflected in the wide range of sustainable topics we cover. From sharing how to convert take-out boxes into greenhouses to which plant-based milk is the most eco-friendly option, we are confident that people from all walks of life who view our social media will find tips they can integrate into their lives!
Below are some of the most common categories into which many of our videos fall.
Eco-Friendly Everyday
Everything we do and everything we buy has an environmental impact. As a conservation organization, we understand that sustainability is a series of tradeoffs, and not everyone has the ability to practice sustainability in every aspect of their life. At the end of the day, it’s impossible for anyone to have no environmental impact. Rather than alienating those who aren’t quite as eco-conscious as they could be, we aim to shift mindsets by sharing tips and tricks that help both our viewers and the planet.
For example, encouraging our audience to “leave their leaves” not only helps promote soil health and native habitat, it also saves a weekend of yard work. By sharing tips to reduce water use, we promote water conservation and help reduce our audiences' utility bills. One of our core values is that we care about people as much as the planet!
Waste Reduction and Reuse
As individuals, the most sustainable thing we can do is use what we already have and reduce what we buy (and then throw away). And with today’s limited market for recycled materials, it’s more important than ever to practice eco-conscious consumerism. We regularly showcase eco-friendly alternatives to single-use items, encouraging our audience to ditch things designed to be thrown away in favor of reusable products like wool dryer balls, silicone baking mats, and of course, reusable grocery bags. Some of our favorite videos pit product against product, diving deep into the pros and cons of each, helping consumers make informed, eco-conscious decisions that work for them and the planet. We’ve covered everything from mineral vs chemical sunscreen to books vs e-readers!
Just as important as reducing what we buy is reusing what we already have. We show viewers how they can turn what many would consider to be trash into new and fun items that fulfill their everyday needs. Whether you’re interested in learning how to upcycle old wine bottles into self-watering planters, or how you can convert milk gallons into the perfect winter seed sowing greenhouse, we’ve got you covered!
Some of our most popular videos showcase how to get the most out of your groceries by reusing food scraps. We taught more than 1.5 million viewers how to make a DIY cleaning spray from leftover lemon scraps, and our video tutorial of how to make a potassium rich fertilizer from banana peels reached more than 14 million people. The power of social media is truly unbelievable!
Native Plants
While we aim to offer relatable content that people around the world can use in their own lives, we are also equally dedicated to serving and educating the region we call home: Virginia. Much of this region-specific programming focuses on promoting the use of native plants throughout our communities. In addition to in-person and virtual workshops, where we teach attendees how to grow and cultivate their own native habitats, we also highlight various Virginia native plant species weekly on our social media feeds. Like all our content, our aim is to serve people and the planet. Each time we discuss a native plant, we make a concerted effort to highlight how growing it helps homeowners save time and money, as well as bolsters the local ecosystem.